Dr. Beckermann has a PhD in Materials & Process Engineering. As CTO of Futurity Bio-Ventures he leads the technical development, R&D and development of commercialisation strategies.

Dr. Beckermann is a highly accomplished materials scientist and engineer with a notable track record in innovation strategy, product development, and materials research. He has over 18 years of experience working in startups and large organisational environments in multiple industries, including aerospace, composites, building materials, nanotechnology & nanomaterials, wood processing, food manufacturing, and packaging.

Dr. Beckermann brings expertise to the team which spans various domains, including innovation & technology management, entrepreneurship and intellectual property generation.

Jacob has a Masters in Applied Science with a background in product design and material science. As Co-Founder and CEO of FBV Jacob leads the development and implementation of overarching strategy and performance of the company. Jacob’s background and strong commercial intuition provides a unique and global understanding of the interaction of research and development, markets, people and capital investment. This experience has assisted to align FBV over the last 4 years to identify and validate technology, establish international demand for biorefinery products and progress towards commercial deployment of New Zealand’s first advanced biorefinery. Jacob has assisted with New Zealand Government consultation on the barriers and necessary foundations required to establish a thriving biomaterials sector. Jacob is driven to assist New Zealand to lead the transition toward net zero and protection of our natural environments.

Rupert has spent the last 7 years running his own private equity vehicle,Prospectors Ltd., carrying out property development projects, start-up and growth investment, as well as being an integral part of running his family office investments which span mostly agriculture and property. Rupert is passionate and hugely optimistic about New Zealand’s current position to be a leader on the world bio-economy stage given its relative nimbleness in its primary sectors as well as the large amount of advanced technologies now available around the world that can propel our primary industries forward.

Dr. Eddie Wai Chi Chan has a PhD in Organic & Polymer Chemistry. As Research Chemist at Futurity Bio-ventures, he plays a key role in the technical advancement of lignin-based materials and generation of new IP. Eddie is a highly accomplished scientist with over 7 years’ experience in start-ups and academia, contributing to a wide range of research projects including organic synthesis, biosensors, tissue engineering and conductive polymers. Eddie brings to the team a passion for innovation, intellectual property development and a wealth of experience in cutting edge innovation and technical expertise.

Navjot is part of the R&D team at Futurity Bio-Ventures, contributing to the development of sustainable chemical products across multiple work streams, including lignin-derived road binders. Drawing on her expertise in organic synthesis, analytical chemistry, and solvation science, she is dedicated to creating environmentally responsible technologies that balance circularity with commercial viability.

She holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Auckland, where her research investigated the nanostructure and reactivity of deep eutectic solvents—promising green alternatives to traditional organic solvents. Using advanced X-ray scattering techniques, she derived valuable insights supporting the rational design of task-specific solvent systems for synthesis, extraction, and materials processing.

At FBV, Navjot brings systems thinking and scientific rigour to the development of next generation green materials and scalable chemical solutions that bridge innovation with real world impact.