Joost Blankestijn is Strategic Partnerships & Innovation Lead for the Food market at Wageningen Food & Biobased Research (WFBR), part of Wageningen University & Research (WUR). WUR is globally recognised as a leading university and research organisation in agriculture and food, bringing together fundamental science, applied research and innovation to address major challenges facing the food system.

Joost works at the intersection of science, innovation and business, building strategic partnerships and connecting industry and societal challenges with scientific expertise and innovation. He brings more than 20 years of experience in food innovation and business development. Before joining WFBR, he spent 14 years at TNO, another leading Dutch contract research organisation, where he worked as Business Development Manager Food Innovation. At WFBR, he previously led the Sustainable Nutritious Foods programme for eight years.

His work spans food processing and reformulation, health and nutrition, food quality and safety, shelf life, sensory and consumer experience, and emerging food technologies. He works with partners across the world, ranging from start-ups and SMEs to global food companies, governments and other stakeholders, developing collaborative research and innovation initiatives that translate scientific knowledge into practical impact.