{"id":4203,"date":"2026-07-23T10:33:44","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T08:33:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\/"},"modified":"2026-07-23T10:33:44","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T08:33:44","slug":"working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\/","title":{"rendered":"Working Toward Sustainable Aviation Through Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>How does an idea evolve into a technology with the potential to transform an entire industry? In the Key Region Leiden, we\u2019re seeing this happen more and more often. Startups start small, find their way, fall and get back up, and in the process, build solutions with a global impact.  <\/p>\n<p>We spoke with Yordi Beelen, co-founder of <a href=\"https:\/\/aefir.ai\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Aefir Labs<\/a>, about this. He talks about his entrepreneurial journey, the path from startup to scale-up, and the role of the ecosystem in that development. <\/p>\n<h3>In a nutshell<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Aefir Labs is working on one of the biggest challenges in the energy transition: making sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) affordable.<\/li>\n<li>Drawing on his background in chemical engineering and his experience at Delft University of Technology, Yordi combines his subject matter expertise with entrepreneurship at <a href=\"https:\/\/plnt.nl\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PLNT Leiden<\/a>, Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.<\/li>\n<li>Through Aefir Labs (formerly Nera Energy), he uses artificial intelligence to make chemical processes smarter and more efficient. His goal is to accelerate the production of sustainable aviation fuel and make it more affordable. In doing so, he is contributing to cleaner aviation on a global scale!  <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>It starts with the question: What problem am I solving?<\/h3>\n<p>For Yordi, it didn\u2019t start with a well-defined business plan, but with a fundamental problem: how do you make sustainable jet fuel affordable? \u201cThe technology already exists,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s just that right now it\u2019s six to eight times as expensive as fossil kerosene. That\u2019s when you realize: there\u2019s something here that simply has to be solved.\u201d Yet, he says, those early days felt anything but like a business venture. \u201cYou don\u2019t have all the answers at the start. In fact, you mostly have a lot of questions. That\u2019s exactly what makes entrepreneurship interesting: you\u2019re constantly discovering new things.\u201d That initial phase requires courage, but also the ability to put things in perspective. \u201cMany people see entrepreneurship as a huge risk. But at this stage, it wasn\u2019t as bad as I\u2019d expected. I didn\u2019t have a house or a family, and I could pay my rent. That\u2019s exactly the right time to give it a try.\u201d      <\/p>\n<h3>The first reality: Not everything that feels good actually works<\/h3>\n<p>As is often the case with startups, the initial idea turned out not to be the right one. \u201cAt first, we wanted to build compact plants that would allow airports to produce their own fuel,\u201d says Yordi. \u201cThat idea had it all: impact, scale, autonomy.\u201d But then reality set in. \u201cWe ran the numbers all the way through. And it turned out: this just isn\u2019t feasible. The fuel produced by these plants would be unaffordable.\u201d    <\/p>\n<p>That moment\u2014when an idea you believe in turns out to be unfeasible\u2014is, according to him, one of the toughest phases of entrepreneurship. \u201cYou become attached to a plan like that. So letting go isn\u2019t just a rational decision\u2014it\u2019s an emotional one, too. We had some really intense discussions about that within the team.\u201d Yet that\u2019s also where the essence of growth lies. \u201cUltimately, you have to be honest. What is the real problem you\u2019re solving? For us, it turned out not to be building factories, but improving the chemistry behind them.\u201d   <\/p>\n<blockquote><p>What is often underestimated is just how unpredictable the path of a startup is. \u201cFrom the outside, it sometimes seems as if companies are following a clear plan,\u201d says Yordi. \u201cBut in practice, you\u2019re constantly making adjustments.\u201d  <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-4198\" src=\"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Aefir-Labs-Yordi-Beelen-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Aefir-Labs-Yordi-Beelen-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Aefir-Labs-Yordi-Beelen-480x320.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Aefir-Labs-Yordi-Beelen-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Aefir-Labs-Yordi-Beelen-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Aefir-Labs-Yordi-Beelen.jpg 2560w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3>Finding Focus: From Idea to Direction<\/h3>\n<p>After this realization, the focus shifted completely. \u201cWe started focusing on catalysts\u2014the materials that enable chemical reactions. If you make them more efficient, it has an impact on the entire chain.