Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology

What Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology does

Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT) is a multi-disciplinary research institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, founded in 2006 and headquartered in Shenzhen's University Town at 1068 Xueyuan Avenue. It operates nine specialized research centers spanning robotics and AI, biomedical engineering, big data, biomedicine, brain science, synthetic biology, advanced materials, carbon neutrality, and innovative scientific instruments, and is the operator of iSynBio, described as the world's largest synthetic biology institute. The institute's technology base covers AI-driven meteorological forecasting deployed at the Hong Kong Observatory and China National Meteorological Centre, an NMPA Class III-approved dual-frequency intravascular ultrasound catheter, the URAO-powered diving exoskeleton, NeuroWorm implantable fiber electrodes, living plastics with bacterial self-destruct mechanisms, perovskite solar cells with 26.9% certified PCE, and an artificial ocean carbon recycling system that operates at $230 per metric ton of CO2.

SIAT does not sell products through commercial channels in the traditional sense. Revenue accrues through Chinese government research grants, bilateral and multilateral research funding (including the inaugural Max Planck-CAS Joint Center for Synthetic Biochemistry), institutional funding from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and technology transfer or equity participation in incubated spin-outs. Commercial outputs reach the market via portfolio companies and industry partners — for example, the IVUS system is commercialized with Shenzhen Vista Vision Medical Technology, Synceres Biosciences is valued at over 1 billion yuan, and the Guangming Science City synthetic biology cluster co-established with the local government now contains over 90 companies with approximately 27 billion yuan in aggregate value.

The institute's customer base spans government weather agencies, medical device partners, industrial biotechnology startups, consumer beauty companies (e.g., Winkey-China), and academic collaborators across China, Asia, Europe, and North America. SIAT also runs an incubator model — the 'innovation upstairs, entrepreneurship downstairs' approach — that translates internal research into spin-outs alongside joint labs and co-located industrialization parks, and is increasingly recognized internationally through awards such as the Agilent Thought Leader Award (2025), the C.C. Tan Life Science Innovation Award (2025), and the UNESCO Science Decade selection of its SynBio Challenges program.

Name

Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology

Legal name

Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Website

https://english.siat.cas.cn

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SIAT is a multi-disciplinary research institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, headquartered in Shenzhen, operating nine research centers across synthetic biology, biomedicine, brain science, AI, and materials while commercializing research through tech transfer and an incubated industrial cluster of over 90 companies in Guangming Science City.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Advanced technology research and scientific instrumentation

akta.pro primary industry

Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA)

Keywords

• Advanced technology research
• Synthetic biology research
• Biomedical engineering research
• Scientific instrumentation development
• Neuroscience research

Headquarters

HQ city

Shenzhen

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SIAT is a government research institute that conducts multi-disciplinary advanced technology research and technology transfer across nine specialized institutes covering robotics and AI, biomedical engineering, brain science, synthetic biology, advanced materials, carbon neutrality, and scientific instrumentation. It develops proprietary technologies (e.g., dual-frequency IVUS imaging systems, AI weather forecasting models, brain-computer interfaces, self-destructing bioplastics) and transfers them to industry through the Guangming Science City Industrial Innovation Centers while running startup incubation programs.

