Food Innovation Studio
About me.
I build things.
Slowly enough to be right.
Fast enough to matter.
I’m Ilse.
Food scientist by training.
Entrepreneur by experience.
Builder at heart.
Always drawn to the moment where ideas leave theory and face reality.
That moment is where I feel most at home.
Grounded in experience
My way of working is shaped by years of hands-on experience in food R&D, fermentation and innovation. Across corporate environments, start-ups and research-driven projects.
That background allows me to move comfortably between intuition and analysis. And to know when an idea needs more exploration, and when it needs a decision.
I use that combination to sit next to you at the table; as a partner who understands that the moment an idea leaves theory and faces reality is where the real work begins.
How I think about innovation
For me, innovation is not about novelty.
It’s about alignment.
Between idea and material.
Between ambition and feasibility.
Between vision and timing.
I’m drawn to projects that ask real questions:
about ingredients, processes, sustainability and use.
Projects that are willing to test assumptions rather than protect them.
That’s where we build the technical robustness a product needs before it meets the market.
A short professional snapshot
20+ years in food R&D and innovation means I’ve seen the full lifecycle of a product, from the first petri dish in the lab to the final pallet in the warehouse.
·
With a PhD in Food Microbiology, I provide the scientific depth needed to de-risk your concept, while my track record in venture building and public funding ensures we stay focused on what is commercially viable and fundable.
·
I’ve worked across corporate, start-up and research environments, which allows me to cut through complexity and support clearer, better-timed decisions.
Working together
I work hands-on and stay closely involved.
Sometimes as a sparring partner to unlock direction.
Sometimes as a builder to help carry the work forward.
Often somewhere in between, as the project evolves.
Outside the work
When I’m not working, you’ll likely find me outdoors, travelling, running, dining or exploring places quiet enough to think.
Curiosity doesn’t switch off.
It just changes shape.
