Leiden Research Support: transforming research findings into products that benefit society
How do our researchers and support professionals work together to ensure that groundbreaking innovations from the lab are given a place in society? Professor Huub de Groot and business developer Serkan Esiner share their experiences on collaborating within an EU-funded project that focuses on converting solar energy into fuel.
Hi Huub and Serkan, how did your collaboration come about?
Huub: ‘I am a professor of biophysical organic chemistry and principal investigator of an EU-funded consortium called SUNER-C. A primary goal of this coordination and support action project is to highlight the societal impact of collaboration among various stakeholders in the European Union’s ambition to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. My research specifically focusses on artificial photosynthesis: copying nature’s process in order to create solar panels that produce fuels to complement the production of electricity by photovoltaics.’
Serkan: ‘The SUNER-C consortium consists of around thirty partners from academia, research institutes, the industry and society. As a business developer at LURIS, the university’s knowledge transfer office, I was hired for this project to support the connection between these different stakeholders. The idea is that together we can make the energy transition easier, faster and more efficient.’
‘I was looking for a position where I could both make use of my scientific knowledge and understand what was happening “out in real life”’
Serkan, you obtained your PhD in artificial photosynthesis. What motivated you to pursue a career in business development?
Serkan: ‘I was looking for a position where I could make use of my scientific knowledge of the technology field, but at the same time could understand what was happening “out in real life”. So far it’s been a great experience to see how many stakeholders are involved in this project, and to learn what it actually takes for a new energy technology to be integrated into society.’
Can you share a key achievement that was made possible through your collaboration?
Huub: ‘If you are going to implement a new type of energy conversion technology, you need to have something practical that people can see, touch and work with. And we actually had a prototype for that standing in our basement. We call this set-up an artificial leaf, or more specifically MyLeaf: a solar panel that generates hydrogen from sunlight. It was developed in collaboration with Hydron energy, but before we could finish testing it, the covid pandemic came, and we couldn’t really do anything anymore. When Serkan joined the project, we were able to reactivate it together.’
Serkan: ‘I spent a fair amount of time on bringing the device to life, by ordering additional panels, hooking it up to the computer, adding a Wi-Fi router… really the practical side of things.’
Huub: ‘Which is great, because now we have something that we can demonstrate and show people. For a business developer, the main challenge is to integrate new innovations into the existing technological infrastructure – and in a sensible way too, so that the cost benefits are evident. So we plan to use this device to make explorative steps.’
Serkan: ‘Fortunately, LURIS has a very large network. When I talked about our demonstration unit and explained that we were looking for collaborators, I was pointed to The Field: a local field lab that brings innovators together. Part of this project is a smart building next to Leiden’s central train station, that they want to make off-grid. We want our MyLeaf set-up to contribute to that. But for that, we’ll need more partners, and a bit of funding of course.’
Huub: ‘In a way, we are exploring new strategies of business development with this project. Because unlike the exploration of fossil fuels out of the ground, the process that is required to manufacture solar fuels is still nowhere near affordable. So, to make a business case, we need to set up a scheme to find more value and bring down costs. This requires exploring different concepts by teaming up with other parties, like technical universities, research institutes and, in the end, the industry.’
‘For a business developer, the main challenge is to integrate new innovations into the existing technological infrastructure’
What have you learned from each other while collaborating?
Serkan: ‘I’ve learned a lot from Huub. Not just about business development, but also on how to analyze issues that you encounter: don’t get stuck on problems, but remain focused on a solution instead. I’d also say that our collaboration has turned out to be even more fun than I originally expected. I’m glad that he has given me the freedom to work on this experimental setup.’
Huub: ‘What I’ve learned from Serkan is how to be very pragmatic, and how to turn an idea into a practical setup that really works. In the end, I think it’s all about the words on our university seal: Presidium Libertatis, Bastion of Freedom. We are a liberal organization, where people tend to follow their own nose. What I try to do with people that I work with – whether they are students, PhD candidates or business developers – is to metaphorically open a door for them, and push them through. It’s about stimulating people you collaborate with to explore what’s on the other side of that door, while staying close enough to them so that you can learn new things yourself as well. I’d say that's how we work at Leiden University.’
About the Leiden Research Support Network
The Leiden Research Support Network is the network for research support professionals within Leiden University. This network allows research support professionals from different domains to enhance their synergy in communities: exchanging expertise and experiences, and working as a team to answer researchers’ sometimes complex questions. The network’s strength lies in teamwork that transcends the boundaries of faculties and institutes.
Are you a researcher looking for ways to fund your research project? The Research Support Portal serves as a guide during all phases of (externally funded) research projects.