Biocolor
Biocolor Ltd is a Northern Ireland-based life science tools company that develops proprietary dye-based colorimetric assay kits for quantitative analysis of extracellular matrix biomolecules (collagen, elastin, sGAGs, hyaluronic acid), selling direct in the UK/Ireland and through a 30+ country distributor network globally to academic, biotech, and industrial research customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersBelfast, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Biocolor does
Biocolor Ltd is a privately held Northern Ireland-based life science tools company that develops and manufactures dye-based, colorimetric assay kits for quantitative analysis of Extracellular Matrix (ECM) biomolecules, including soluble and insoluble collagen, elastin, sulfated glycosaminoglycans, and hyaluronic acid. The company's portfolio comprises six core kits — Sircol 2.0, Sircol Original Soluble, Sircol Insoluble, Blyscan (sGAG), Fastin (Elastin), and Purple-Jelley (Hyaluronic Acid) — each built on proprietary dye chemistries (Sirius Red variants, DMMB, TPPS porphyrin, and a J-aggregate cyanine dye) that bind specifically to their target biomolecules and are read via standard spectrophotometry at 513–656 nm. All kits are intended for research use and have been cited in thousands of peer-reviewed publications across bioengineering, biomedical, food science, cosmetics, and veterinary research.
The company operates a hybrid commercial model. In the UK and Ireland, Biocolor sells direct from its Belfast headquarters, with order processing within two working days and pricing publicly disclosed in GBP (£351–£1,305 per kit, plus refill reagent SKUs at £121–£914). All other geographies are served through an established distributor network covering 30+ countries across Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific, with named channel partners including tebubio, Nordic Biosite, BioVendor, Funakoshi, Accurate Chemical, Ilex Life Sciences, AssayMatrix, and Lab Research. Customer segments span academic researchers (primary), pharmaceutical/biotech R&D and QC, food science, cosmetics, and veterinary research, with no single named anchor customer disclosed.
Biocolor is small in scale (1–10 employees) but mature in market position, founded in the early 1990s by Dr Roy Elliott at Queen's University Belfast. The company received the Queen's Award for Enterprise: Innovation (Technology) in 2008 for the Sircol assay. Following the deaths of both managing directors in 2018–19, new leadership under Dr David Steele (Managing Director) and Mr David Elliott (Director) took over, and in 2023 the firm launched Sircol 2.0 — a microplate-format successor with a 10-fold reduction in non-collagenous protein interference. In summer 2024, Biocolor relocated its operations to the Catalyst innovation hub in Belfast's Titanic Quarter, gaining new R&D and production laboratory capacity.
Biocolor firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Biocolor
- Legal name
- Biocolor Ltd
- Website
- https://biocolor.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Biocolor Ltd is a Northern Ireland-based life science tools company that develops proprietary dye-based colorimetric assay kits for quantitative analysis of extracellular matrix biomolecules (collagen, elastin, sGAGs, hyaluronic acid), selling direct in the UK/Ireland and through a 30+ country distributor network globally to academic, biotech, and industrial research customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Biocolor industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Life Science Research Reagents
- NAICS
- In-Vitro Diagnostic Substance Manufacturing (325413)
- SIC
- In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Reagents, Chemicals & Assay Kits (Buffers, Antibodies, ELISA, Enzymes) (HLAGAIAI)
Keywords
Where Biocolor is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Belfast
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Biocolor business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Assay Kit Sales: Biocolor generates revenue primarily through the sale of ready-to-use assay kit products. Kits are sold in standard sizes (typically 96-110 measurements) and large economy multipacks (400-440 measurements) for higher volume users. Product codes include Sircol 2.0 (SIRC2), Original Sircol Soluble (S1000), Sircol Insoluble (S2000), Blyscan (B1000), Fastin (F2000), and Purple-Jelley (H1000) with prices ranging from £351 to £1,305 per kit.
- Refill Pack Sales: Recurring revenue from consumable refill reagents that customers repurchase as they use kits. Refill packs include dye reagents, reference standards, wash reagents, dissociation reagents, fragmentation reagents, and concentration reagents for each assay type. Prices range from £121 to £914 per refill item.
