“Bioprocessing is often described as more of an art than a science. We want to bring more of the science into bioprocess engineering.”
That ambition sits at the core of Formical, a young biotech software company (founded in 2025) building what they describe as an operating system for bioprocessing. Based at the Biotech Campus Delft, the team is on a mission to help biotech companies move faster from R&D to scale by fixing one of the industry’s most persistent challenges: data.
From fragmented data to actionable insights
Founder Axel van ’t Westeinde comes from a background in data and AI, and deliberately chose biotech for its impact potential. “I wanted to work in an industry with as much positive impact as possible. Biotech has enormous potential, but it still lacks the digital infrastructure to fully deliver on that promise.”
Before building their product, the team spoke with over 100 industry experts across Europe and the US. One issue kept coming back: fragmented data and inefficient workflows.
“Data lives everywhere: lab notebooks, LIMS systems, modelling tools, but mostly Excel spreadsheets stitched together with scripts,” Axel explains. “Bioprocess engineers can spend up to 25 hours a week just on manual data handling.”
That fragmentation not only slows down R&D, but also limits learning and introduces errors. “It sounds minor, but if people spend half their week on manual work, that’s time not spent on deeper analysis, optimisation, or innovation.”
“Bioprocessing is often described as more of an art than a science. We want to bring more of the science into bioprocess engineering.”
Connect, predict, act
Formical addresses this through their software platform built around three core pillars: connect, predict, act. “We bring all data, processes and teams together in one place,” says Axel. “From there, we help companies understand how to optimise and scale their process and most importantly, act on those insights.”
Their product is already being used to centralise and structure bioprocess data, while the next step is building a powerful intelligence layer on top. “We’re adding statistical modelling, machine learning, and process recommendations. It should not just tell you what happened, but what to do next.”
This also includes improving data quality itself. “If a sensor wasn’t calibrated properly, for example, the system should recognise that and flag it. Better data leads to better decisions.”
Capturing knowledge, accelerating the ecosystem
A key part of Formical’s approach is capturing industry knowledge and embedding it into their product. With support from the Planet B.io advisory voucher, the team works with experienced advisors and industry experts to capture implicit knowledge and turn it into a bioprocess intelligence layer within their product.
“There’s a lot of knowledge in the heads of people with 20 to 30 years of experience,” Axel says. “We want to capture that and make it accessible to the whole sector, instead of it staying with individuals.”
Being part of the Planet B.io ecosystem helps accelerate that process. “You’re really at the heart of the Dutch biotech ecosystem here. It’s incredibly valuable to talk to other companies, see what they’re building, and learn from each other.”
Looking ahead, the ambition is clear. “We want to become the industry standard for digitalising bioprocessing, so companies don’t have to worry about data plumbing anymore, and can focus on scaling their innovation.”
Curious how Formical can boost your bioprocess performance?
Get in touch with Formical to explore collaboration opportunities or learn more about their bioprocess operating system.