Sjoerd van der Ent

Sjoerd van der Ent is Director of Innovation at Koppert, where he leads the development and execution of strategies to advance sustainable, biology-driven solutions in agriculture. In this role, he oversees a broad innovation portfolio, focusing on translating scientific breakthroughs into scalable products that support resilient food systems. 

Sjoerd trained at Utrecht University, where he specialized in plant–microbe interactions. He also completed his PhD in this field, developing a solid scientific foundation in the mechanisms underlying plant health and microbial interactions. He began his professional career at De Ruiter Seeds / Monsanto Vegetable Seeds, where he worked for approximately five years and gained experience in applied research and the commercial seed sector.

He joined Koppert over a decade ago, initially leading R&D Microbiology. He later took responsibility for the Business Unit Microbiology, combining scientific leadership with operational oversight. Since early 2025, he serves as Director Innovation, driving the company’s broader innovation agenda and fostering collaborations with academia and industry.