Tech From Here: NL · Sources

Grown, not made: the Biodesign Warehouse

Tech From Here: NL · Dutch Design Week 2026

The work this post covers and every source it draws on, each linked to the original.

The workThe Biodesign Warehouse, Department Store for Life, curated by Emma van der Leest and designed by Hilde Koenders, at the Klokgebouw (B4), Strijp-S. Tables: Fungkee Supercoating (Emma van der Leest and Nick van Biezen), Novya Biotech, SQIM Srl / Ephea, The Fermentor (Nick van Biezen). Dutch Design Week 2026 ddw.nl

Research cited

  1. Rebecca L. Slape, Maxine P. Piggott and Natalie L. Milic, "Understanding the structure and blemishes of Australian farmed saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) (excerpt) pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  2. Elise Elsacker, Simon Vandelook and Eveline Peeters, "Recent technological innovations in mycelium materials as leather substitutes: a patent review", Frontiers in (excerpt) pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  3. Elise Elsacker, Simon Vandelook and Eveline Peeters, "Recent technological innovations in mycelium materials as leather substitutes: a patent review", Frontiers in (excerpt) doi.org
  4. Milic, "Understanding the structure and blemishes of Australian farmed saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) leather", Veterinary and Animal Science 29:100467, 2025. doi.org

Other sources

  1. Emma van der Leest on Instagram (@emma_van_der_leest) instagram.com
  2. Novya Biotech on Instagram (@novya.biotech) instagram.com
  3. Ephea, website ephea.bio
  4. Mogu, website mogu.bio
  5. J. Gordon Betts et al., "5.1 Layers of the Skin", Anatomy and Physiology 2e, OpenStax, April 20, 2022 openstax.org
  6. Dutch Design Week programme: Bar Mycelium ddw.nl
  7. Dutch Design Week, "Scarves and materials dyed with yeast colourants" (Novya Biotech programme page, archived), Dutch Design Week 2026 ddw.nl
  8. Dutch Design Week, "SQIM Srl | Ephea" (programme page, archived), Dutch Design Week 2026 ddw.nl
  9. Dutch Design Week programme: High-performance Bio-nanocellulose Foam ddw.nl
  10. Dutch Design Week, "The Fermentor" (programme page, archived), Dutch Design Week 2026 ddw.nl
  11. Dutch Design Week venue: Klokgebouw ddw.nl
  12. Frame, Ninety Minutes of Frame: Hilde Koenders frameweb.com
  13. Bio Art & Design Award, "Emma van der Leest, Aneta Schaap-Oziemlak with Paul Verweij & Sybren de Hoog (Radboudumc & CWZ)", badaward.nl, undated badaward.nl
  14. Amy Frearson, "Emma van der Leest develops fungal coating for bio-leather", Dezeen, November 1, 2021 dezeen.com
  15. Formes de Luxe, Fungkee: fungi to replace toxic coatings on next-gen biomaterials formesdeluxe.com
  16. Wageningen University & Research, "Novya Biotech develops tiny yeast factories", August 21, 2025 wur.nl
  17. UtrechtInc, Carina Nieuwenweg's startup journey: from PhD to biotech innovation utrechtinc.nl
  18. Novya Biotech, link linktr.ee
  19. Ephea, "FAQs", ephea.bio, undated ephea.bio
  20. Ephea, Ephea Uma: the material of the future, now present ephea.bio
  21. Luxe durable : Bottega Veneta tresse désormais du végétal journalduluxe.fr
  22. Early Warning System, SQIM mycelium technology demo plant ewsdata.rightsindevelopment.org
  23. Creative Industries Fund NL, talent profile: Maurizio Montalti talent.stimuleringsfonds.nl
  24. Waag, Maurizio Montalti waag.org
  25. vegconomist, SQIM news vegconomist.com
  26. Foamlab, website foamlab.co
  27. Foamlab, news foamlab.co
  28. Capricorn Partners, Foamlab raises EUR 3 million growth capital to build a pilot plant capricorn.be
  29. Dealroom, Foamlab company profile app.dealroom.co
  30. Emma van der Leest, website emmavanderleest.com
  31. VPRO Nooit Meer Slapen, Emma van der Leest vpro.nl
  32. Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, monument register: Klokgebouw monumentenregister.cultureelerfgoed.nl
  33. Strijp-S, history strijp-s.nl
  34. Ephea, "Anatomy of Repair", ephea.bio, 2026 ephea.bio
  35. Dutch Design Week, "Design pioneers Emma van der Leest and Anab Jain are the Beacons of DDW", September 1, 2026 ddw.nl
  36. Dutch Design Week, "Fungkee Supercoating" (programme page, archived), Dutch Design Week 2026 ddw.nl
  37. Ephea, "Ephea at Dutch Design Week 2026: The Biodesign Warehouse", ephea.bio, October 2026 ephea.bio
  38. Mary Ann Clark, Matthew Douglas and Jung Choi, "24.1 Characteristics of Fungi", Biology 2e, OpenStax, March 28, 2018 openstax.org
  39. The biodesign warehouse department store for life 1 (ddw.nl) ddw.nl
  40. Vpro op ddw 2026 (vpro.nl) vpro.nl
  41. Vpro kick off op dutch design week (vpro.nl) vpro.nl
  42. Biodesigner emma van der leest on a mission to change the bad image of bacteria yeasts and fungi for good (ioplus.nl) ioplus.nl
  43. Emma van der leest growing the next generation of biodesigners (livingstations.wdka.nl) livingstations.wdka.nl
  44. Bio designer emma van der leest is growing a sustainable future (the-low-countries.com) the-low-countries.com
  45. Emma van der Leest, "Support the crowdfunding towards a 100% biobased coating for biomaterials" (exclamation point in the original title dropped), emmavanderleest.com (excerpt) emmavanderleest.com
  46. Citylab010 supports the development of the fungkee supercoating (emmavanderleest.com) emmavanderleest.com
  47. Novya biotech 1 (ddw.nl) ddw.nl
  48. Carina nieuwenweg (specials.fd.nl) specials.fd.nl
  49. Novya biotech ontwikkelt mini fabriekjes van gist (wur.nl) wur.nl
  50. ephea.bio/editorial ephea.bio
  51. Bio analytix van biezen (bluecity.nl) bluecity.nl

