Dr. Emil A. Byström stresses the value of cross-border collaboration
Amid Sweden’s northern landscapes, Dr. Emil A. Byström leads SpinChem with a vision that fuses environmental stewardship and scientific ingenuity. A material sciences Ph.D. from Umeå University, Dr. Byström channels his expertise into reimagining process chemistry for a cleaner planet. At SpinChem, he has spearheaded the creation of Rotating Bed Reactor technology—now a benchmark for sustainable manufacturing in global pharma and biotech sectors. Byström’s leadership drives not just technological advancement, but a purposeful commitment to tackling industrial and ecological challenges through collaboration, adaptability, and results-oriented innovation.
In an exclusive interview with S Kuppuswamy of Neo Science Hub, Dr. Byström outlined how SpinChem’s Rotating Bed Reactor technology is empowering Indian pharma companies to embrace greener, more efficient manufacturing. He emphasized both the opportunities and practical challenges of scaling up innovation from lab trial to industrial deployment, stressed the value of cross-border collaboration between Indian and Swedish partners, and highlighted India’s dynamic advances in R&D, underscoring SpinChem’s long-term commitment to serve as a problem-solving partner in India’s evolving scientific landscape.
Dr. Emil, SpinChem’s Rotating Bed Reactor technology has gained strong attention. How do you envision its role in shaping the future of Indian pharmaceutical manufacturing, especially amid India’s focus on greener and sustainable solutions?
Our technology provides a vehicle for deploying new innovations within the Indian pharmaceutical sector. What excites me most this time is the increased focus on biocatalysis and immobilized enzymes as a means to deliver more pure, reliable, and safer API products. This aligns perfectly with industry trends toward greener processes. I see our Rotating Bed Reactor as an ideal tool for ushering these technologies into Indian pharma, supporting their drive toward sustainability and next-generation manufacturing.
Several leading Indian pharmaceutical companies have adopted SpinChem’s solutions. Could you explain the key challenges faced when scaling up from laboratory to full production in India, and how you overcome them?
Introducing new technology always means overcoming mindset challenges. The Rotating Bed Reactor concept requires a shift in thinking—believing that nearly anything is possible within process optimization. Scaling up means carefully managing every process parameter, not just yield or efficiency, but also downstream processing and other operational steps. Every transition from lab-scale to plant-level brings unique hurdles, and our role is to help customers tackle those challenges with confidence. Successful adoption ultimately depends on a holistic approach to process development.
Collaboration and innovation are pillars of current Indo-Swedish scientific relations. What did SpinChem learn from the Focus Asia SME Study Trip, and how might this influence expansion strategies in emerging markets?
I found great value in connecting with the Indian Institute of Technology campuses in Delhi and Mumbai, as well as drawing from our seven years of experience in India. There’s been a clear shift toward an openness to new technology—not just prioritizing the lowest price but now placing value on innovation and product versatility. Our experiences during the trip reinforced the importance of local insight and collaborative learning. Sweden’s long-standing corporate presence in India inspires us; SpinChem aspires to be among the next generation of Swedish companies establishing roots and fostering Indo-Swedish collaboration.
With India’s pharmaceutical industry investing heavily in R&D, what opportunities do you foresee for Swedish startups and further technology partnerships in India?
India’s scale—nearly three times the size of Europe or the U.S.—creates immense opportunities for new ideas across sectors, whether in pharma, carbon capture, wastewater, or textiles. For SpinChem, teaming up with Smart Labtech on the ground has been key to converting leads into prospects and building lifelong collaborations, scaling from lab trials to full production. Each step with our Indian customers is viewed as the start of a journey, supporting not just one product or process but enabling growth across multiple areas. We’re committed to problem-solving and being long-term partners in India’s R&D evolution.
Finally, any message for the Smart Labtech team, your channel partner in India?
My message is simple: understand your customers’ real needs. We are solution providers—our mission is to solve problems and help make the world a better place. I deeply appreciate Smart Labtech’s energetic approach and look forward to achieving more together.
