Within this topic, we are sharing the people and faces behind PEF Technologies with you. At PEF Technologies, we work hard to make innovation work. But who is actually working on this innovation on a daily basis? This time we have our CTO, Valeriy Mitko, featured.
Get to know Valeriy Mitko
I graduated from MSU (Moscow State University) in 2009 and hold a Msc. Degree in physics. After that, between 2009 and 2018, I worked for different technical companies. I started as an Electrical Engineer and worked towards becoming a Project Manager. In my spare time, I really enjoy spending time outdoors with my family, visiting attractions and recreation parks. The outdoors keeps both your mind and body in shape. From time to time, I also like to play snooker with my friends.
When and why was PEF Technologies founded?
During my work I have been involved in several start-ups and envisaged by myself how different people realize their ideas in life. Since most of my work was devoted to different areas of high voltage pulsed power application, the topic of PEF food treatment has always been in the back of my mind. I felt prepared to apply my knowledge and skills to innovate and create something new within this field. That is how I started to work in this direction. Eventually, the successful result of initial proof-of-concept tests stimulated me to found PEF Technologies in 2018.
What is your aim with PEF Technologies?
I was always inspired by big mechanical installations and factories. The ultimate goal for me is to see our machines running at the dairy factories in The Netherlands and later on globally. While the machine for food production is under development, we decided to look around and develop a compact device specifically for research groups and universities. All the benefits of nanoPEF are still not explored in full, and we hope that our small-scale nanoPEF-system can facilitate this. It will be available for sale at the end of 2023.
What are your biggest learnings so far as an entrepreneur?
Many people all around the world are willing to become entrepreneurs after reading a huge number of inspirational stories. At some point, I was one of them. Of course, everyone realizes that there will be ups and downs, but it is impossible to imagine all the frustration when something goes completely out of hand without actually experiencing it. On the other hand, you really start to seek a good vibe from the smallest success that you have achieved. It helps to be in balance, first and foremost with yourself. Simply speaking, you cannot learn how to ride a bike without riding it. The food industry is one of the most conservative markets but it has great, open-minded and hands-on people behind it. Therefore, as with every business you do, patience and dedication are the keys to success.
With which company would you like to work together with the most?
We are in the Netherlands. It is a real dairy-focussed country. One of the leading and flagship companies is undoubtedly Friesland Campina. It would be a real honor for me to be a part of their production facilities.
Any last things you want to share?
No one can say it better than this classic: “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” — Mark Twain
This is exactly what we do. Move forward and remain positive. Better taste, better quality, and more environmentally friendly solutions that also take the future into account. That is what we stand for! If you want to know more about me or PEF Technologies, please contact us via the contact form below.