Bionow
Bionow is a Manchester-based not-for-profit membership organisation, founded in 2011, that supports hundreds of life sciences companies across Northern England through annual memberships, events, group procurement, investor access, accelerator programmes, and sector advocacy.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersManchester, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Bionow does
Bionow is a not-for-profit membership organisation, founded in 2011 and headquartered in Manchester, that supports life sciences businesses across Northern England. It operates a platform-plus-services model centred on annual membership (standard and premium tiers), delivering member benefits through cost-saving group procurement, an events and conferences programme, networking and pitching events, accelerator and skills-development initiatives, and access to investors via the Envestors platform and the BioCap annual investment conference. The organisation also runs the Voice of the North advocacy programme and a jobs board, functioning as a sector representative for the Northern life sciences cluster of over 40,000 employees.
The underlying technology stack is intentionally lightweight. Bionow runs its website (bionow.co.uk) on Drupal, with event registration, ticketing, and membership management outsourced to the Glueup SaaS platform, while the Envestors integration provides the investor-Listing capability offered as a free 6-month member benefit. Strategic partners include AstraZeneca, seven Northern universities (Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Durham, Keele, Sheffield), Alderley Park, Chubb, Qiagen, EQUANS Sci-Tech, Pioneer Group, MSP, and Amiculum. The leadership team is small (1-10 staff) and is led by CEO Geoff Davison, supported by a Board chaired by Ruth Roberts with several NEDs.
Revenue is generated through three streams: membership subscription fees billed annually in 12-month periods, event registrations and sponsorship, and the purchasing scheme (group procurement). Pricing is not publicly disclosed beyond the 30-day invoice payment term and the no-refund policy on subscription terminations. The entity does not disclose specific revenue figures, has no parent company, and is governed under the law of England and Wales as Bionow Ltd.
Bionow firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bionow
- Legal name
- Bionow Ltd
- Website
- https://bionow.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Bionow is a Manchester-based not-for-profit membership organisation, founded in 2011, that supports hundreds of life sciences companies across Northern England through annual memberships, events, group procurement, investor access, accelerator programmes, and sector advocacy.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Bionow is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Manchester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Bionow business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Bionow generates revenue through membership fees charged to life sciences companies. Membership is purchased in advance in periods of 12 months. There are standard and premium membership tiers available with different benefit levels.
- Event Registrations and Sponsorship: Revenue generated from event registrations, conference attendance fees, and event sponsorship opportunities. Events include conferences, networking sessions, and business pitching events.
- Purchasing Scheme: Cost-saving procurement solutions offered to members, potentially generating revenue through preferred supplier arrangements or group purchasing schemes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Standard and Premium membership tiers with 12-month subscription |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Bionow product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bionow is an award-winning, not-for-profit membership organisation that delivers business support, networking, and procurement services to life sciences companies across Northern England. Its core offering is paid annual membership (Standard and Premium tiers) that bundles a group purchasing scheme, conferences and events, accelerator programmes, skills development, investor access via the Envestors platform and the annual BioCap Conference, a jobs board, and sector advocacy through the Voice of the North initiative.
Product overview
Bionow is an award-winning, not-for-profit membership organization serving the life sciences sector across Northern England. The organization operates a platform-plus-services model centered on membership, which provides access to a purchasing scheme for discounted supplier rates, an events programme featuring conferences and networking opportunities, business support services including accelerator programmes and skills development, investor access through the Envestors platform and annual BioCap Conference, a jobs board, and advocacy through its Voice of the North initiative. The portfolio includes flagship events such as the BioCap investment conference, the Bionow Neuroscience Conference, and Business Pitching events, alongside talent development initiatives spanning apprenticeships, student placements, and mentoring schemes. Members connect through the Glueup-powered event and membership management system.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Bionow Membership Annual paid membership for life sciences companies in Northern England, offering access to procurement savings, events, networking, investor access, accelerator programmes, skills development, and sector advocacy under Standard and Premium tiers.
