The world’s agricultural biotechnology leaders are heading to Rotorua in September to gather for ABIC, the world’s top agbiotech conference, hosted by New Zealand’s biotechnology industry organisation NZBIO with support from its Australian counterpart AusBiotech.
With up to 400 internationally represented delegates and 60 experts expected to attend, including a large delegation from the Asia-Pacific region, the United States and the UK, this is an opportunity to meet the key players involved in technologies that will fast track the development of affordable bio-based products including bio-fuels.
With the global industrial biotechnology industry set to grow by more than 400 per cent over the next five years, ABIC 2012 organisers say the industry’s potential to revolutionise sectors such as energy and consumer products will be an important topic in Rotorua.
“In those areas, there is a huge flowering of research and business uniting organisations ranging from chemical companies to agbiotech firms and energy providers,” says Elspeth MacRae, general manager manufacturing and bioproducts at crown research institute Scion and a member of the ABIC programme committee.
Among the international leaders confirmed to attend the agricultural biotechnology event is Dr Gunter Festel, the founder of Swiss-based investment firm Festel Capital, which is putting considerable capital into bio-energy projects. Also attending, is Michael Christiansen who heads the China arm of Novozymes, producer of a wide range of bio-solutions, including enzymes suitable for bio-fuel production. Additionally, United States energy crop producer Ceres is sending its chief scientific officer, Dr Richard Flavell.
UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) wants to talk to NZ companies who are seeking collaborations with UK agricultural biotechnology organisations and are interested in investing in Britain.
This is the twelfth ABIC conference.
More information about ABIC can be found at http://www.abic2012.com/ or contact Paul Tuckley, UKTI trade development manager by email [email protected] or phone 09 303 5017, mobile 021 337778.
