Paul Bilars, co- founder and CEO of Starfish Innovations, finished his MSc. and LL.M. in law and public administration at the Leiden University, after which he worked in commercial and managerial roles at TNT. Driven by his passion to improve healthcare, Paul joined the Leiden University Medical Center, where he held positions in logistics and strategic sourcing, and finally served as managing director. In 2015, Paul co-founded the spin-off VarmX BV, a biotech company developing novel reversal agents for prevention and treatment of bleeding. Since 2020, Paul also leads NECSTGEN, a new GMP-facility funded by the Leiden University Medical Center and focusing on the development and GMP production of cell- and gene therapies for its clients.