Start BioScience
Start BioScience is a Brazilian specialty distributor of laboratory reagents, consumables, and scientific equipment, serving universities, pharmaceutical and agribusiness R&D labs, and FAPESP-funded research projects via e-commerce and quotation-based import services from its Valinhos and Miami offices.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersValinhos, Brazil
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Start BioScience does
Start BioScience is a privately held Brazilian specialty distributor of laboratory research products, founded in 2013 and headquartered in Valinhos, São Paulo, with a supporting operations office in Miami, Florida. The company sells laboratory reagents, consumables, antibodies, kits, and scientific equipment through a dual-channel model: an e-commerce storefront for standard consumables and a quotation-based sales process for specialized reagents and equipment that require sourcing from international manufacturers. Start BioScience represents more than 20 international scientific brands — including Omega BioTek (exclusive in Brazil for DNA/RNA extraction kits), Biotium, Benchmark Scientific, Hermle, TCI, ABclonal, Ambeed (exclusive), Extrasynthese, Oakwood, Targetmol, Strem Chemicals, ChemScene, Combi-Blocks, and Biosynth Carbosynth — and also markets two own-brand products, the PI-PUMP mechanical pipettor line and the MLX-106 mini centrifuge.
The business serves three primary segments: Brazilian research institutions and universities (UNICAMP, USP, UNESP, UFRJ, UFRGS, UFPR, UFSM, UFMS, PUC-RIO, FUNCAMP), pharmaceutical and chemical companies (EUROFARMA, MONSANTO, CORTEVA), and government research funding agencies led by FAPESP. The Miami office enables direct manufacturer sourcing and customs nationalization, which is a core competency for serving FAPESP-funded direct-import transactions where certain restricted products cannot be acquired by nationalization.
The company generates revenue primarily through transactional product sales (e-commerce consumables priced per unit, with examples from R$1.20 for glass test tubes to R$7,950 for a Hausser Scientific counting chamber) and through quotation-based sales of higher-value imported reagents and equipment. Pricing is not publicly disclosed for the quotation channel, and customers submit product lists with CAS numbers, purity, and packaging specifications for bespoke quotes. Start BioScience operates with 11-50 employees, has no disclosed external funding, and remains founder-owned under the legal name Start Bioscience Materiais para Laboratórios Ltda-ME.
Start BioScience firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Start BioScience
- Legal name
- Start Bioscience Materiais para Laboratórios Ltda-ME
- Website
- https://startbioscience.com.br
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Start BioScience is a Brazilian specialty distributor of laboratory reagents, consumables, and scientific equipment, serving universities, pharmaceutical and agribusiness R&D labs, and FAPESP-funded research projects via e-commerce and quotation-based import services from its Valinhos and Miami offices.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Start BioScience industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Laboratory Supplies Distribution
- NAICS
- Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (4246)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Medical, Dental & Hospital Equipment & Supplies (5047), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Laboratory Consumables & Plasticware (Tips, Tubes, Plates, Filters) (HLAGAIAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Raw Materials & Critical Reagents Supply (Media/Resins/Cytokines) (HLAGAGAI), Science & STEM Lab Equipment & Supplies (Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Makerspaces) (EDAEAIAC)
Keywords
Where Start BioScience is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Valinhos
- HQ country
- Brazil
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Start BioScience business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Product Sales (E-commerce): Direct sales of laboratory consumables, equipment, and reagents through the company's online store. Products include plasticware, pipettes,centrifuges, PCR supplies, DNA extraction kits, and specialty chemicals.
- Import and Nationalization Services: Customized import and nationalization services for scientific products, particularly for FAPESP and other research funding agencies. The company leverages its Miami office for direct manufacturer sourcing and handles customs clearance.
- Quotation-Based Sales: For specialized reagents and equipment, the company operates through a quotation-based model where customers contact sales staff to obtain pricing from hundreds of global manufacturers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | E-commerce products with per-unit pricing |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Quotation-based pricing for specialized products |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Start BioScience product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Start BioScience distributes laboratory reagents, consumables, equipment, and chemical reagents for scientific research in Brazil. The company sells products from more than 20 international brands (e.g., Omega BioTek, Biotium, Benchmark Scientific, TCI) through an e-commerce storefront for standard consumables and a quotation-based ordering system for specialized products. It also provides direct import and nationalization services for Brazilian research funding agencies such as FAPESP, leveraging its Miami office for manufacturer sourcing.
