Duane Ewing works for a company that produces environmentally friendly
insecticides. The natural products he wants to put on tomato plants are produced
by microbes, plants and other organisms that can kill pests.
His company boasts that it can find a higher number of new pesticidal natural
products quicker than its competitors. Their researchers have the inside track
on natural pesticides.
That's where Ewing comes in. The research is ongoing, but the company
needs financial support and business partners in order to continue research
and to put the products on the market.
"We try to form corporate partnerships with other companies and provide
them with some kind of product," says Ewing. "You have to be aware of the
product and be able to determine the needs of a company. I constantly call
people, look at trade publications and company activities, so that I know
what they're interested in."
Once Ewing finds a company that might be interested in his product and
technology, he sets up meetings. "I make phone calls, write letters and finally
establish face-to-face contact. It's all exploratory at this point. It's
there I find out what holes they have that we could possibly fill -- it's
kind of a fishing expedition." And sometimes he winds up getting a bite that
will help his company.
The hardest part of the job is making sure you're knocking on the
right door. It doesn't make good business sense to be tracking down a
business that can't use your research. And once in the door, you still
have to be careful.
"It's hard to make sure you're talking with the person who has
the authority and decision-making power and can facilitate a deal," says Ewing.
If a company agrees to help fund research, it's usually for a price
-- royalties on a product or a peek into the technology.
Ben Sutton is interested in a different type of biotechnology. His organization
is interested in developing technologies for forest regeneration. They're
attempting to produce seedlings with higher performance and survival rates.
"We attempt to produce better and better trees for reforestation through
studying the genetic make-up and the culture used in nursery
development. The old growth forests can't sustain us. The only way of
the future is to protect our forests through plantations," says Sutton.
Sutton's job is to make sure there is a growing market for these trees.
By analyzing the markets, he provides an overall direction for the group of
scientists. "My job is a mix of science and management. Most of us learn on
the fly and learn the business aspect by the seat of our pants."
While scientists are in the lab developing new ideas, Sutton is developing
ways to sell the product. Through presentations, written reports and phone
calls, he provides information about the company to potential clients. He
also thinks further ahead into the future.
"I look at the value of the forestry industry. Different areas will need
different species, and I have to look to see who's in control of these
areas."
In the biotechnology industry, you always have to be thinking ahead. Although
Ewing is now more involved in product development, he never stops looking
for a chance to develop the business. These opportunities can be well-established
companies, universities, individuals or small start-up companies.
"We're always looking for new opportunities. It's a matter of
maintaining openness to encourage all opportunities for growth."
Given how complex this field is, it's hard to get the good news about
it out to people.
"One of the problems we have with biotechnology is they [high school students]
don't know what it is," says Alicia Loffler. She is the director for
the Center of Biotechnology at Northwestern University in Illinois. She says
the field is changing so quickly with new technologies that it can be hard
for people to keep up.
For those who do keep up, the opportunities are boundless. "It's a
new industry and there are more women in high management positions than other
fields," she notes.