The diversity of organisms and their ability to cooperate and create powerful compounds like antibiotics is what strikes me most about soil microbiology.

Just take Streptomyces coelicolor, the lab buddy of my bachelor’s thesis: This bacterium exhibits a fungus-like lifestyle, decorates its colonies with sky-blue pigments, and brews an incredible variety of antibiotics. Have you ever wondered about the typical earthy scent that soil releases shortly after rainfall? It’s geosmin, produced by streptomycetes to attract arthropods to spread their spores.

When I’m not decoding soil microbiology, I enjoy doing all kinds of outdoor sports and somehow manage to grow delicious tomatoes on my balcony, while mysteriously failing at flowers.

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About Julien

With a background in startups ranging from fashion to AI-driven sales software, Julien shifted his focus six years ago toward regenerative agriculture. He has since led the commercial strategy for various sustainability-focused agri companies, from project developers to a seaweed-based biostimulant firm. At Soilytix, he brings his passion for soil, people, and impact into one clear mission.

"I believe we struggle to value what we cannot see. That’s why I love working at Soilytix. We make soil biology visible, and once people understand what lives beneath their fields, they start to care."

Outside of Soilytix, Julien manages a small olive grove in the south of France where he produces his own olive oil and experiences farming firsthand.

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His core expertise includes:

• Strategic partnerships and stakeholder alignment•
• Commercialization of agtech and sustainable innovation
• Customer success and long-term value creation

About Bruno

Dr. Bruno Steinkraus is Founder & CEO of Soilytix GmbH. He’s an expert in cross-sector biomarker development and previously served as Chief Scientific Officer of Hummingbird Diagnostics GmbH where he led the company’s interdisciplinary research team, managing the scientific discovery and technology development portfolio. Dr. Steinkrausis the inventor of over 10 patent families. He holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, where he was an MRC scholar and has authored several scientific articles on RNA biology. He completed his undergraduate studies at Imperial College London, where he received the Neuroscience Prize.

About Matthias

For a long time, I’ve been fascinated by complex biological systems and the challenge of using statistical and algorithmic techniques to understand them. Soil, in particular, captivates me as a living, breathing ecosystem, full of microorganisms that support plant health and hold the key to sustainable agriculture. Beyond my professional curiosity, I’ve loved gardening and hobby farming since I was young. Bringing together these personal and professional interests is what makes me truly passionate about my work at Soilytix."

Expertise

• Soil microbiome sequencing and analysis
• Machine learning models for yield prediction

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Berenice is a biochemist with a passion for soil carbon dynamics and sustainable agriculture. After studying at Imperial College London and completing research on how agricultural management affects carbon use efficiency, she joined Soilytix to help turn soil data into actionable insights for farmers and land managers. Berenice also contributes to global sustainability initiatives as a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Healthy Soils.

About Hannah

Soil has always spoken to me, not just as a foundation for food but as a deep, intelligent system of regeneration. It’s a living commons where nothing is wasted, everything is connected, and healing is built into the design. My mother is a farmer, and I grew up hearing about antimicrobial resistance and OneHealth long before they became buzzwords. That early awareness shaped my path: I did my PhD on (re)productivity and explored how ecological, economic, and mental regeneration are intertwined. I’ve since worked with regenerative agriculture and reforestation NGOs across Latin America, India, and Africa, where I saw how vital it is to measure regeneration meaningfully. Outside of work, I’m a passionate nature writer and hiker. I love giving nature a voice and quite literally hugging trees.

Expertise

• Biodiversity Policy & Frameworks
• Environmental Markets (Carbon and Biodiversity Credits)
• Environmental Law & Legislation

About Franziska

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Dr. Franziska Böwer studied Molecular Life Sciences at the University of Hamburg, specializing in protein biochemistry and molecular biology. During her PhD and postdoctoral research, she focused on cell biology, chromosome dynamics, and plant genetics, supported by a competitive doctoral fellowship.

