SUN bioscience
SUN bioscience was a Lausanne-based life-sciences tools company that developed the proprietary Gri3D® 3D cell-based model platform for drug discovery and safety testing by pharmaceutical companies, until its November 2025 acquisition by InSphero.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersLausanne, Switzerland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SUN bioscience does
SUN bioscience was a Swiss life-sciences tools company, founded in 2015 and based in Lausanne, that developed the Gri3D® platform — a proprietary 3D cell-based model technology for drug discovery and safety testing. The platform provided scalable organoid and spheroid culture systems designed to offer more physiologically relevant in vitro models than traditional 2D cell cultures, supporting applications in drug discovery, safety pharmacology, and toxicology testing for pharmaceutical R&D. The company's technology was positioned as reducing reliance on animal testing and improving the predictive value of preclinical outcomes.
The company was co-founded by Sylke Hoehnel (CEO) and Nathalie Brandenberg (COO), with Jeroen Van den Oever serving as CFO. Across its operating history, Sun Bioscience raised approximately $755,000 in disclosed funding from a mix of non-dilutive sources (Foundation for Innovation and Technology/FIT, MassChallenge, FOUNDER.org) and small venture rounds (Acequia Capital, Possible Ventures). The company operated with a lean team of 1–10 employees, suggesting a research-tools and platform-licensing orientation rather than a high-touch services model.
In November 2025, InSphero acquired Sun Bioscience's Gri3D® technology platform in a strategic deal to expand its 3D cell-based model portfolio, combining organoid and spheroid capabilities. Following the acquisition, the sunbioscience.ch domain was listed for auction, indicating the original legal entity was wound down and independent operations ceased. The Gri3D® technology continues under InSphero's ownership rather than as a standalone Sun Bioscience product.
SUN bioscience firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SUN bioscience
- Website
- https://sunbioscience.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- SUN bioscience was a Lausanne-based life-sciences tools company that developed the proprietary Gri3D® 3D cell-based model platform for drug discovery and safety testing by pharmaceutical companies, until its November 2025 acquisition by InSphero.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SUN bioscience industry classification
Industry- Product category
- In Vitro Drug Discovery Platforms
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- In Vitro Model Systems & Organoid Platforms (iPSC/organoids, microphysiological systems) (HLAAAIAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Drug Discovery (Target ID/Validation & Hit Discovery) (HLAIALAA)
Keywords
Where SUN bioscience is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lausanne
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
SUN bioscience business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
SUN bioscience product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SUN bioscience develops the Gri3D® platform, a 3D cell-based model technology for drug discovery and safety testing. The platform provides scalable spheroid and organoid technologies that enable more physiologically relevant in vitro models compared to traditional 2D cell cultures, supporting pharmaceutical R&D decision-making in safety pharmacology and toxicology testing.
Product overview
SUN bioscience offers the Gri3D® platform as its core product technology for 3D cell-based models used in pharmaceutical R&D. The platform enables scalable spheroid and organoid technologies for drug discovery and safety testing applications. Based on the available information, the company's portfolio centers on this 3D cell culture technology, which was acquired by InSphero in November 2025.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Gri3D®: A platform for 3D cell culture and organoid/spheroid models used in drug discovery and safety testing.
Products and services
- Gri3D® Platform
Companies that use SUN bioscience
Customer profileSegments1 record
SUN bioscience technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
SUN bioscience partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- InSpherocoreInSphero acquired Sun Bioscience's Gri3D® technology platform as part of a strategic acquisition to expand its portfolio of 3D cell-based models. The acquisition combines Sun Bioscience's organoid technology with InSphero's existing spheroid technologies, strengthening InSphero's position in the in vitro model market for drug discovery and safety testing.
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights2 records
SUN bioscience competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- InSphero: Swiss 3D cell-based model company specializing in spheroid and organoid technologies for drug discovery and safety testing. InSphero is the direct peer and acquirer of Sun Bioscience's Gri3D® platform, with overlapping product offerings and customer base.
- Mimetas: Dutch organoid and organ-on-chip company developing 3D tissue models for drug discovery and toxicology. Comparable to Sun Bioscience in offering physiologically relevant in vitro models for pharma R&D customers.
- CN Bio: UK-based organ-on-chip and microphysiological systems company serving pharma drug discovery and safety testing. Directly comparable technology category (in vitro models for pharma) and customer overlap.
- Emulate: US organ-on-chip platform company whose Organ-Chip technology targets drug discovery and safety pharmacology use cases. Overlaps with Sun Bioscience on in vitro disease modeling for pharma customers.
- TissUse: German multi-organ-chip and 3D cell culture company developing microphysiological systems for pharmaceutical testing. Comparable technology stack and pharma-customer orientation to Sun Bioscience.
Emerging players
- Organovo: US 3D bioprinting and tissue engineering company focused on in vitro tissue models for drug discovery and disease modeling. Adjacent in producing 3D tissue constructs for pharma R&D but focused on bioprinting rather than organoid platforms.
- Hesperos: US-based organ-on-chip and human-on-a-chip company providing multi-organ microphysiological systems for drug testing. Comparable in delivering physiologically relevant in vitro models for preclinical pharma applications.
- CytoSMART: Dutch live-cell imaging and cell culture monitoring company with partial overlap in 3D cell culture workflows used in drug discovery. Comparable end-market (life science research) with more limited overlap in organoid-specific technology.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
SUN bioscience social profiles
Digital presenceSUN bioscience financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SUN bioscience leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
SUN bioscience funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SUN bioscience M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SUN bioscience
What does SUN bioscience do?
SUN bioscience develops the Gri3D® platform, a 3D cell-based model technology for drug discovery and safety testing. The platform provides scalable spheroid and organoid technologies that enable more physiologically relevant in vitro models compared to traditional 2D cell cultures, supporting pharmaceutical R&D decision-making in safety pharmacology and toxicology testing.
Is SUN bioscience a public or private company?
SUN bioscience is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was SUN bioscience founded?
SUN bioscience was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is SUN bioscience based?
SUN bioscience is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
Who are SUN bioscience's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are InSphero, Mimetas, CN Bio, Emulate and TissUse. Emerging players are Organovo, Hesperos and CytoSMART.
Does SUN bioscience have an API?
No public API is recorded for SUN bioscience.
What industry is SUN bioscience in?
SUN bioscience's product category is In Vitro Drug Discovery Platforms. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAAIAJ, In Vitro Model Systems & Organoid Platforms (iPSC/organoids, microphysiological systems), with a secondary code of HLAIALAA, Drug Discovery (Target ID/Validation & Hit Discovery). Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 8731.