Welcome to the Arkaro Insights podcast. This episode is based on original content developed by Arkaro. At Arkaro, we're committed to innovation in everything we do—including how we share our insights. We've utilised advanced AI technology to transform our written expertise into this conversational format, making our content more accessible and convenient for our busy B2B audience. What you'll hear is a two-person discussion generated through AI voice technology, designed to deliver our insights in a more engaging way than traditional reading. As we continue to evolve this approach, we genuinely value your feedback. Thank you for listening to Arkaro Insights, where professional expertise meets innovative delivery.
Full article: Scale-Up Mistakes That Harm Product Launches
Why do technically brilliant products still fail in the market? The answer lies not in the science itself, but in what happens when laboratory success collides with manufacturing reality.
This deep dive explores the hidden trap that captures even the most innovative companies: scale-up failures. Drawing from Mark Blackwell's compelling article "From prototype to production: when scale-up impacts product launch success," we uncover how seemingly minor decisions made during early product development can become catastrophic commercial vulnerabilities later on.
Through eye-opening case studies like Amorous Biotechnologies and BioAmber, we reveal the three distinct patterns of scale-up failure that consistently derail product launches. You'll discover how technically perfect biofuel products were forced to pivot to cosmetics when production costs spiraled, and how a promising biosacinic acid led straight to bankruptcy when fermentation yields collapsed at commercial scale. The pattern becomes clear: laboratory performance rarely translates cleanly to industrial production.
The critical insight? Most organizations operate with dangerous disconnects between R&D, operations, and commercial teams. While scientists perfect formulas in controlled environments, they're unknowingly making decisions that will determine manufacturing costs, operational complexity, and commercial infrastructure needs years later. As one executive notes, "You're essentially building the commercial reality of your product right there in the lab, whether you realize it or not."
If you're responsible for innovation, product development, or manufacturing scale-up in your organization, this episode provides essential questions to assess your current approach. Are your operations and commercial leaders involved early enough? How will your production cost structures at scale affect market positioning? What timeline assumptions are driving your investments, and how realistic are they?
Listen now to transform how your organization bridges the critical gap between technical brilliance and commercial success. Your next product launch might depend on it.

Send your thoughts to Arkaro

Connect with Arkaro:
🔗 Follow us on LinkedIn:
Arkaro Company Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkaro
Mark Blackwell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrblackwell/
Newsletter - Arkaro Insights: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/arkaro-insights-6924308904973631488/
🌐 Visit our website: www.arkaro.com

📺 Subscribe to our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@arkaro

Audio Podcast: https://arkaroinsights.buzzsprout.com

📧 For business enquiries: [email protected]