- Blyscan sGAG Isolation & Concentration Pack: Specialist accessory (product code B1015) for 100 samples, designed for variable samples such as urine, synovial fluid, and other water-based samples requiring sGAG isolation and concentration prior to assay. Sold at £201.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sircol 2.0 Soluble Collagen Assay (SIRC2) - 96 assays |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sircol Soluble Collagen Assay (Original) - 110 assays |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sircol Insoluble Collagen Assay - 110 assays |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Blyscan sGAG Assay - 110 assays |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Fastin Elastin Assay - 110 assays |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Purple-Jelley Hyaluronic Acid Assay - 100 assays |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Assay Refill Reagents |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Biocolor product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Biocolor develops and manufactures a focused portfolio of dye-based, colorimetric assay kits for the quantitative analysis of Extracellular Matrix (ECM) biomolecules — soluble and insoluble collagen, elastin, sulfated glycosaminoglycans, and hyaluronic acid — using proprietary dye chemistries read on standard laboratory spectrophotometers. Kits are sold ready-to-use to research and industrial laboratories, complemented by consumable refill reagents and a specialist sGAG isolation accessory.
Product overview
Biocolor is a UK-based biotech company specializing in the development and manufacture of dye-based, colorimetric assay kits for quantitative analysis of Extracellular Matrix (ECM) biomolecules. The product portfolio consists of six core assay kits: Sircol 2.0 Soluble Collagen Assay Kit and the original Sircol Soluble Collagen Assay Kit (for measuring soluble collagen with enhanced sensitivity and specificity in the 2.0 version), Sircol Insoluble Collagen Assay Kit (for mature cross-linked collagen), Purple-Jelley Hyaluronic Acid Assay Kit (for hyaluronic acid/hyaluronan), Fastin Elastin Assay Kit (for elastin from tropoelastin to mature fibers), and Blyscan Glycosaminoglycan Assay Kit (for sulfated GAGs and proteoglycans). All kits use proprietary dye-based detection reagents and colorimetric measurement via spectrophotometer, with samples derived from both in-vivo and in-vitro sources including tissues, cells, and fluids.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sircol 2.0 Soluble Collagen Assay Kit Easy-to-use dye-based assay for measuring soluble collagen from in-vivo and in-vitro samples, using colorimetric detection at 556nm in a microplate format. Offers improved sensitivity (2 µg/ml detection limit) and specificity (10-fold reduction in non-collagenous protein interference) compared to the original Sircol kit, with up to 96 parallel measurements per run.
- Sircol (Original) Soluble Collagen Assay Kit Biocolor's established dye-based assay for quantifying soluble collagen from in-vivo and in-vitro sources using colorimetric detection at 556nm. Available in 10-150 µg/ml or 10-500 µg/ml assay range depending on setup, supplied as S1000 (110 measurements) or S5000 (440 measurements) pack sizes.
- Sircol Insoluble Collagen Assay Kit Dye-binding assay for measuring insoluble collagen content in both in-vivo and in-vitro tissues, using colorimetric detection at 556nm with a 100-1000 µg/ml assay range and 100 µg/ml detection limit. Samples require pre-treatment with Sircol Fragmentation reagent to convert insoluble collagen to soluble form.
- Purple-Jelley Hyaluronic Acid Assay Kit Easy-to-use, dye-based, colorimetric method for measurement of hyaluronic acid (HA)/hyaluronan using colorimetric detection at 655nm with a 10-100 µg/ml assay range. Includes sequential sample preparation involving enzymatic protein digestion and GAG precipitation/purification. Available in H1000 (100 assays) and H2000 (400 assays) pack sizes.
- Fastin Elastin Assay Kit Easy-to-use, dye-based assay for measuring elastin from in-vivo and in-vitro sources using colorimetric detection at 513nm with a 50-500 µg/ml assay range. Quantifies tropoelastins, lathyrogenic elastins, and insoluble cross-linked elastins solubilised using hot oxalic acid treatment. Available in F2000 (110 measurements) and F4000 (440 measurements) pack sizes.