- Bionow Purchasing Scheme Group purchasing scheme providing members with discounted access to preferred suppliers and services used across the life sciences sector, delivering cost savings that would be difficult for individual SMEs to access independently.
- Bionow Events Programme Programme of conferences, networking sessions, and business pitching events bringing together life sciences professionals across Northern England, including the Bionow Neuroscience Conference and Business Pitching events hosted at venues across the region.
- BioCap Conference Annual life science investment conference featuring a pitching competition where winners present to active life science investors, serving as the flagship investor-access event of the Bionow calendar.
- Bionow Investment Showcase Webinar series presenting 30-minute pitches from Bionow member companies seeking investment to a virtual audience of active life science investors, complementing the BioCap Conference as an ongoing investor-access channel.
- Bionow Accelerator Programmes Business acceleration programmes delivered in partnership with specialist providers to help life sciences businesses scale and address key growth barriers across the Northern England ecosystem.
- Skills for the 21st Century Workforce Talent and skills development programme covering the Skills Special Interest Group, apprenticeships, student placements, mentoring partnerships (including with Liverpool Life Sciences UTC), and careers fairs to address the Northern life sciences talent pipeline.
- Access to Investors via Envestors Platform Investor access service providing Bionow members with a free 6-month Listing on the FCA-regulated Envestors platform, which has helped over 200 companies raise more than £100m, enabling life sciences companies to raise visibility and capital from active investors.
- Bionow Jobs Board Job posting platform allowing members to advertise up to 10 active job posts per month, with listings promoted on Bionow's social media channels to support life sciences recruitment across Northern England.
Quantifiable outcome
- Envestors platform has helped over 200 companies raise more than £100m
Companies that use Bionow
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Bionow technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Bionow partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UKRI AI Centre for Doctoral Training in Biomedical Innovation (AI4BI CDT)coreBionow members are invited to explore collaboration opportunities with the UKRI AI Centre for Doctoral Training in Biomedical Innovation at the University of Edinburgh. The Centre trains interdisciplinary researchers working at the interface of AI, biomedical science, healthcare and responsible innovation. Collaboration may include proposing PhD projects, co-developing AI solutions, hosting student placements, and exploring co-funded studentships.
- AmiculumminorAmiculum has joined Bionow as a member, supporting collaboration across the life sciences sector in the North of the UK.
- AstraZenecacoreAstraZeneca is listed as a valued sponsor of Bionow, providing support for the organisation's activities and events in the life sciences sector.
- University of ManchestercoreThe University of Manchester is a key sponsor and partner, supporting Bionow's activities and providing access to academic expertise and student talent.
- University of LeedscoreUniversity of Leeds is a sponsor partner, contributing to the life sciences ecosystem development in the North.
- University of LiverpoolcoreUniversity of Liverpool is a sponsor partner supporting Bionow's mission to drive growth in the Northern life sciences sector.
- Newcastle UniversitycoreNewcastle University is a sponsor partner contributing to Bionow's academic and industry collaboration initiatives.
- Durham UniversitycoreDurham University sponsors Bionow, supporting the life sciences sector development across the North.
- Keele UniversitycoreKeele University is a sponsor partner involved in Bionow's activities.
- University of SheffieldcoreThe University of Sheffield is a sponsor partner supporting Bionow's events and programmes.
- Alderley ParkcoreAlderley Park, a major life sciences campus and business park, is a sponsor partner providing facilities and ecosystem support.
- ChubbcoreChubb is listed as a sponsor partner, providing insurance and risk management support for the life sciences sector.
- QiagencoreQiagen is a sponsor partner providing laboratory equipment and technology solutions.
- EQUANS Sci-TechcoreEQUANS Sci-Tech is a sponsor partner providing scientific and technical expertise.
- Pioneer GroupcorePioneer Group is a sponsor partner supporting life sciences innovation and growth.
