Medtech · Take-over
What acquirers test
As R&D director of a medical device company, presented and defended the technology, IP and regulatory position in take-over discussions with interested parties.
From promise to solution.
Independent judgement on the road from concept to first commercial plant: market, scale-up, supply chain and economics.
Promising technology rarely fails in the lab. It fails on the way to the first commercial plant.
RAES Solutions assesses the four places where investment cases and growth plans break down, from experience as R&D director, head of technology, CTO and general manager in chemistry, materials, medtech and water.
Market
Cheaper alternatives exist, and conservative industries do not adopt just because the idea is good.
Scale-up
Bigger is different: diffusion times, heat transfer, separation and safety margins change with size.
Supply chain
A great product is worthless if nobody produces the starting material at the volume needed.
Economics
CAPEX that keeps moving and unit costs that only work on paper.
For investors
Will it scale? Will it sell?
01
Technical due diligence
Market, scale-up, supply chain and economics, plus process safety, permitting, IP and team capability. A bounded assignment with a written report.
02
Exit and take-over readiness
Preparing or assessing the technical, IP and regulatory story an acquirer will test, from either side of the table.
03
Post-investment technical support
Monitoring technical milestones and acting as technical sparring partner for the board after the investment.
For technology companies
Getting the technology to work at scale, in a form customers pay for.
Scale-up roadmap
Lab to pilot to first commercial plant, structured with front-end loading and stage-gate.
Technology–market fit
Translating what customers need into product and process requirements.
Process safety and HAZOP
Facilitation of HAZOP and risk studies, from conceptual design to operation.
Expertise
Biobased and circular chemistry
Bio-polymers, electrolysis, pyrolysis
Water and resource recovery
Biological wastewater treatment, ammonia recovery
Separation and drying of biomaterials
Process design and equipment scale-up
Polymers and engineering plastics
Compounding, polyamides, product development
Separation technology
Activated carbon, membranes, PFAS removal
Medtech materials
Bio-resorbable polymers, ISO 13485, regulatory
Selected cases
All cases →Equipment · Scale-up
From €5M to €50M
Supporting an inventor-founder in growing an equipment company for separation and drying of biomaterials from €5M to €50M.
Chemicals · Commercialisation
From in-house department to third-party business
Turned the in-house safety department into a business serving third-party customers and generating profit.
About
Robbert de Graaf
PhD Chemical Engineering · Founder, RAES Solutions B.V.
Twenty-five years in R&D, engineering and operations: University of Groningen, AkzoNobel, Polyganics, DSM, Cabot Norit, Avantium and Paques. Currently Operations Director / General Manager at a scale-up in separation and drying of biomaterials.
Full background →Stories
All stories →The first stories are being written.
Independence
RAES Solutions does not accept assignments that could harm current or former employers or clients. Confidential information from previous roles is never used. Current roles are disclosed before any engagement.
Contact
Evaluating a technology investment or planning a scale-up? A short call is the quickest way to see whether there is a fit.
Oranje Nassaulaan 8
8019 ZB Zwolle, the Netherlands