Our vision
We are creating a future where natural residual streams become the most profitable sources of high-value ingredients across industries.
Nature has already engineered an extraordinary library of complex natural chemicals. For too long, these compounds have been locked behind costly extraction and refining processes. But that era is ending.
What was once considered biomass waste is now recognized as a powerful source of functional, high-performance ingredients, many capable of profitably replacing today’s synthetic, petroleum-based alternatives.
Bio-circularity represents a systemic transformation and redefines how we capture and retain value given by Nature.
Our mission
At Plinius Labs, we unlock high-value natural chemicals from Europe’s second-generation feedstocks - sustainably and profitably.
We demonstrate that bio-based chemicals can be just as effective and competitive in comparison with fossil-derived alternatives.
Our goal is to support the success of companies that are ready to become the leaders of the bio-circular transition. Backed by more than 30 years of green chemistry expertise and a sharp focus on commercial performance, we use scientific excellence to create market impact.
We are proud to stand at the forefront of the bio-circular revolution - for the people and for our planet.
Meet the Team
Kevin Huvaere
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Kevin is our scientific expert in chemical development, bio-based chemistry, and general chemistry. Before he co-founded Plinius Labs, he built his career in the industry as a Senior and Chief Scientist. Kevin holds a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Ghent University and had worked as a postdoc in Denmark at Copenhagen University.
Yves Boonen
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Yves is an independent interim manager with over 25 years of industrial experience across multiple market segments, with a focus on innovation, organizational development, and business growth. A chemical engineer with an MBA, he drives our strategic progress and strongly believes in customer intimacy.
Jasper Bloemen
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As an experienced entrepreneur, Jasper supports Plinius Lab in building strategic partnerships and strengthening market connections to drive sustainable growth. With a focus on innovative, bio-based materials for the cosmetics industry, he accelerates commercial development and expands market reach.
Frank Eertmans
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Frank holds a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Ghent University and brings senior R&D leadership experience in life sciences, green cosmetics and biotech. He drives our end-to-end research and innovation agenda, leveraging his deep expertise in innovation management, product development, and regulatory strategy.
Nora Thüringer
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A 2024 pharmacy graduate from Ghent University, Nora got interested in sustainable innovation during her master’s thesis at Plinius Labs. She is now continuing her work with us through a VLAIO-funded PhD, focused on developing innovative and sustainable suncare solutions.
Joëlle Stockman
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Joëlle graduated with a Master of Chemical Engineering Technology from Ghent University, where she built application-oriented expertise in lignin. At Plinius Labs, she combines her interest in circular resources with research in sustainable chemistry and continues working on lignin valorisation through a VLAIO-funded PhD.
We're growing and looking for ambitious talents.
Want to join?
You'll enjoy working with us if:
you are passionate about sustainable innovation
you want to have a real impact driving the circular transition
you are energized by work on practical applications of deep science
you are curious and ready to question the status quo
you aspire to make bio‑based, circular chemistry the new industry standard
you are a team-oriented professional who excels at collaborating across the value chain and co-creating solutions with colleagues, customers, and partners
No job posting that fits your experience? Send us an open application.
Our advisory board
John Dejaeger
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John Dejaeger is an experienced industrial leader who has held top roles across chemicals, materials, and manufacturing. He served as President & Managing Director at BASF Antwerpen, CEO of Lamifil, CEO of Arpadis Group, and COO of Reynaers Aluminium. His background brings strong expertise in scaling operations, driving innovation, and navigating complex industrial markets.
Roland Vanhoegaerden
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Roland Vanhoegaerden, Operations Managing Director at BENEO, brings deep expertise in large-scale production, supply chain optimization, and clean-label ingredient manufacturing. His experience in expanding operations and managing regulated markets supports Plinius Labs in scaling innovations into efficient, high-quality, market-ready solutions.
Dirk Carrez
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Dirk Carrez is a leading expert in the bio-based economy and industrial biotechnology. As former Executive Director of the Bio-based Industries Consortium, he built a major EU public-private partnership and a strong cross-industry network. He brings deep experience in connecting policy, industry, and innovation, and in shaping European bioeconomy strategies and sustainable value chains.