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Skills

• Soil microbial community analysis
• Molecular plant-microbe interactions
• Experimental design for biological data interpretation

I studied Molecular Plant Science at the University of Hamburg, focusing on plant meiosis during my master’s thesis. When poor soil quality caused severe plant growth problems and disrupted my research, I found myself unexpectedly drawn into the fascinating and complex world of soil science. What started as a frustrating challenge quickly became a lasting interest. Today, I work at the Soilytix laboratory, where I analyse soil samples and continue to explore the many amazing aspects of this vital ecosystem.

Isabella Staudinger is a political and social scientist educated in Germany, France, and the US. She played an instrumental role in establishing Soilytix and coordinates projects in India and beyond to transform the textiles industry through regenerative agriculture. Her work focuses on sustainably sourced cotton, building transparent supply chains that restore soils, reduce water use, and improve farmer and manufacturer livelihoods.

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Dr Shamina Imran Pathan is a soil scientist at the University of Florence, Italy, specialising in soil functionality and plant–soil–microbe interactions. Her research explores how soil microbiota and their activities influence soil health, productivity, and resilience in changing environmental conditions.

She has contributed to numerous international research projects and publications in sustainable agriculture, soil ecology, and ecosystem management. Dr. Pathan currently coordinates the Horizon Europe project “LEGUMINOSE” which aims to enhance the adoption of legume-based intercropping as a sustainable farming practice across Europe.

Her scientific expertise supports a data-driven understanding of soils as dynamic, living systems. Dr. Pathan believes that unlocking the biological potential of soils is fundamental to ensuring food security and long-term environmental sustainability.

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Leo Melchers brings more than 30 years of international experience in plant biotechnology, business strategy and technology licensing. He has held senior leadership roles at Syngenta and Zeneca Agrochemicals, including Global Head of Licensing, where he led major collaborations and innovation partnerships across multiple crop sectors.

His extensive experience with global agri-businesses ensures that partnerships are built on trust, transparency and mutual value. Having worked at the intersection of science, business and technology, Leo knows how to bridge innovative ideas with real-world agricultural operations.

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Professor Georg Guggenberger is a leading soil scientist at Leibniz University Hannover with decades of experience in soil organic matter dynamics, carbon and nitrogen cycling and the long-term effects of land use and climate change on ecosystems. His work has shaped international understanding of soil processes and their role in global sustainability.

He has served in key academic and research leadership positions, contributing to collaborations that connect fundamental soil science with applied land management. His authority in the field continues to influence both policy and practice in sustainable soil use.

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Michael Hadjisavas has been a leader in the Life Sciences, Applied Markets and Diagnostics industries for over 20 years, including 10 years focusing on genomics, translational research, bioinformatics and molecular diagnostics. He currently serves as VP of Assay Technologies, Head of Life Sciences Portfolio Strategy and previously as VP Clinical Genomics and Bioinformatics at QIAGEN, Inc. His prior positions include executive and senior leadership roles at: Abcam PLC, Gen-Probe/Hologic, Life Technologies/Thermo, and Sigma-Aldrich. His commercial and operational experience includes portfolio responsibilities for systems, consumables and software for the research, pharmaceutical, and diagnostics segments. He has also held numerous strategic advisory roles for various early stage genomics, bioinformatics and diagnostic companies. He holds B.Sc., Honors and Ph.D. degrees in molecular and cellular biology from the University of Adelaide, Australia with post-doctoral training at Texas A&M University.

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Professor Timothy T. Weil leads the Developmental Biology group at the University of Cambridge, where he investigates mRNA regulation, biomolecular organisation and early embryonic development. His research combines live-cell imaging and molecular biology to explore the fundamental processes that govern life at the cellular level.

He is widely recognised for his contributions to molecular and developmental biology and for mentoring the next generation of scientists. His collaborative approach and scientific depth bring clarity and credibility to complex biological research.