- Blyscan Glycosaminoglycan Assay Kit Easy-to-use, dye-based assay for quantitative measurement of sulfated glycosaminoglycans (sGAG) and proteoglycans, using colorimetric detection at 656nm with a 2.5-50 µg/ml assay range and 2.5 µg/ml limit of detection. Formulated to minimise binding to other charged sample components such as nucleic acids. Available in B1000 (110 measurements) and B3000 (440 measurements) pack sizes.
- Blyscan sGAG Isolation & Concentration Pack Specialist accessory pack (product code B1015) for 100 samples, designed for sGAG isolation and concentration from variable water-based samples such as urine and synovial fluid prior to Blyscan sGAG assay.
Quantifiable outcome
- Sircol 2.0 detects collagen at concentrations starting from 2µg/ml (0.25µg/ml with optional concentration protocol), a 10-fold reduction in interference from non-collagenous proteins compared to previous Sircol assays.
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Biocolor
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Biocolor technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Biocolor partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- tebubio (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Scandinavia, Spain)coretebubio serves as Biocolor's primary European distributor network, handling sales in Belgium/Luxembourg, France, Germany/Austria/Switzerland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Scandinavia (Denmark), and Spain. tebubio operates dedicated country-specific divisions with local contact details and websites. Contact: +33 1 30 46 39 00 for France, +49 69 801013-0 for Germany.
- Nordic Biosite (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Baltic states)coreNordic Biosite serves as Biocolor's distributor across Nordic countries and Baltic regions including Denmark (CVR: 30711572), Finland, Norway, Sweden (Propellervägen 4A, 183 62 Täby), and Finland/Latvia/Lithuania/Estonia. Contact: +45 8844 8801, [email protected].
- BioVendor - Laboratorni medicina a.s. (Czech Republic, USA)coreBioVendor handles Biocolor product distribution in Czech Republic (Karasek 1767/1, 621 00 Brno) and USA/Canada (128 Bingham Rd, Suite 1300, Asheville, NC 28806). Contact: +420-549 124 185, [email protected].
- Interchim (France)minorInterchim serves as an additional distributor for Biocolor products in France (211 Bis avenue J.F. Kennedy, BP 1140, 03100 Montluçon Cedex). Contact: +33(0) 470 038 855, [email protected].
- Scharlab S.L. (Spain)minorScharlab handles Biocolor product distribution in Spain (Gato Pérez 33, Pol.Ind.Mas d'en Cisa, E08181 Sentmenat, Barcelona). Contact: 34937456400, [email protected].
- BIO-MEDIATOR KY (Finland)minorBIO-MEDIATOR KY distributes Biocolor products in Finland (Linnaistentie 5, VANTAA, 01640). Contact: +358 40 562 9574, [email protected].
- AssayMatrix (Australia)coreAssayMatrix serves as Biocolor's distributor in Australia (Ivanhoe North, PO Box 3114, Melbourne, VIC 3079). Contact: 1300 792 218, [email protected].
- Funakoshi Co. Ltd. (Japan)coreFunakoshi distributes Biocolor products in Japan (9-7 Hongo 2-Chome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033). Contact: 03-5684-1620, [email protected].
- Accurate Chemical & Scientific Corporation (USA)coreAccurate Chemical distributes Biocolor products in the USA (554 Westbury Avenue, Carle Place, NY 11514). Contact: 516-333-2221, [email protected].
- Ilex Life Sciences LLC (USA, Canada)coreIlex Life Sciences serves as Biocolor distributor in USA and Canada (1465 Sand Hill Rd, Suite 2018, Candler, NC 28715). Contact: +1 (828) 531-9949, [email protected].
- Lab Research (Brazil)coreLab Research handles Biocolor product distribution in Brazil and South America (Av. Itaberaba 2052, Sala 11, Freguesia do Ó, São Paulo/SP - 02739-000). Contact: 11 3991-9033, [email protected].
