Gert Pietersen founded Patho Solutions in 2016 and has established labs in Pretoria and in Wellington that performs research, diagnostics and control of plant pathogens. Before starting the company he completed his B.Sc Honours degree in Microbiology with distinction and competed in the International Genetically Engineered Machines competition during the same year, which was held in Boston, USA. Since then he has overcome several barriers to entry and performs research and development usually reserved for large companies, Universities and Institutes. Based in Wellington the Laboratories provide important services to producers in the Winelands as well as to the Deciduous fruit industry in the Western Cape. Gert aspires to make a significant economic impact on the Grapevine Leafroll Disease epidemic in South Africa and believes that this can be achieved by implementing key innovations.