Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation

What Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation does

Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation (BICI), established in 2014, is a private non-governmental non-profit technology acceleration and commercialization platform headquartered in Beijing with offices in Santa Clara, London, and Hong Kong. It operates as a bridge between fundamental university research and industrial application across six focus areas: medical devices, biomedicine, intelligent manufacturing, optoelectronics, materials, and environmental engineering. BICI sources technologies from more than 10 Chinese universities and approximately 10 international universities, applies a staged process (pre-evaluation 2-4 weeks, due diligence 2-3 months, structured application 3-6 months), and deploys project funding in a disclosed range of USD 100K to 2M per project. Reported throughput is approximately 50 research projects launched, 30 technologies commercialized, 25 startup companies formed, and 200 entrepreneurial students trained per year.

The platform's underlying technology stack is a portfolio of patented deep-tech assets rather than a single product. Notable proprietary technologies include the TANO3D three-dimensional micro-nano structure synthesis platform (commercialized through spin-out Tanovus for silicon-carbon and hard-carbon battery anodes), a world-first ultra spatiotemporal resolution miniaturized two-photon fluorescence microscope (Beijing Transcend Vivoscope, 6 national and 1 international patent), the iRGD tumor-penetrating peptide targeted-delivery system (commercialized via Cend Therapeutics, now part of Nasdaq-listed Lisata Therapeutics under LSTA), a metal-based transparent electrode with >95% transmittance and <10 ohm/sq square resistance (Zenithnano, ~USD 70M implied valuation), a portable 2D-gas-chromatography breath analysis platform (ChromX Health), flexible electronic skin / haptic chips (Tachin-Tech), data-driven multiscale CAE modeling software, and wearable sweat biomarker sensors. Across its portfolio BICI holds equity in spin-outs and licenses technologies to industrial partners.

BICI's business model is unusual for a non-profit: an internal Intellectual Property Fund supports upstream research, a Transformation Fund supports downstream commercialization, and outcomes are monetized through equity in spin-out companies, milestone/royalty-bearing licenses (e.g., the iRGD arrangement with a leading Chinese pharmaceutical company worth up to USD 200M+ in milestones plus tiered double-digit royalties), joint ventures (e.g., CII Water with CENENC), and wholly-owned operating subsidiaries (e.g., BICI Food). Customers are not end-product buyers but university PIs and research groups seeking commercialization support, graduate students from partner universities, and industrial partners/licensees in China and globally. BICI does not publicly disclose revenue, pricing for services, or detailed financial statements, and its go-to-market relies on direct academic partnership outreach and industry events such as the annual Collaborative Innovation Forum and the Hard Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition rather than traditional sales channels.

Name

Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation

Legal name

Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation

Website

https://bici.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation (BICI) is a global non-profit technology acceleration platform that funds, commercializes, and spins out university research across medical devices, biomedicine, optoelectronics, materials, intelligent manufacturing, and environmental engineering, with offices in Beijing, Santa Clara, London, and Hong Kong.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Technology Commercialization Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAEAH

Technical Universities with Entrepreneurship & Incubation Focus

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Technical & Polytechnic Universities

Keywords

• Technology commercialization platform
• University research incubation
• Medical device development
• Advanced materials research
• Biomedical technology transfer

Headquarters

HQ city

Haidian

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation (BICI) is a non-governmental, non-profit innovation platform that bridges fundamental university research and commercial applications. It provides research funding (100k–2M USD per project), market assessment, co-development, pilot testing, and spin-out company formation across medical devices, biomedicine, intelligent manufacturing, optoelectronics, materials, and environmental engineering. The organization forms spin-out companies, licenses technologies, and creates joint ventures to commercialize innovations, with global offices in Beijing, Silicon Valley, London, and Hong Kong.

Product overview

Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation (BICI) is a global collaborative innovation platform focused on six key areas: medical devices, biomedicine, intelligent manufacturing, optoelectronics, materials, and environmental engineering. BICI supports research groups and forms spin-out companies to commercialize technologies. Key products include Transcend Vivoscope's miniaturized two-photon microscope, ChromX Health's breath analysis platform, Zenithnano's transparent conductive films, Tanovus's battery anode materials, Tachin-Tech's electronic skin sensors, and various software platforms for fatigue analysis and multiscale modeling. The portfolio spans diagnostic devices, therapeutic technologies, materials science innovations, and industrial software solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research Funding Program Provides funding ranging from 100k to 2M USD per project to academic researchers and principal investigators from Chinese and international universities to advance university-originated technologies toward commercialization.
• Market Assessment Service Delivers structured market analysis (2–4 weeks pre-evaluation, 2–3 months due diligence) to assess commercial viability and market opportunities for university-originated technologies.
• Co-development Service Collaborative development support that pairs academic research teams with BICI's commercialization and industrial network to jointly mature technologies toward product prototypes.
• Pilot Testing Service Provides pilot-scale production, prototyping, and pilot testing support using BICI's pilot facilities (including in Guangdong province) to validate and refine technologies before commercial launch.
• Spinout Company Formation Service Establishes startup companies to commercialize funded technologies via licensing, joint ventures, or jointly formed spin-outs, with approximately 25 new companies created annually.
• HKU Collaborative Innovation Center Joint BICI–HKU center promoting translational research, technology commercialization, and joint PhD talent training to bridge HKU academic research with industrial application.
• HKU-BICI Entrepreneurship Joint Educational Placement Programme for PhD Educational placement program providing PhD students with practical entrepreneurship training on real-world technology commercialization projects, training close to 200 entrepreneurial students annually.
• BICI Food Innovation Platform International food innovation platform supporting government-industry-university research collaboration and market development in food technology, operated as a wholly-owned BICI subsidiary.
• Beijing Collaborative Innovation Intelligent Water (CII Water) High-tech joint venture specializing in intelligent water treatment technology and environmental engineering solutions, co-funded by BICI and CENENC.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 50 scientific research projects launched per year
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Hong Kong (HKU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 July 2023BICI and HKU established the HKU Collaborative Innovation Center to promote translational research and enhance collaboration in scientific research, technology commercialization, and talent training. The partnership includes a joint PhD training program and joint educational placement program for nurturing future talents in innovation and technology.
• Peking UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBICI was co-founded by Peking University and maintains deep collaboration. Peking University startup team participated in BICI-funded project execution. BICI provides resources for technology validation, prototyping, and pilot testing.
• Chinese Universities (10+)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrong collaborative relationships with more than 10 prestigious Chinese universities for research collaboration, technology commercialization, and talent training.
• International Universities (~10)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished collaborative relationships with approximately 10 top international universities worldwide for joint research and technology transfer.
• Leading Chinese Pharmaceutical CompanycoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartneriRGD technology collaboration and license agreement with a leading Chinese pharmaceutical company; San Diego team eligible for up to $200M+ milestones and tiered double-digit royalties on product sales.
• Fortune 100 CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCase study: BICI sent materials to a Fortune 100 company for testing to confirm technology performance and advantage.
• Silicon Valley StartupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCase study: BICI collaborated with a Silicon Valley startup for technology testing; the startup was seeking low-cost solutions for high raw material costs.
• CENENCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funder of Beijing Collaborative Innovation Intelligent Water Co., Ltd. (CII Water) alongside BICI.
• World-Class Professors and ResearcherscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeep involvement of large number of world-class professors in collaborative research projects with BICI.
• Industrial Partners (Chinese Market)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBICI has strong connections with many industrial partners especially in the Chinese market for technology commercialization and market expansion.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments3 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation