Bioengineered Plants by NeoPlants: How Patrick Torbey wants to Revolutionize Air Purification

Dr. Patrick Torbey is the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer & Managing Director at Neoplants, a Paris-based biotechnology startup. With a PhD in genome editing from ENS Paris, his expertise spans molecular biology, biotechnology, and entrepreneurship. Patrick’s doctoral research focused on CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing and transgenesis in vertebrates to study non-coding DNA sequences (enhancers) regulating gene expression. He previously served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at ENS Paris, teaching bacterial genetics and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. Patrick also completed an entrepreneurship program at PSL Research University, enhancing his skills in business modeling and startup development. Passionate about biotechnological innovation, he drives Neoplants in pioneering solutions for agriculture and sustainability challenges.

In our discussion we delved into the challenges of transitioning from academia to entrepreneurship. Patrick highlighted the difficulty of finding a business-minded co-founder in a science-dominated field. He emphasized the speed and resource advantages of startup life in rapidly engineering plants for air purification. Key topics included scalability and reproducibility in direct-to-consumer markets, where consumer scrutiny is intense. Patrick also explored the potential of machine learning to accelerate plant biology experiments, borrowing from software development’s test-driven approach. His excitement for innovative food and material startups underscored the broader impact of biotechnological advancements.