Michael Lee

Managing Director at Syngenta Group Ventures

Basel Metropolitan Area

About

Venture capital investment professional with 20 years experience from food and agriculture in UK, Holland, US and Switzerland for Syngenta and Unilever. MBA and Kauffman Fellow. Prior chapter of 10 years as a PhD biochemist studying pest insects. At Syngenta Ventures, responsible for deal origination, diligence, portfolio management and Board representation, mainly in EAME. I am a Board Director at Phytech (Israel) and a Board Observer at Sayurbox (Indonesia). I was a Board Director of Biognosys (Switzerland; sold to Bruker), BioPhero (Denmark; sold to FMC), Bomill (Sweden; NASDAQ Nordic), Invest Europe (Belgium) and WeedOUT (Israel) and an Observer on the Boards of Arecor (UK; AIM - AREC), Chromatin (Chicago; sold to S&W Seeds, NASDAQ - SANW), Merrimack (Boston; NASDAQ - MACK) and Stable (UK).

Experience

  • Syngenta Group Ventures, Managing Director at Syngenta Group
    Apr 2013 - Present · 13 yrs 4 mos

    Syngenta Group Ventures identifies early stage food and agriculture-related companies with a strong technology base or new business model. I look after the full range of investment activities outside the Americas.

  • Board Observer at Sayurbox
    Mar 2021 - Present · 5 yrs 5 mos

    Sayurbox is bringing a more efficient middlestream to benefit farmers with faster payments and better market access at one end and a digitally-accessible product to consumers at the other.

  • Non Executive Director at Phytech
    Nov 2015 - Present · 10 yrs 9 mos

    Phytech offers corn, cotton, and perennial fruit/nut growers increased yields with reduced water consumption. Used by some of the largest growers in the world.

  • Non Executive Director at Biognosys AG
    Jul 2015 - Jan 2023 · 7 yrs 7 mos

    Biognosys is the leading proteomics company offering innovative services and products for highly multiplexed protein quantification. Sold to Bruker.

  • Non Executive Director at BioPhero
    Sep 2018 - Jul 2022 · 3 yrs 11 mos

    BioPhero is a pioneer in providing low-cost bio-based pheromones for pest management. Its mission is to provide sustainable agriculture, via safe pheromone-based products. Sold to FMC.