Dr. Jing Liu is the founder of the technical process that his company Bioprocess Control soon will rule the world with as a niche player in the field of optimizing commercial production of biogas.
Dr. Liu is something unique in the academic world: beyond his doctoral degree, research skills and entrepreneurship, he is also a skilled businessman. With a chemical engineer background from his hometown Beijing, China, and four years in the international marketing and selling environment, he arrived to Sweden to study environmental biotechnology and received his master degree. The master degree study led to a further PhD research study in instrumentation control and automation in anaerobic digestion. Dr. Liu began work as a researcher after receiving his PhD degree in 2003. During his PhD study he had build a prototype technical concept, which today is the embryo of the business idea in his company Bioprocess Control.
Dr. Liu comes from an academic family, and during his childhood he was very active building models, and doing all kind of practical work. This hands-on attitude, and skill, is one of his the core competences, which make him unique in the academic world.
Short update: from academic family, likes to work with his hands, curios, have a driving force inside, technical degree, several years of advanced marketing and sell, moved to new country, new master degree in research, a PhD where he invented ”the” product, more years in business as qualified researcher, want to create…
All this brings us a multidisciplinary ”driver” with a holistic view and achieved skills that makes him a successful entrepreneur. So to start and run a small business, Dr. Liu got the necessity: business skills, technical expert and, of course, the social ability to create a winning culture in the company.
But what is your business idea?
- Short, ”To optimise the production of biogas with help of enhanced instrumentation, control and automation”.
Then my concrete business idea is up here and the markets understanding is down here (Dr. Liu show a gap, see picture). My idea works both theoretically (my PhD) and practical (the prototype), so I know it works. What we need to do is to fill up the gap with suitable products and service step by step which can finally lead to our business and technical goals. In the future we know that we have to produce energy from bio-material, due to many reasons: environment, economy, end of finite resources etc. This trend of sustainable development is the driver of market demand. As a pioneer, Bioprocess Control can play an important role.
What says the the academic, business community etc. about your Idea?
- We have only one competitor – time. Today there are no one doing what we do, but time runs…
Our product arrives from the academic field and it works, the are some companies /competitors out there, but most all of them are engineering companies and we don’t play at the same field. So we have an advantage, but we can’t slow down – we have to innovate and accelerate to be faster.
What will you do in the future?
- This is my future! I love doing this. I love to work, and I love to combine all my skills: tech. business, ”driver”, entrepreneur etc. My goal is both the way and the actual goal. You have to enjoy each moment, every day.
But later I think I may work as business adviser in some way, but I can’t see this ”later” today – I’m doing this, and I love it!
How has academia, business and media commented your work?
- I have many prizes, credits, rewards etc., but this is not what drives me – I want to produce something, to create and invent. To makes this happens. To make a difference. Any achievement of these developments builds up satisfaction.
What do you do when you not work?
- I have my own hobbies often relates to all kind of practical stuffs and science, and I like it that way. I have a wife, two children (one five-year old boy and except a baby in March), a house, so my spare-time is booked.
Some final words to coming entrepreneurs and all others?
- The only thing I can say is: work both hard and smart. Hard working is important, Without hard work, nothing will happens. But with hard work, you can get the other: luck, timing etc.
Thank you.
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