\u201d What makes their approach unique is the combination with AI. \u201cWe test many things at once and use AI to predict what will work. But here\u2019s what sets us apart: we also make use of all the experiments that don\u2019t work. In science, everyone only publishes their successes. But if you want to accelerate progress, you also have to dare to learn from everything that fails.\u201d He sees this principle\u2014extracting value from what initially seems useless\u2014reflected more broadly in entrepreneurship. \u201cYou fail constantly. But ultimately, those are the moments that move you forward.\u201d     <\/p>\n<h3>Entrepreneurship isn&#8217;t a straight line<\/h3>\n<p>What is often underestimated is just how unpredictable a startup\u2019s journey is. \u201cFrom the outside, it sometimes seems as though companies are following a clear plan,\u201d says Yordi. \u201cBut in practice, you\u2019re constantly making adjustments.\u201d That dynamic requires a specific mindset. \u201cOn the one hand, you have to believe in something, but at the same time, you have to remain flexible. That can sometimes create tension. When do you hold on, and when do you let go?\u201d According to him, it helps to always go back to the core: \u201cWhat is the problem you\u2019re solving? As long as you keep that in focus, you can adjust your strategy without losing your direction.\u201d     <\/p>\n<h3>What Helps Keep the Construction Going<\/h3>\n<p>Yordi sees several key factors driving Aefir Labs\u2019 growth. \u201cFirst and foremost: focus. You can\u2019t do everything at once. Especially in the beginning, you have to make choices\u2014and have the courage to stick with them.\u201d A smart growth strategy also plays a role. \u201cWe\u2019re pursuing a two-pronged approach: on the one hand, we provide consulting services to generate revenue and build a network. On the other hand, we invest in our own technology and IP.\u201d This approach creates a balance. \u201cIt gives you breathing room. You don\u2019t have to rely on major investors right away, but you can still build something that has the potential to become big in the long run.\u201d     <\/p>\n<h3>Energy and Motivation: Why You Do It<\/h3>\n<p>What drives him personally isn\u2019t just the technology. \u201cFor me, it\u2019s also about impact. You\u2019re working on something that can really make a difference. That gives you energy.\u201d That motivation is necessary, because the road ahead is long and uncertain. \u201cThere are plenty of moments when things don\u2019t go your way. That\u2019s when it helps to know why you\u2019re doing it.\u201d He emphasizes that passion doesn\u2019t mean everything is easy. \u201cThe work we do is meaningful. And that\u2019s what keeps you going, even when you don\u2019t yet know where the ship will end up.\u201d     <\/p>\n<h3>The Next Step: From Startup to Scale-Up<\/h3>\n<p>According to him, the biggest challenge still lies ahead. \u201cHaving an idea is one thing. But scaling it up\u2014that\u2019s a whole different phase.\u201d This is particularly complex in the chemical industry. \u201cYou\u2019re dealing with high investments, regulations, and major industrial partners. Even a small pilot project can easily cost millions.\u201d What does it take to make that leap? \u201cCapital, of course, but also partners who are willing to go along with it. And timing\u2014you have to be ready at the right moment. You build trust\u2014first with small projects, then larger ones\u2014until you reach a point where you can really make an impact.\u201d     <\/p>\n<h3>The Ecosystem: Why the Environment Matters<\/h3>\n<p>An important part of their journey takes place in the Key Region Leiden. \u201cOur office is located at PLNT,\u201d says Yordi. \u201cThat\u2019s not necessarily because we\u2019re in that sector, but because it\u2019s a place where you meet other entrepreneurs.\u201d That environment has proven to be valuable. \u201cYou run into people there who are working on the same things: financing, IP, growth. That helps enormously.\u201d At the same time, their technical work is based in Delft. \u201cThat\u2019s where we have the facilities we need. The great thing is that this combination actually works.\u201d According to him, that\u2019s typical of the region. \u201cThe region isn\u2019t an isolated place, but a network. Leiden, Delft, Rotterdam. Everything is interconnected.\u201d        <\/p>\n<h3>Crossovers: Innovation Lies at the Intersection of Sectors<\/h3>\n<p>He sees the future of innovation emerging primarily at the boundaries between disciplines. \u201cWe\u2019re at the intersection of chemistry and AI. That makes it interesting, but also challenging.\u201d That combination calls for a new kind of talent. \u201cYou need people who understand multiple fields. That\u2019s not easy to find.\u201d That\u2019s precisely where he sees opportunities in the Key Region Leiden. \u201cWith the universities and the Bio Science Park, there\u2019s a tremendous amount of knowledge here. The challenge is to connect them more effectively.\u201d In his view, that holds the key to the future. \u201cThe greatest innovations don\u2019t arise within a single sector, but between them.\u201d       <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-4194\" src=\"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Aefir-Labs-PLNT-Leiden-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Aefir-Labs-PLNT-Leiden-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Aefir-Labs-PLNT-Leiden-480x320.