- Catalyst Innovation Centre (Belfast, Northern Ireland)coreBiocolor relocated to the Catalyst innovation hub in Belfast's Titanic Quarter in summer 2024. Catalyst is Northern Ireland's key science and technology hub providing modern R&D and production laboratories. The hub offers collaborative opportunities with local universities and industry partners. Contact: Catalyst Concourse Building 2, 20 Queens Road, Titanic Quarter, Belfast, BT3 9DT.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Biocolor competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Global life sciences giant whose Invitrogen and Thermo Scientific brands offer ECM-related ELISA kits, antibodies, and assay reagents alongside a broad portfolio; competing with Biocolor for academic and biomedical research budgets worldwide.
- Abcam: Major research reagent supplier offering ELISA kits and antibodies for collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid, competing with Biocolor's specialty ECM assays in academic and pharma research labs with broader catalogs and stronger digital channels.
- Merck (Sigma-Aldrich): Global chemical and life science reagents giant supplying ECM-related assay kits, hydroxyproline-based collagen quantification reagents, and Sirius Red dye (the active reagent in Biocolor's Sircol kits), competing both as a vendor and as an alternative assay provider.
- Bio-Techne (R&D Systems): Large publicly traded life science tools company whose R&D Systems brand offers extensive ELISA kits and reagents for ECM proteins (collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid, GAGs), competing with Biocolor across the same customer base with broader catalogs.
- Cell Signaling Technology: Established US life science tools company offering ELISA kits and antibody-based assays for ECM and matrix biology targets, competing with Biocolor for biomedical and tissue engineering research customers.
Emerging players
- Echelon Biosciences: Specialty life science reagents company focused on lipid signaling, glycosaminoglycans, and ECM-related assays; competes with Biocolor's Blyscan GAG product in niche matrix biology research applications.
Direct peers
- Chondrex: Specialty developer of collagen research reagents and detection assays serving the bioengineering and biomedical research markets, with overlapping collagen quantification products competing directly with Biocolor's Sircol kits.
- Kamiya Biomedical: Specialty manufacturer of ELISA kits and assay reagents for extracellular matrix components including collagen, elastin, and GAGs, directly competing with Biocolor's Sircol, Fastin, and Blyscan product families in academic and pharma research labs.
- QuickZyme Biosciences: Dutch specialty life science tools company providing hydroxyproline-based collagen quantification assays and ECM analysis kits, directly competing with Biocolor's Sircol dye-binding collagen assays on sensitivity and workflow simplicity.
Regional players
- Cosmo Bio: Japanese life science reagent distributor and manufacturer supplying ECM-related assay kits and antibodies across Asia-Pacific, competing with Biocolor via its Japan distributor Funakoshi and other regional channels.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Biocolor social profiles
Digital presenceBiocolor financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Biocolor leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Biocolor funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Biocolor 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 Biocolor
What does Biocolor do?
Biocolor develops and manufactures a focused portfolio of dye-based, colorimetric assay kits for the quantitative analysis of Extracellular Matrix (ECM) biomolecules — soluble and insoluble collagen, elastin, sulfated glycosaminoglycans, and hyaluronic acid — using proprietary dye chemistries read on standard laboratory spectrophotometers. Kits are sold ready-to-use to research and industrial laboratories, complemented by consumable refill reagents and a specialist sGAG isolation accessory.
Is Biocolor a public or private company?
Biocolor is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Biocolor founded?
Biocolor was founded in 1990. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Biocolor based?
Biocolor is headquartered in Belfast, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Biocolor make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Assay Kit Sales are the primary driver. The others are refill Pack Sales and blyscan sGAG Isolation & Concentration Pack.
Who are Biocolor's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Thermo Fisher Scientific, Abcam, Merck (Sigma-Aldrich), Bio-Techne (R&D Systems) and Cell Signaling Technology. Echelon Biosciences is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Chondrex, Kamiya Biomedical and QuickZyme Biosciences. Cosmo Bio is listed as a regional player.
Does Biocolor have an API?
No public API is recorded for Biocolor.
What industry is Biocolor in?
Biocolor's product category is Life Science Research Reagents. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAIAI, Reagents, Chemicals & Assay Kits (Buffers, Antibodies, ELISA, Enzymes). Its NAICS code is 325413 and its SIC code is 2835.