Product overview

Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT) is a research institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences with nine specialized research institutes covering robotics and AI (2006), biomedical engineering (2007), big data (2009), biomedicine (2011), brain science (2014), synthetic biology (2017), advanced materials (2021), carbon neutrality (2021), and innovative scientific instruments (2024). SIAT's portfolio includes commercialized medical devices like the Ultra-High-Definition Dual-Frequency IVUS Imaging System (NMPA-approved Class III device), research initiatives like the SynCell Asia Initiative (10-year synthetic cell roadmap), AI applications like typhoon forecasting models, robotics products like the robot-assisted diving exoskeleton, and biotechnology products including engineered bioremediation strains and self-degrading materials. The institute focuses on translating scientific research into practical applications through innovation consortia and industrial partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ultra-High-Definition Dual-Frequency IVUS Imaging System Coronary intravascular ultrasound imaging system integrating 60 MHz and 90 MHz transducers in a single catheter, providing ultra-high-definition visualization of vessel morphology and fine structural details with approximately 15 micrometer axial resolution at 90 MHz. Approved by NMPA as Class III medical device for visualizing thin fibrous caps, microcalcifications, and stent apposition in catheterization laboratories.
• Robot-Assisted Diving Exoskeleton Underwater diving exoskeleton using the real-time URAO motion monitoring algorithm that adapts assistance to the diver's leg movements. Reduces oxygen consumption by up to 40%, provides immediate motorized boost during kicking, and requires no habit-learning period. Applications include seabed surveys, pipeline inspections, salvage operations, and military diving.
• Living Plastic (Self-Destructing Polymer) Biodegradable polymer embedded with dormant Bacillus subtilis bacterial spores that self-destructs when activated by heat and nutrients. Uses two cooperating bacterial strains producing enzymes that break polymer chains, achieving full degradation within six days without leaving microplastic fragments. Published in ACS Applied Polymer Materials.
• Typhoon Rapid Intensification AI Forecasting System Machine learning AI model for typhoon rapid intensification forecasting deployed at the Hong Kong Observatory and China's National Meteorological Centre. Captures non-linear typhoon intensity changes better than traditional numerical weather prediction, providing real-time updates during extreme weather events such as Typhoon Jangmi.
• VCOD-15 Engineered Vibrio natriegens Strain Engineered bacteria strain developed using a design-building-testing-learning strategy with iterative genome editing, capable of remediating five organic pollutants in industrial wastewater and saline-contaminated soil with 90% removal efficiency. Co-developed with Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
• NeuroWorm Movable Long-Term Implantable Soft Microfibre Electrode Soft, movable, long-term implantable fiber electrode inspired by earthworm locomotion with approximately 200 micrometer diameter, up to 60 independent signal channels, and a small magnetic module enabling wireless steering via external magnetic fields. Demonstrated 43+ weeks of continuous stable EMG recording with fibrotic encapsulation less than 23 micrometers versus approximately 451 micrometers for conventional electrodes.
• Artificial Ocean Carbon Recycling System Five-chamber electrochemical reactor cascade that captures CO2 from natural seawater and converts it to succinic acid through electrochemistry and microbial fermentation. Demonstrated 530+ hours of continuous operation with 70% carbon capture efficiency at approximately $230 per metric ton of CO2.
• In-Situ SAM Cross-Linked Perovskite Solar Cell Inverted perovskite solar cell using a universal in-situ cross-linking conformational reinforcement strategy for SAM molecules, achieving certified 26.9% power conversion efficiency with zero efficiency degradation after 1,000 hours of continuous operation under ISOS-L-2 testing standards.
• Recombinase-Based Programmable Cellular Differentiation Platform Programmable platform enabling precise quantitative control of cellular differentiation and population composition, allowing control over descendant cell type ratios across approximately 0.01%-99.9%. Co-developed with Harvard University's Wyss Institute and published in Nature. Designed for engineered living materials, organoid assembly, and next-generation biomanufacturing.
• COSMOS-Certified Synthetic Biology Cosmetic Actives Bio-fermented cosmetic ingredients including Carnosine, WActive NMN, WActive EGT, WActive Ectoin, and WActive Der-Xylose E30 produced through a dedicated synthetic biology laboratory co-established with Winkey-China. Ingredients are COSMOS-certified and replace overharvesting of natural resources with sustainable bio-fermentation.

