At the forefront of rapid microbiology and water quality control, Redberry is emerging as a pioneering force. The company was recently awarded at Tech Tour Water Tech 2024, a testament to its quality innovations, high potential and dedication to addressing global water safety challenges. In this exclusive interview, we delve into the journey, achievements, and future aspirations of Redberry, as shared by their CEO and co-founder, Jonathan Macron.
An Entrepreneurial Journey
Jonathan Macron, along with co-founder Joseph Pierquin, started Redberry with a simple, yet ambitious goal: to make microbiological testing faster and more reliable. He compares being an entrepreneur to being an orchestra conductor – balancing various elements to create harmony and progress. “It’s a little bit like [conducting] an orchestra,” he says, “you have to manage the time and focus efforts at the right time on the right thing; you could start with just a few musicians, and over time it grows to a full orchestra – and the audience is growing as well.” An entrepreneurial journey is made up of both struggles and rewards, where patience and resilience are the key to success.
“Today, we've grown into a company delivering state-of-the-art solutions in rapid microbiology, adopted by major water treatment facilities and industries,” Jonathan says. Based in France, Redberry's team of 20 is committed to developing solutions that keep water safe and clean. The company also enables rapid and accurate microbiological automated testing solutions for personal care products and pharmaceuticals, for both in-process and release controls, ensuring quality at every step.
Redberry's Revolutionary Product: Red One™
Redberry's flagship product, the Red One™ Solid-Phase Cytometry platform, addresses a critical need in water safety. "Everybody’s heard about microbial contaminations: even one E. coli cell can compromise an entire city’s drinking water distribution network," says Jonathan. Traditional methods for detecting microbiological contaminants are slow, requiring lengthy culture phases. Red One™ significantly reduces this time, delivering precise results within less than 6 hours, compared to the up to several days needed for traditional methods. “You can enumerate the microbial load from 1mL to 250ml in only 10 minutes compared to up to 5 days on plates. And when looking for E. coli specifically, we are the only solution delivering results on the same day, meaning less than 6 hours,” Jonathan highlights. This rapid detection capability is crucial for timely interventions and effective risk management.
From Inception to Impact
The journey of Redberry began with a vision shared by Jonathan and his co-founder, Joseph. "We started with the challenge of detecting single cells and reducing time-to-results while keeping it user-friendly," Jonathan recounts. Leveraging their 20 years of experience, they have grown from a small team to a company whose state-of-the-art solutions in rapid microbiology have gained the trust of global leaders in water, pharmaceuticals, and consumer care. These partnerships have fueled Redberry's growth and established them as a leader in rapid microbiology solutions.
Stories of Success
One among many of Redberry's client success stories involves a large municipal water provider. "They implemented our technology and started monitoring their water train production on a daily basis," Jonathan shares. With the ability to detect potential contaminations in just 10 minutes, the client was able to take quicker corrective actions, significantly improving their water safety measures. This real-time monitoring capability, even after a training period of as little as two hours, underscores the practicality and effectiveness of Redberry's solutions.
A Journey of Major Milestones
Redberry has achieved widespread adoption of its solutions by global leaders in water, pharmaceuticals, and consumer care industries – such as Sanofi or Eau de Paris. Jonathan proudly notes, "Every trial on drinking water has led to adoption, fueling Redberry's momentum in this field." This organic growth, driven by satisfied customers, highlights the company's commitment to innovation and excellence. “We have not raised funds yet. Our customers drive our growth,” Jonathan shares.
Charting New Horizons
Looking ahead, Redberry aims to continuously innovate and expand its product range to address new and evolving microbiological threats. "We not only distribute our own solutions but also partner with other innovative companies, like for rapid coliphage enumeration, to better serve all our customers’ needs," Jonathan reveals. This collaborative approach ensures that Redberry remains at the cutting edge of water quality control, making water safety more accessible and reliable worldwide.
Despite the challenges inherent in every entrepreneurial journey, Jonathan remains optimistic and driven. "Delivering reliable and actionable results that are crucial for people’s health keeps me vigilant. And I love it," he shares. His passion for building and designing useful solutions, coupled with the intellectual challenge and team spirit at Redberry, fuels his commitment to the company's mission.
Stay tuned for more updates on Redberry's journey and other inspiring stories from the Tech Tour community. To meet with other innovators changing the world in their respective fields, join our upcoming fall programmes or subscribe to our newsletter below.