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Aefir-Labs-PLNT-Leiden-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Aefir-Labs-PLNT-Leiden-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Aefir-Labs-PLNT-Leiden.jpg 2560w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Talent: Building a Team<\/h3>\n<p>One of the biggest bottlenecks in their growth is finding the right people. \u201cYou\u2019re not looking for run-of-the-mill candidates. You\u2019re looking for people who are curious and willing to look beyond their own field.\u201d He sees the team as the foundation for everything to come. \u201cYou can develop technology, but a good team is what makes the difference.\u201d The region plays a role here as well. \u201cThe talent is there. But you have to know how to find it and bring it together.\u201d     <\/p>\n<h3>Looking Ahead: From Idea to Construction<\/h3>\n<p>When he looks ahead, Yordi thinks not only in terms of growth, but also in terms of impact. \u201cWithin a few years, we want to help companies make their processes more sustainable. That\u2019s a concrete step.\u201d But behind that lies a greater ambition. \u201cSecretly, I think it would be amazing to build our own factory someday. That\u2019s truly a moonshot. Going from a calculation to something physical that\u2019s actually up and running\u2014that sounds fantastic to me.\u201d   <\/p>\n<h3>From Sparks to Impact<\/h3>\n<p>What this story shows is how something small can grow into something big. An idea that doesn\u2019t work leads to a new insight. An experiment that fails accelerates the next step. An encounter within an ecosystem opens a new door. \u201cYou start small,\u201d says Yordi. \u201cBut if you take the right steps with plenty of motivation, knowledge, and insights, it can grow quickly.\u201d     <\/p>\n<p><em>This is the second interview in the &#8220;From Sparks to Impact&#8221; series, which features innovative entrepreneurs from the Key Region Leiden. The interviews are produced in collaboration with PLNT Leiden. Be sure to also read the interview with QuantaMap.  <\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"RejKwMtvMa\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/het-mechanisme-achter-falende-quantumchips\/\">QuantaMap bestudeert het mechanisme achter falende quantumchips<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"\u201cQuantaMap bestudeert het mechanisme achter falende quantumchips\u201d \u2014 Key Region Leiden\" src=\"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/het-mechanisme-achter-falende-quantumchips\/embed\/#?secret=8JjBfEtUyr#?secret=RejKwMtvMa\" data-secret=\"RejKwMtvMa\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How does an idea evolve into a technology with the potential to transform an entire industry? In the Key Region&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4197,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32,40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-innovation","category-startup-scale-up-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Working Toward Sustainable Aviation Through Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) - Key Region Leiden<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How does an idea evolve into a technology with the potential to transform an entire industry? We spoke with Yordi Beelen, co-founder of Aefir Labs, about this.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Working Toward Sustainable Aviation Through Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) - Key Region Leiden\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"How does an idea evolve into a technology with the potential to transform an entire industry? We spoke with Yordi Beelen, co-founder of Aefir Labs, about this.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Key Region Leiden\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-07-23T08:33:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Aefir-Labs-team-PLNT-Leiden.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1707\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"keyregion-joke\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"keyregion-joke\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/en\\\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/en\\\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"keyregion-joke\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/51a6fc05c64dbf1b87b8b686e8a1f2f0\"},\"headline\":\"Working Toward Sustainable Aviation Through Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-23T08:33:44+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/en\\\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1728,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/en\\\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/Aefir-Labs-team-PLNT-Leiden.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Innovation\",\"Startup \\\/ scale-up\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/en\\\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/en\\\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\\\/\",\"name\":\"Working Toward Sustainable Aviation Through Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) - Key Region Leiden\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/en\\\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/en\\\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/Aefir-Labs-team-PLNT-Leiden.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-23T08:33:44+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/51a6fc05c64dbf1b87b8b686e8a1f2f0\"},\"description\":\"How does an idea evolve into a technology with the potential to transform an entire industry? We spoke with Yordi Beelen, co-founder of Aefir Labs, about this.