What IBioIC does

IBioIC (the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre) is a Scotland-based non-profit innovation centre, founded in 2014 and hosted by the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, that operates as a networking and support organisation connecting industry, academia and government to commercialise biotechnology processes and products. It serves more than 400 member organisations ranging from early-stage startups in medical biotechnology and biomanufacturing to established enterprises exploring waste-to-value applications, alongside academic institutions and public-sector bodies aligned with Scotland's bioeconomy and net zero targets.

Its core offerings operate as an interconnected service platform rather than a single product. The flagship FlexBIO Bioprocessing Scale-Up Centre provides hands-on upstream and downstream bioprocessing training using bench-, pilot- and single-use bioreactors plus 30L stainless steel stirred-tank fermentation capacity. The Skills Programme delivers structured training pathways across PhD, MSc in Industrial Biotechnology, HND, STEM outreach and in-work learning. Complementary services include a Funding Opportunities Portal aggregating Scottish, UK, European and global biotech funding calls, the Scottish Bioresource Mapping Tool, the IBioIC Annual Conference (drawing 400+ delegates), and technical network access connecting members with academic and industrial expertise.

Revenue is generated through two principal streams: recurring membership subscriptions from industry and academic members, and long-term grant investment from the Scottish Funding Council as one of four designated Innovation Centres. Distribution is direct and event-led, relying on membership sign-up, the FlexBIO facilities, and the annual conference and webinar calendar rather than channel partners. The organisation is governed by a Governing Board led by CEO Mark Bustard and Deputy CEO Liz Fletcher, with no external equity ownership; the parent hosting institution is the University of Strathclyde.

Name

IBioIC

Legal name

The Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre

Website

https://ibioic.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Glasgow

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: IBoIC operates as a membership-based organisation providing companies with tools to accelerate and de-risk innovation journeys. Membership provides access to scale-up facilities, talent development, funding provision, and network promotion.
2. Scottish Funding Council investment: Long-term investment from the Scottish Funding Council to support Scotland's bioeconomy and transition to a greener economy. Funding enables continuation of support for research, entrepreneurship, workforce development, and industry connections.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IBioIC is a networking and support organisation that connects industry, academia and government to bring biotechnology processes and products to market. It offers paid membership giving companies access to bioprocessing scale-up facilities (FlexBIO), bespoke skills and training programmes, funding navigation, and promotion across a 400+ member network operating in Scotland's bioeconomy.

Product overview

IBioIC is a networking and support organization that connects industry, academia, and government to advance Scotland's bioeconomy. It operates as a unified service platform offering multiple interconnected support mechanisms rather than a traditional software product. The core offerings include: IBioIC Network Membership providing access to over 400 member organizations, FlexBIO Bioprocessing Scale-Up Centre offering hands-on training and scale-up facilities, a comprehensive Skills Programme (PhD, MSc, HND, STEM, in-work learning), a Funding Opportunities Portal aggregating biotech-related funding calls, the Annual Conference attracting over 400 delegates, The Scottish Bioresource Mapping Tool for locating bioresources, and Technical Network access to industry experts. These services work together to support companies throughout their innovation journey from research to commercialization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IBioIC Network Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 400 member organisations across Scotland, UK and Europe
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of StrathclydecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost organisation for IBioIC. Provides institutional framework and support for the innovation centre's operations. IBioIC is part of the University of Strathclyde.
• Heriot-Watt UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner contributing to biotechnology research and development. Collaborates on projects such as the phycocyanin extraction work with ScotBio.
• Scottish EnterprisecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development agency mentioned as a partner organisation. Collaborates on initiatives including the Sugar Beet study for bio-based feedstock development.
• Skills Development ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkills agency partner supporting workforce development initiatives. Co-funded Chemistry @ Work events and other STEM activities.
• James Hutton InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing bioinformatics training and research capabilities. Offers two-day workshops on sequence data, data formats, and sequence alignment.
• University of EdinburghcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner collaborating on biotechnology research including phycocyanin projects with ScotBio.
• University of DundeecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic member and partner in the IBioIC network, contributing to the biotechnology research ecosystem.
• Forth Valley CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFurther education partner contributing to skills development and training in industrial biotechnology.
• University of the West of ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the IBioIC network supporting biotechnology research and development.
• City of Glasgow CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFurther education partner contributing to the skills and training ecosystem for industrial biotechnology.
• Zero Waste ScotlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Bioeconomy Week Scotland events and circular economy initiatives including Norwegian delegation visits.
• CPI (Centre for Process Innovation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organisation in the bioeconomy ecosystem. Co-hosts webinars on process scale-up and manufacturing topics.
• FlexBIO Consortium PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners in the FlexBIO bioprocessing scale-up facility providing hands-on training and scale-up services.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Catapult Network (Innovate UK): Network of not-for-profit technology and innovation centres funded by Innovate UK, applying the same publicly funded Catapult model to multiple sectors. IBioIC sits in the same family of UK innovation infrastructure and shares the model of long-term government funding combined with industry membership.
• CPI (Centre for Process Innovation): UK-based innovation centre operating deep-tech facilities and process scale-up services, explicitly named as an IBioIC partner. Operates the same publicly funded Catapult-style model for adjacent process industries, making it a direct functional peer in innovation-centre infrastructure and member services.
• Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN, now Innovate UK KTN): UK innovation network connecting businesses with funding, partners, and expertise across multiple sectors including biotech. Operates a similar model of brokering connections between industry, academia, and government and is a direct functional peer in network facilitation.
• BioIndustry Association (BIA): UK trade association for the biotechnology sector, serving a similar convening and member-services role for UK biotech at a national level. Directly comparable as a sector-focussed membership organisation supporting biotech companies, though operating as an industry association rather than an innovation centre with physical facilities.
• Bio-Based Industries Consortium (BIC): European partnership representing the bio-based industries sector, convening industry, academia, and policymakers to advance the European bioeconomy. Directly comparable in mission and stakeholder model at the European level, though operating as a partnership rather than a fixed innovation centre with facilities.
• Rosalind Franklin Institute: UK life sciences research institute funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and hosted across partner universities. Operates the same publicly funded, university-hosted innovation-centre model applied to a different but adjacent life-sciences sub-sector.

Others

• Scottish Enterprise: Scotland's national economic development agency and an IBioIC partner, collaborating on initiatives such as the Sugar Beet study. Functions as a co-funder and policy partner rather than a direct peer, but materially shapes the same Scottish bioeconomy ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Fraunhofer Society: Germany's applied research organisation operating dozens of institutes with publicly co-funded models and industry contract research. The European benchmark for publicly funded, applied-research-with-industry-engagement and provides a scaled-up model of what IBioIC aspires to in industrial biotechnology.
• Wageningen University & Research: Dutch university and research centre widely regarded as Europe's leading bioeconomy and life-sciences research institution. Operates at much larger scale but shares the publicly funded, industry-engaged research and training mission that underpins IBioIC's model.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finland's state-owned applied research centre with strong industrial biotechnology and bioeconomy programmes. Comparable as a publicly funded applied research organisation that partners with industry and operates scale-up infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ibioic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/industrial-biotechnology-innovation-centre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

M&A

Investments2 records

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

Frequently asked questions about IBioIC