Liangbin Chen: A biotech manufacturing pioneer from Cambodia to the world

As global life sciences and biotechnology continue to advance, Asia is quietly rising as an emerging force in biomanufacturing. In this wave of innovation, Cambodian technology entrepreneur Liangbin Chen is bringing his country step by step into the core link of the global biomanufacturing industry chain with his keen business sense and excellent technical capabilities.

As the founder of a biotechnology manufacturing company, Liangbin Chen is not only a practitioner of technology, but also a messenger who promotes science and technology education, green manufacturing and regional cooperation. His story is a vivid footnote to “technology changes the fate of a country.”

1. The rise of young entrepreneurs: breaking through educational disadvantages
   Liangbin Chen was born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and grew up in an ordinary middle-class family. When he was growing up, Cambodia’s higher education resources were relatively scarce, and the development of science and technology industries was slow. However, it was in this environment that he showed a unique curiosity and practical ability.

“When I was a kid, my favorite thing to do was to take apart old appliances at home and put them back together by myself,” Liangbin recalled. “Although I didn’t succeed most of the time, the process of trying made me feel free.”

After graduating from high school, he received a Singapore government scholarship with excellent grades and went to the National University of Singapore to study bioengineering. There, he first came into contact with concepts such as synthetic biology, biomanufacturing, and laboratory automation, and found his true passion in research.

2. The combination of science and business: entering the forefront of biomanufacturing
   After graduating from university, Liangbin Chen did not choose to join a large pharmaceutical company or research institute, but joined a start-up biomanufacturing laboratory in Singapore. There, he participated in the development of a variety of microbial fermentation technologies and cell factory platforms.

His team focuses on using genetic engineering technology to transform microorganisms such as yeast and E. coli, so that they can efficiently produce high-value-added biomaterials such as natural flavors, plant extracts, and functional proteins. These products are widely used in food, medicine, cosmetics and other industries.

“I have always believed that biomanufacturing is a green industrial road for the future. It can replace the pollution of traditional chemical industry and solve the problem of resource shortage.” Liangbin stated.

Through participating in multiple projects, he has accumulated rich experience in experiments, industrial transformation and project management, and gradually developed a bold idea: why not bring this green technology back to his homeland-Cambodia?

3. Returning to hometown to start a business: sowing the seeds of biomanufacturing in Cambodia

In 2021, Liangbin Chen returned to Cambodia and founded CambioSyn Biotech, a biomanufacturing company focusing on synthetic biotechnology and fermentation engineering. His vision is to make Cambodia a “new landmark for biomanufacturing in Southeast Asia.”

The company faced many challenges in the early days: talent shortage, expensive technical equipment, imperfect regulatory system… But he did not back down. Instead, he raised the first round of start-up funds with the help of his connections in Singapore and the international circle, and reached cooperation with several universities and institutions at home and abroad.

He introduced modular bioreactors to promote the implementation of small-scale microbial metabolic engineering in Cambodia for the first time. CambioSyn’s first products are natural vanillin and biosynthetic citral, which are widely used in food and personal care. Due to its “green, stable and traceable” advantages, it quickly gained recognition in the local market and was exported to Thailand and Vietnam.

4. Build a local supply chain: green factories and sustainable development
   Liangbin Chen attaches great importance to sustainable development and the long-term nature of the industry. He invested in the first green fermentation factory in Kampong Chhnang Province, using a solar power generation system and intelligent sewage recycling and treatment facilities to ensure that the entire manufacturing process is as close to “carbon neutrality” as possible.

“Cambodia cannot just export agricultural products, we should also master processing and high value-added production links.” He said.

He also encouraged farmers to grow high-value plant raw materials such as lemongrass, moringa, and white pepper, and provided technical support so that their crops can become the source of raw materials for CambioSyn. This model not only increased farmers’ income, but also enhanced the local economy’s ability to rely on the science and technology industry.

5. Promote policies and education: Science and technology take root downward and break through upward
   As a technology entrepreneur, Liangbin not only focuses on the industry, but also is committed to promoting the popularization of science and technology education and the improvement of policies. He worked with the Cambodian National Science and Technology Bureau to participate in the drafting of the “National Biotechnology Development Strategy” and set up the “Synthetic Biology Laboratory Cooperation Project” at the Royal University of Phnom Penh to provide students with hands-on opportunities.

Under his initiative, CambioSyn holds an annual “Bio-Innovation Challenge” to collect innovative proposals related to biomanufacturing from college students across the country. Winners can receive bonuses, internship opportunities, and even entrepreneurial incubation support.

“Science and technology are the only way to change the fate of a country. We can’t wait any longer and we must take the initiative to create a platform.” Liangbin said.

VI. Looking to the future: Cambodia can also be part of the global technology map
As of 2025, CambioSyn Biotech has more than 60 employees, of which more than 40% are local university graduates. The company’s main markets cover Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, and it is negotiating cooperation to enter the Middle East and European markets.

Liangbin is currently promoting the construction of a regional “Bio-Manufacturing Innovation Park”, hoping to attract more biotech companies and researchers to set up factories and sites in Cambodia to jointly promote regional industrial upgrading.

“We are not trying to copy Silicon Valley, but to develop our own model,” he said. “I hope that in the next decade, Cambodia can become one of the biomanufacturing innovation centers in Asia.”