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/en\\\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/en\\\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/en\\\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/Aefir-Labs-team-PLNT-Leiden.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/Aefir-Labs-team-PLNT-Leiden.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1707,\"caption\":\"Het team van Aefir Labs\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/en\\\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/en\\\/home\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Working Toward Sustainable Aviation Through Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"Key Region Leiden\",\"description\":\"Science for life\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/51a6fc05c64dbf1b87b8b686e8a1f2f0\",\"name\":\"keyregion-joke\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/24b1f9b87c588857f7ec373b7a4359cb21f6c3416b95a9d8f4cb2804549a7f83?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/24b1f9b87c588857f7ec373b7a4359cb21f6c3416b95a9d8f4cb2804549a7f83?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/24b1f9b87c588857f7ec373b7a4359cb21f6c3416b95a9d8f4cb2804549a7f83?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"keyregion-joke\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\\\/en\\\/author\\\/keyregion-joke\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Working Toward Sustainable Aviation Through Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) - Key Region Leiden","description":"How does an idea evolve into a technology with the potential to transform an entire industry? We spoke with Yordi Beelen, co-founder of Aefir Labs, about this.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Working Toward Sustainable Aviation Through Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) - Key Region Leiden","og_description":"How does an idea evolve into a technology with the potential to transform an entire industry? We spoke with Yordi Beelen, co-founder of Aefir Labs, about this.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\/","og_site_name":"Key Region Leiden","article_published_time":"2026-07-23T08:33:44+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2560,"height":1707,"url":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Aefir-Labs-team-PLNT-Leiden.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"keyregion-joke","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"keyregion-joke","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\/"},"author":{"name":"keyregion-joke","@id":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/51a6fc05c64dbf1b87b8b686e8a1f2f0"},"headline":"Working Toward Sustainable Aviation Through Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)","datePublished":"2026-07-23T08:33:44+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\/"},"wordCount":1728,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Aefir-Labs-team-PLNT-Leiden.jpg","articleSection":["Innovation","Startup \/ scale-up"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\/","url":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\/","name":"Working Toward Sustainable Aviation Through Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) - Key Region Leiden","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Aefir-Labs-team-PLNT-Leiden.jpg","datePublished":"2026-07-23T08:33:44+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/51a6fc05c64dbf1b87b8b686e8a1f2f0"},"description":"How does an idea evolve into a technology with the potential to transform an entire industry? We spoke with Yordi Beelen, co-founder of Aefir Labs, about this.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Aefir-Labs-team-PLNT-Leiden.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Aefir-Labs-team-PLNT-Leiden.jpg","width":2560,"height":1707,"caption":"Het team van Aefir Labs"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/working-toward-sustainable-aviation-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/home\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Working Toward Sustainable Aviation Through Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/","name":"Key Region Leiden","description":"Science for life","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/51a6fc05c64dbf1b87b8b686e8a1f2f0","name":"keyregion-joke","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/24b1f9b87c588857f7ec373b7a4359cb21f6c3416b95a9d8f4cb2804549a7f83?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/24b1f9b87c588857f7ec373b7a4359cb21f6c3416b95a9d8f4cb2804549a7f83?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/24b1f9b87c588857f7ec373b7a4359cb21f6c3416b95a9d8f4cb2804549a7f83?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"keyregion-joke"},"url":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/author\/keyregion-joke\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4203","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4203"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4203\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4203"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4203"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.keyregionleiden.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4203"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}