In March, Emil Pot, Business Development Manager at Oncode Institute, joined Head of Valorization Jeroen Blokhuis on a Dutch fact-finding mission to China focused on biotechnology. The trip brought together representatives from government, academia, science parks and industry, with visits across Shanghai, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. It aimed to better understand how the ecosystem is evolving and where collaboration could make sense in the longer term.

A conversation with Emil Pot

What was the purpose of this mission?

This was a fact-finding mission, not a trade mission. The aim was to understand what is happening in China’s biotech ecosystem and whether there are opportunities to collaborate in a meaningful way.

What stood out most during the visit?

The speed and scale. That was consistent across everything that was visited. Ideas move quickly, and there is a strong ability to develop and scale them.

How would you describe China’s biotech ecosystem?

Very advanced when it comes to accelerating and scaling developments.

How does this compare to the Netherlands?

In the Netherlands, the strength lies in early-stage development, the creation phase. There is a clear ability to move from fundamental research to initial proof of concept. In China, the strength is in taking something further and scaling it.

What does that mean for Oncode Institute?

It shows how different parts of the value chain can connect. Oncode focuses on generating discoveries and advancing them towards preclinical and early clinical development. Partners in China can help take those developments further.

Did the visit change how collaboration is seen?

Yes. The conversations are now more concrete. There is active exploration of collaboration with partners in China, including in the joint development of cancer treatments.

Where do you see real opportunities for collaboration and where is caution needed?

In combining capabilities. Early-stage research and translational expertise on one side, and the ability to scale and develop further on the other. As in any collaboration, it needs to work for both sides. That requires clarity, transparency and a good understanding of how partners operate.

What is the main takeaway from the mission?

There is clear potential to work together. Connecting these different capabilities can help move new treatments forward and reach patients more effectively.

Closing

For Oncode Institute, this mission confirms the value of working across ecosystems to connect early-stage research with partners who can help bring developments further. It offers a clearer view of how collaboration with China can support the path from discovery to patient impact.