- EnvestorscoreEnvestors is an FCA-regulated investment platform partner that connects Bionow members with life sciences investors. All Bionow members have the option of opening a Listing on the Envestors platform for 6 months at no charge. Envestors has helped over 200 companies raise more than £100m.
- MSPcoreMSP is a sponsor partner supporting Bionow's activities.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Bionow competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Life Sciences Hub Wales: Life Sciences Hub Wales is a government-backed organization supporting the Welsh life sciences ecosystem. It is directly comparable to Bionow's regional life sciences membership and advocacy model, but operating in a different UK region (Wales).
- BioForward Wisconsin: BioForward is a US-based state-level life sciences trade association serving Wisconsin. It is comparable to Bionow's model as a regional cluster organization but operates in a different country, with member services including advocacy, networking, and talent development.
- Scottish Life Sciences Association: The Scottish Life Sciences Association is an industry body representing life sciences companies in Scotland. It mirrors Bionow's structure as a regional life sciences trade association but serves a different UK nation.
Broad incumbents
- MedCity: MedCity is a life sciences cluster organization for the London region, focused on investment, partnerships, and NHS integration. It is a functional peer to Bionow in operating a regional life sciences membership body, though geographically distinct and operating with larger institutional backing.
- One Nucleus: One Nucleus is a not-for-profit membership organization for life sciences and healthcare companies based in the Cambridge/London corridor. It is a direct functional peer to Bionow in operating a regional life sciences trade association, but at a larger scale and in a different UK geography (Cambridge/London rather than Northern England).
- BioIndustry Association (BIA): The BIA is the UK's national trade association for bioscience companies. It overlaps with Bionow's mission to support life sciences innovation and advocacy but operates at the national level, giving it broader policy reach and member networks than Bionow's regional scope.
- MassBio: MassBio is the largest US state-level life sciences trade association, serving Massachusetts' biotech cluster. It is comparable to Bionow's regional life sciences membership model but at a much larger scale, offering similar member services (advocacy, events, purchasing programs).
Others
- UK BioIndustry Association (UK BIA) regional clusters: Beyond the BIA itself, the UK has several emerging regional life sciences clusters (e.g., Northern Ireland Bio, Northern Ireland Science Park) that mirror Bionow's regional focus. These are loosely networked peers that compete for member mindshare in specific geographies.
- Catapult Medicines Discovery: Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (now Catapult Medicines Discovery) is a UK government-backed organization supporting cell and gene therapy innovation. While not a direct membership organization, it is part of the broader UK life sciences support ecosystem that Bionow's members interact with and complements rather than competes with Bionow's regional advocacy role.
Direct peers
- Northern Health Science Alliance (NHSA): The NHSA is a partnership of leading NHS trusts, universities, and Academic Health Science Networks across Northern England, focused on health research and innovation. It operates in the same Northern England geography as Bionow and serves overlapping life sciences and biomedical audiences, making it the closest direct peer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Bionow social profiles
Digital presenceBionow compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Bionow financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bionow leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Bionow funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bionow 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 Bionow
What does Bionow do?
Bionow is an award-winning, not-for-profit membership organisation that delivers business support, networking, and procurement services to life sciences companies across Northern England. Its core offering is paid annual membership (Standard and Premium tiers) that bundles a group purchasing scheme, conferences and events, accelerator programmes, skills development, investor access via the Envestors platform and the annual BioCap Conference, a jobs board, and sector advocacy through the Voice of the North initiative.
Is Bionow a public or private company?
Bionow is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Bionow founded?
Bionow was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Bionow based?
Bionow is headquartered in Manchester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Bionow make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are event Registrations and Sponsorship and purchasing Scheme.
Who are Bionow's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Life Sciences Hub Wales, BioForward Wisconsin and Scottish Life Sciences Association. Broad incumbents are MedCity, One Nucleus, BioIndustry Association (BIA) and MassBio. Others are UK BioIndustry Association (UK BIA) regional clusters and Catapult Medicines Discovery. Northern Health Science Alliance (NHSA) is listed as a direct peer.
Does Bionow have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bionow.