Images, slide by slide

Slide 1
A crowd under scaffolding and ducts in a dark hall, below a sign for The Biodesign Warehouse and a banner reading Designing with life, not against itPhoto: RN Collins
Slide 2
A pale yellow jacket and hanging sheets of grown material in brown, rust and gray on a round white plinth inside a clear case, with visitors around itPhoto: RN Collins
Slide 3
Emma van der Leest, in glasses, speaks to a group in the Biodesign WarehousePhoto: RN Collins
Slide 4
Visitors around a round display table with a fermenter, petri dishes under clear domes and spray bottlesPhoto: RN Collins
Slide 5
A round table with Fungkee spray bottles, a fermenter and petri dishes under domes, seen past visitorsPhoto: RN Collins
Slide 6
A glass flask of pinkish liquid and spools of dyed yarn on a white table under a clear domePhoto: RN Collins
Slide 7
A pale green jacket on a stand under a clear dome, with a sample swatch at its basePhoto: RN Collins
Slide 8
Code-drawn diagram in two panelsImage: RN Collins studio, code-drawn. Checked against OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology 2e, section 5.1, Layers of the Skin, ; Slape et al. 2025, Vet Anim Sci, leather structure, ; Elsacker et al. 2023, Front Bioeng Biotechnol, mycelium leather reviewMuseum or journal record
Slide 9
Two table presenters, one with a pink lanyard, talk with RN's group by a round display tablePhoto: RN Collins
Ring frame
Painted cheese press dated 1865, Nederlands Openluchtmuseum, ArnhemFrame: Quistnix, CC BY 2.5, croppedMuseum or journal record
Quotes and video
The curator's and the makers' words quoted in this post, from RN's video in the Biodesign WarehouseRN's own footage, 18 Oct 2026, The Biodesign Warehouse, Klokgebouw, Strijp-S, Eindhoven

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