Tom Benijts
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Tom Benijts brings strong expertise in laboratory sciences and food & feed analytics, as former co-owner and co-CEO of Eurofins ECCA. He has a proven track record in scientific operations, regulatory compliance, and delivering high-quality analytical services. His experience in building a respected full-service lab supports our ambition to deliver market-ready, sustainable solutions.
Patrick Molemans
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Patrick Molemans, CEO of The Wallfashion House, brings strong experience in market consolidation, strategic acquisitions, and brand integration. He has also held leadership roles in European industry associations, supporting collaboration and innovation. His expertise in market positioning and value-driven growth helps us strengthen partnerships and scale effectively in the food and cosmetics sectors.
Our story
Plinius Labs was founded in 2021 by Bart Rossel, Kevin Huvaere and Yves Boonen with the ambition to transform underutilized renewable biomass into high-value natural chemicals that deliver both economic performance and environmental value.
Combining over 30 years of natural chemistry expertise with strong commercial experience, our team has built a growing portfolio of high-value ingredients and operates as a trusted CRO for companies in cosmetics, food, and consumer materials.
Headquartered in Belgium, with immediate reach of Brussels and the EU institutions, our advanced laboratory sits at the centre of a strong bio-based ecosystem. Proximity to key networks, policymakers, and biomass resources gives us a distinct strategic advantage.
Are you interested in collaborating with us or investing in our dynamically growing company?
What we care about
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Bio-based innovation
Replace petrochemicals with renewable, plant-derived ingredients to reduce environmental impact, lower dependency on finite fossil resources, and enable more circular material flows.
Upcycling biomass
Transform agricultural and industrial by-products into high-value chemicals and materials.
Sustainable sourcing
Prioritize ingredients that are responsibly produced, renewable, and fully traceable.
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Safer ingredients
Develop non-toxic, natural alternatives for food, cosmetics, and materials to protect human health.
Eco-conscious solutions
Reduce pollution and harm to ecosystems by reducing the production of synthetic chemicals.
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Local sourcing
Prioritize European-grown biomass to support regional farmers, strengthen rural economies, and reduce transport emissions.
Sustainable and geopolitically independent supply chains
Build resilient, transparent networks that minimize reliance on volatile global petrochemical markets.
EU innovation hub
Lead in green chemistry R&D by fostering homegrown technologies, industrial capabilities, talent, and industrial capabilities within Europe’s innovation ecosystem.
Policy partnership
Collaborate with EU institutions to shape regulations that advance sustainability and self-sufficiency.
Economic sovereignty
Strengthen Europe’s competitive edge by investing in circular, bio-based industries.
How we make it happen
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We leverage over 30 years of expertise in natural chemistry to harness the potential of biomass and convert it into high-value, sustainable ingredients. Our rigorous and systematic scientific approach ensures that everything we provide is backed by a solid and reliable evidence.
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Science is our foundation, and application guides our work.
This means using competitor benchmarking to create superior formulas, enhancing product specifications without regulatory setbacks, and establishing clear product differentiation through deep, mechanism-based analysis. These are just a few examples of how we go from scientific rigor to practical results, to create solutions that are innovative, actionable and impactful.
We also know that circularity alone is not enough for commercial success. That's why we complement it with performance, cost-efficiency, and market relevance.
That's our Plinius Labs holistic approach, also reflected in our logo.
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We want our clients to succeed in their transition toward circularity. For this to happen, we put a lot of effort into building strong partnerships. Confidentiality and IP protection are crucial ingredients of these relations, as is our flexibility to navigate tough and complex challenges.
Supported by
Who was Plinius?
The inspiration for our approach.
Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23–79) was a pioneer of natural science and author of the first Natural History. His work sought to understand nature as an interconnected system, spanning biology, chemistry, mineralogy, and pharmacology.
His intellectual curiosity and systematic thinking inspire our approach at Plinius Labs: combining deep scientific expertise with a broad, integrative view of natural resources, and putting it all together in the industrial and, ultimately, the planetary context.
What's in our logo?
Inspired by the Yin and Yang concept, we take a holistic approach and integrate science and application, rigor and agility, and sustainability and performance into a balanced, coherent whole.