Hans E. E. Holtan

Hans Holtan is a seasoned leader in the fields of research and development, currently serving as Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Syntopa since May 2023. Previously, Hans held the position of Director of Research at Zymergen, Inc., where Hans launched significant product development initiatives in agriculture and established best practices for technical integration. Prior to that, at Koch Biological Solutions, LLC, Hans directed a team of fifteen scientists, focusing on innovative methods for studying natural molecules to enhance plant performance. With a robust background at Mendel Biotechnology as Senior Principal Scientist, Hans led teams in creating research platforms and streamlining processes for plant biology applications. Hans's early career includes roles as Laboratory Director at San Francisco State University's Cell and Molecular Imaging Center and as a Ph.D. student at the University of California, Berkeley, where Hans earned a Ph.D. in Plant Biology and a Bachelor of Science in Plant Molecular Biology.