Quantifiable outcome

• AI model successfully provided real-time updates during Typhoon Jangmi for Hong Kong Observatory and China's National Meteorological Centre
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature14 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• National Innovation Center for Advanced Medical DevicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2026Collaborated with SIAT's Professor MA Teng's team to develop the ultra-high-definition dual-frequency IVUS imaging system and catheter, coordinating clinical trial design and technology translation. The system received NMPA Special Review Procedure approval for innovative medical devices.
• Shenzhen Vista Vision Medical Technology Co., Ltd.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 2 June 2026Partnered with SIAT for engineering development, GMP pilot production, and regulatory submission of the dual-frequency IVUS imaging system, achieving Class III medical device registration certificate from NMPA within five years from concept.
• University of AberdeencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2026SIAT and University of Aberdeen launched an International Joint Laboratory for Energy Metabolism on April 22, 2026, to advance collaborative research in metabolic science.
• Max Planck SocietyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 April 2026The Max Planck–Chinese Academy of Sciences Joint Center for Synthetic Biochemistry was inaugurated on April 18, 2026, in Shenzhen, China. This is the first collaborative research initiative between Germany's Max Planck Society and China's CAS specifically focused on synthetic biology. The center will focus on harnessing microorganism-derived natural products for applications in medicine, plant protection, and biomanufacturing. The partnership solidifies a 52-year partnership between the Max Planck Society and CAS.
• Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial MicrobiologyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 April 2026Co-established with SIAT the Max Planck–CAS Joint Center for Synthetic Biochemistry, representing the first dedicated collaborative research initiative between these two leading scientific institutions specifically focused on synthetic biology.
• Hong Kong ObservatorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Deployed SIAT's AI typhoon rapid intensification forecasting model for real-time weather updates. The system was deployed around three weeks prior to June 19, 2026, and successfully provided updates during Typhoon Jangmi.
• National Meteorological Centre (China)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Deployed SIAT's AI typhoon rapid intensification forecasting model for operational use across mainland China's weather monitoring network.
• Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026SIAT scientists and Harvard's Wyss Institute jointly developed a recombinase-based programmable platform enabling precise quantitative control of cellular differentiation and population composition, reported in Nature journal. The system allows control over descendant cell type ratios from ~0.01% to 99.9%.
• Winkey-China (Biotech Beauty Company)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership with Winkey-China to establish a dedicated synthetic biology laboratory for developing eco-friendly cosmetic actives. Key innovations include COSMOS-certified Carnosine produced through bio-fermentation, along with WActive NMN, WActive EGT, WActive Ectoin, and WActive Der-Xylose E30.
• Agilent TechnologiescoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Agilent provided comprehensive support to Liu Chenli's synthetic biology research including genetic research solutions, cell analysis solutions, chromatography, mass spectrometry solutions, and more through the Agilent Thought Leader Award program.
• Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, SIAT, and Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences developed an engineered Vibrio natriegens strain (VCOD-15) capable of remediating five organic pollutants in industrial wastewater and saline-contaminated soil, achieving 90% removal efficiency.
• People's Government of Guangming District of ShenzhencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Co-established the Industrial Innovation Center for Engineering Biology, which helps build the Guangming Science City into a national synthetic biology industry hub. The center enables startups to undertake basic research and commercialize findings, with a nearby industrialization park for scaling to mass production.
• SynCell Asia Initiative (Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Led by SIAT, scientists from six Asian countries launched a 10-year roadmap to build synthetic cells from non-living molecules, published in Nature Biotechnology on May 26. Over 100 scientists from China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia participate. The initiative uses a 'central factory plus distributed workstations' DBTL model for systematic synthetic cell construction.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SRI International: SRI International is a US-based nonprofit research institute that conducts multidisciplinary advanced technology research and operates dedicated commercialization and spin-off programs. Directly comparable to SIAT in its hybrid model of fundamental research plus technology transfer, government funding, and applied R&D across AI, biomedical engineering, and materials science.
• Fraunhofer Society: Fraunhofer Society is Germany's leading applied research organization with 75+ institutes conducting contract research for industry and government. Closely comparable to SIAT in its multi-institute structure, applied research mandate, industry partnership model, and central role in national innovation ecosystems.
• RIKEN: RIKEN is Japan's flagship government research organization with multiple specialized institutes covering physics, chemistry, biology, brain science, and computational science. Directly comparable to SIAT as an Asian government-funded, multi-disciplinary research institution with similar portfolio breadth and publication output in top-tier journals.
• A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research): A*STAR is Singapore's lead public sector R&D agency that operates multiple research institutes spanning biomedical sciences, materials engineering, and AI. Directly comparable to SIAT in its role as a national applied research platform with industry partnerships, technology transfer, and biomedical/synthetic biology research depth.
• Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST): KIST is South Korea's flagship government-funded multidisciplinary research institute covering biotechnology, materials, AI, and convergence technologies. Comparable to SIAT as an East Asian government research institute with similar multi-discipline portfolio, industry partnership focus, and track record of spin-off company creation.
• Indian Institute of Science (IISc): IISc is India's premier public research and higher education institution with strong emphasis on advanced engineering, biological sciences, materials research, and AI. Comparable to SIAT as an Asian government-supported multi-disciplinary research institution with a similar model of combining fundamental research with industry application and technology transfer.

Broad incumbents

• Max Planck Society: Max Planck Society operates 80+ Max Planck Institutes conducting fundamental research across natural sciences, life sciences, and social sciences. Comparable to SIAT as a premier research organization partner (Max Planck-CAS Joint Center) and similar broad research mandate, though Max Planck focuses on basic research while SIAT emphasizes applied research and commercialization.
• Chinese Academy of Sciences (other institutes): The Chinese Academy of Sciences operates 100+ research institutes across China spanning mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering. SIAT itself is part of CAS; other CAS institutes are direct peers operating under the same governance, funding model, and multi-discipline research mandate, though with different geographic footprints and specializations.
• MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology): MIT is a leading global research university with powerful tech transfer infrastructure (Lincoln Laboratory, Media Lab, Koch Institute) that produces commercially successful spin-offs. Comparable to SIAT in its multi-disciplinary research scope, biomedical and AI research output, and track record of academic-to-commercial translation, though MIT is a private university rather than government institute.

Regional players

• Tsinghua University: Tsinghua University is China's top research university with deep government ties and leading programs in AI, biomedical engineering, materials science, and synthetic biology. Comparable to SIAT as a Chinese elite research institution with overlapping technology focus, talent pipeline overlap, and government funding model, though Tsinghua operates as a university rather than a research institute.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/8077125/admin/dashboard

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology