What Bac3Gel does

Bac3Gel (BAC3GEL, LDA) is a privately held Portuguese life-sciences tools company founded in 2020 and headquartered at Taguspark in Porto Salvo. It develops and sells patented, mucin-based advanced materials that replicate the structural and chemical properties of human mucus layers from multiple body sites (intestinal, airway, cervicovaginal, gastric) to support microbial growth, drug permeability testing, and microbiome research. The product portfolio comprises two categories: in vitro screening tools (Gut³Gel, Lung³Gel, Vag³Gel, Gastro³Gel, and the universal Bac³Gel) offered in multiple plate and syringe kit configurations; and growth boosters (Gut³Beads, Vag³Beads) — mucin-based bead additives designed to cultivate fastidious microorganisms. Core technology centers on 3D structure replicating native mucus spatial complexity, gradient structures creating oxygen and nutrient gradients, and mucin-based materials mimicking biochemical signaling, with claimed support for 90% of native microbiota species versus significantly lower rates with traditional culture methods.

The company operates a sales-led GTM with a direct-to-customer e-commerce storefront and a HubSpot-driven introductory-call motion for enterprise buyers, serving research institutions, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, and microbiome-focused firms across global markets including the USA, UK, Germany, and France. Pricing is unit-based at €350–€525 per kit, with no subscription or recurring model observed. Revenue is augmented by non-dilutive EU grant funding through Portugal's Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), the European Innovation Council (EIC), and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), alongside a 7-person core team and a scientific advisory board anchored at Politecnico di Milano, University of Turin, and University of Pavia. Scientific credibility is supported by peer-reviewed publications in Scientific Reports, Pharmaceutics, Advanced Healthcare Materials, Gut Microbiology, and bioRxiv.

Name

Bac3Gel

Legal name

BAC3GEL, LDA

Website

https://bac3gel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bac3Gel is a Portuguese life-sciences tools company that sells patented mucin-based 3D mucus models and growth-booster beads to support microbiota culture, drug permeability testing, and microbiome research for academic, biotech, and pharmaceutical customers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

In Vitro Microbiome Research Tools

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Microbiome Manufacturing, Formulation & Delivery Technologies (encapsulation, spores, oral delivery) (HLAAAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Bioprocess Consumables & Reagents (resins, membranes, media components, buffers) (HLAAAJAI)

Keywords

• In vitro mucus models
• Microbiota culture tools
• Microbiome research products
• Mucin-based materials
• Drug permeability testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Porto Salvo

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Product Sales - In Vitro Screening Tools: One-time purchase of specialized mucus model products (Gut³Gel, Lung³Gel, Vag³Gel, Gastro³Gel, Bac³Gel) available in various configurations (96-well plates, 48-well plates, 24-well plates, 12-well plates, 6-well plates, 5mL syringes)
2. Product Sales - Growth Boosters: One-time purchase of growth booster products (Gut³Beads, Vag³Beads) designed to optimize cultivation of hard-to-culture microorganisms

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bac3Gel designs, manufactures and sells patented mucin-based advanced materials that replicate the structural and chemical properties of human mucus layers. Its portfolio includes organ-site specific 3D in vitro mucus models (Gut³Gel, Lung³Gel, Vag³Gel, Gastro³Gel, Bac³Gel) sold as kits in plate or syringe formats, plus mucin-based growth booster beads (Gut³Beads, Vag³Beads) for cultivating fastidious microorganisms used in microbiome research, drug permeability testing, and biomanufacturing.

Product overview

Bac3Gel is an innovation-driven company specializing in advanced materials for microbiology research. The product portfolio consists of two main categories: (1) In vitro screening tools (Gut³Gel, Vag³Gel, Lung³Gel, Gastro³Gel, and Bac³Gel) — ready-to-use 3D mucus-mimicking models that replicate the structural and chemical properties of human mucus layers from different body sites (intestinal, cervicovaginal, airway, gastric) for drug permeability testing and microbiota culture; and (2) Growth Boosters (Gut³Beads and Vag³Beads) — spherically shaped mucin-based bead additives that optimize cultivation of fastidious microorganisms to boost yield and viability. The universal Bac³Gel serves as a foundational advanced material for broader microbiota culture applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lung³Gel: Advanced in vitro model for airway microbiota culture, available in Physiologic and Cystic Fibrosis variants
• Gut³Gel
• Vag³Gel
• Gastro³Gel
• Gut³Beads
• Vag³Beads

Products and services

• Lung³Gel Ready-to-use 3D in vitro model of human airway mucus designed for high-throughput drug permeability testing and microbiota culture, available in Physiologic (19.0 mg/ml mucin, 4.78 mg/ml NaCl) and Cystic Fibrosis (25.0 mg/ml mucin, 16.3 mg/ml NaCl) variants sold as kits in plate or 5 mL syringe formats.
• Gut³Gel Ready-to-use 3D in vitro model of human gut mucus for microbiome research, drug permeability testing and efficacy assessments, available in Colon (50 mg/ml mucin, 0.57 mg/ml NaCl) and Small Intestinal (14.2 mg/ml mucin, 3.51 mg/ml NaCl) variants sold as kits in plates or syringes.
• Vag³Gel Ready-to-use 3D in vitro model of human vaginal mucus for microbiome research, drug permeability testing and efficacy assessments, available in Ovulatory (2.4 mg/ml mucin, pH 6.5), Non-ovulatory (3.0 mg/ml mucin, pH 5.5), and Pregnancy (5.0 mg/ml albumin, pH 8.0) variants sold as kits in plates or syringes.
• Gastro³Gel Ready-to-use 3D in vitro model of human gastric mucus for high-throughput drug permeability testing and microbiota culture, composed of 3.0 mg/ml mucin and 0.07 mg/ml NaCl to mimic healthy human gastric mucus composition and viscosity, sold as kits in plates or syringes.
• Bac³Gel Universal ready-to-use advanced mucin-based material for broader microbiota culture, available in the customer's chosen culture medium. Designed for high-throughput drug and microbiome research with standardized, reproducible formulations sold as kits in plate or syringe formats.
• Gut³Beads Spherically shaped mucin-based growth booster beads for culturing fastidious microorganisms in intestinal microbiota. Used to supplement planktonic and dynamic culture systems and to support bacterial colonization research, sold as kits of 10 mL flasks.
• Vag³Beads Beadlet-shaped additive for culturing fastidious microorganisms present in vaginal microbiota, optimizing cultivation of cervicovaginal microbiota to boost yield and viability for probiotic and live biotherapeutic production. Dimensions 4.5 to 6 mm, supplied in 10 mL volumes as kits of three units.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of species present in native microbiota grew in Bac³Gel, compared to significantly lower rates with traditional culture methods

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Politecnico di MilanocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian technical university with strong research ties. Multiple team members (Daniela Pacheco, Miguel Antunes) have academic affiliations. Featured in 'Proudly supported by' section with logo display.
• University of TurincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian university with research collaboration. Advisory board member Sonja Visentin has affiliations. Featured in 'Proudly supported by' section with logo display.
• University of PaviacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian university featured in 'Proudly supported by' section. Advisory board member Livia Visai has affiliations. Supports academic research collaboration.
• TagusparkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology park in Portugal where Bac3Gel headquarters is located. Featured in 'Proudly supported by' section, providing physical infrastructure and innovation ecosystem support.
• Paola PetrinicoreOthersAdvisory board member specializing in Biomedical Engineering. Professor at Politecnico di Milano providing scientific guidance and research expertise.
• Sonja VisentincoreOthersAdvisory board member specializing in Chemistry & Biotechnology. Professor at University of Turin providing scientific expertise in mucus models and drug delivery.
• Livia VisaicoreOthersAdvisory board member specializing in Microbiology & Biochemistry. Professor at University of Pavia providing expertise in microbiology and biochemistry.
• Miguel van UdenminorOthersBusiness Advisor providing strategic business guidance to Bac3Gel.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Seres Therapeutics: Seres Therapeutics is a leading microbiome therapeutics company (SER-109/Vowst), representing both a potential high-value customer for Bac3Gel's in vitro tools and a competitor in the broader microbiome drug development ecosystem.
• 4D pharma: 4D pharma develops live biotherapeutics using MicroDx discovery platforms; it operates in the same microbiome therapeutics end-market where Bac3Gel's mucus models are used for strain isolation and characterization.
• BiomX: BiomX is a clinical-stage microbiome therapeutics company that uses in vitro and ex vivo models to develop phage-based therapies; it is a downstream customer category for Bac3Gel and competes in the broader microbiome drug discovery space.
• Vedanta Biosciences: Vedanta develops live biotherapeutic products defined by bacterial consortia; it represents the type of microbiome therapeutics company that would procure Bac3Gel's in vitro tools for strain selection and characterization.
• Crown Bioscience: Crown Bioscience is a global contract research organization offering in vitro and in vivo preclinical services, including organoid and microbiome models for drug discovery; it competes for the same pharma research-services wallet.

Direct peers

• CN Bio: CN Bio offers organ-on-chip and microphysiological systems for drug development and microbiome studies, serving a comparable pharma/biotech research customer base with in vitro tools that replicate human physiology.
• TissUse: TissUse develops multi-organ-chip and single-organ-chip platforms for substance testing and disease modeling, targeting the same pharmaceutical research customers that Bac3Gel serves with its in vitro mucus models.
• Emulate: Emulate's organ-on-chip technology replicates human tissue microenvironments for drug discovery and microbiome research, overlapping with Bac3Gel's mucus-mimicking materials in targeting researchers seeking physiologically relevant in vitro assays.
• MIMETAS: MIMETAS develops OrganoPlate organ-on-chip platforms for high-throughput drug screening and microbiome research, serving the same pharma/biotech research customer base with in vitro models that mimic human tissue microenvironments.
• InSphero: InSphero provides 3D in vitro microtissue models for drug discovery and disease modeling, directly competing with Bac3Gel's value proposition of physiologically relevant, ready-to-use 3D culture models for research and pharma customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bac3gel
• Xx.com/Bac3Gel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bac3Gel