Product overview
Start BioScience operates an e-commerce platform serving as a distributor of laboratory materials for scientific research in Brazil. The company was founded in 2013 with offices in Valinhos/SP and Miami/USA. Their portfolio spans four main product categories: (1) Antibodies and Kits including antibodies from ABclonal, Affinity, Biotium, and FineTest; ELISA kits; and DNA/RNA extraction kits from Omega Bio-Tek; (2) Consumables covering cell culture plastics, PCR plastics, and dialysis products; (3) Equipment from brands such as Hermle (centrifuges), Benchmark Scientific (stirrers, homogenizers, sterilizers), Scilogex (vacuum aspirators, spectrophotometers, rotary evaporators), and Accuris Instruments (balances, plate readers); and (4) Chemical Reagents including fine chemicals, building blocks, and inhibitors from TCI, Ambeed, Oakwood, Biosynth, ChemScene, Combi-Blocks, Strem Chemicals, and Targetmol. The company also offers own-brand products including PI-PUMP mechanical pipettors and the MLX-106 mini centrifuge. Products are available through direct online purchase (virtual store) and quotation-based ordering for import and nationalization services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Start BioScience E-commerce Platform Online store for laboratory materials, reagents, equipment, and consumables with quotation-based ordering and direct import services for Brazilian research institutions.
- DNA/RNA Extraction Kits Extraction kits from Omega Bio-Tek covering genomic DNA from blood, tissue, plants, fungi, bacteria, stool, soil, viruses, and pathogens; RNA from cultured cells, blood, plants, and fungi; plus miRNA isolation and DNA/RNA co-isolation.
- EvaGreen Dye DNA-binding fluorescent dye from Biotium for qPCR, HRM, droplet digital PCR, isothermal amplification, and DNA gel staining. Provides better signal than SYBR Green with improved safety.
- Cheetah HotStart Taq DNA Polymerase Chemically modified hot-start Taq DNA polymerase from Biotium that prevents non-specific amplification. Features rapid activation under 2 minutes and improved shelf life compared to AmpliTaq Gold.
- GelRed and GelGreen Dyes Ultra-sensitive nucleic acid staining dyes from Biotium for gel electrophoresis. GelRed is marketed as safer and non-mutagenic alternative to ethidium bromide.
- Fine Biotech ELISA Kits ISO9001:2015 certified ELISA research kits from Fine Biotech for life science research applications.
- PI-PUMP Mechanical Pipettors Own-brand mechanical pipettors in 2mL (blue), 10mL (green), and 25mL (red) capacities for liquid dispensing in laboratory settings.
- Mini Centrifuge MLX-106 Own-brand mini centrifuge with 6000rpm speed, compatible with 6x1.5mL or 16x0.2mL tubes.
- Import and Nationalization Services for Research Agencies Customized import and nationalization services for scientific products, particularly for FAPESP and other research funding agencies. The company leverages its Miami office for direct manufacturer sourcing and handles customs clearance.
Companies that use Start BioScience
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Start BioScience technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Start BioScience partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Omega BioTekcoreExclusive distributor for Omega Bio-tek DNA/RNA extraction kits in Brazil. Omega Bio-tek specializes in nucleic acid purification with products 30% cheaper on average than competitors.
- BiotiumcoreDistributor of Biotium products including the famous GelRed and GelGreen DNA dyes, EvaGreen qPCR reagents, and specialty antibodies.
- Benchmark ScientificcoreDistributor of Benchmark Scientific laboratory equipment including shakers, centrifuges, autoclaves, and temperature control equipment with MAGic Clamp technology.
- Hermle Labortechnik / Hermle Benchmark ScientificcoreJoint partnership between German manufacturer Hermle Labortechnik and Benchmark Scientific for high-precision laboratory centrifuges. Hermle develops/manufactures in Germany; Benchmark provides North American representation and technical support.
- TCI (Tokyo Chemical Industry)coreDistributor of TCI chemical products. TCI offers 29,000+ organic chemicals including pharmaceutical intermediates, building blocks, and custom synthesis services.
- ABclonalcoreDistributor of ABclonal antibodies and ELISA kits. ABclonal provides research-grade antibodies for various applications.
- AmbeedminorExclusive distributor for Ambeed chemical products in Brazil. Ambeed offers building blocks, advanced intermediates, inhibitors, amino acids/peptides, and nucleotides.
- ExtrasyntheseminorDistributor of Extrasynthese phytochemicals and plant reference standards. 30+ years experience producing highly purified reference substances from the plant kingdom.
- Oakwood ChemicalminorDistributor of Oakwood organic chemicals. Specializes in fluorine and sulfur compounds at competitive prices compared to major brands.
- BioAssay SystemsminorDistributor of BioAssay Systems assay kits. Founded by scientists with 50+ years experience in drug discovery; developed 200+ assay kits for life science research.
- TargetmolminorDistributor of Targetmol research chemicals including inhibitors, activators, and bioactive compounds for drug discovery research.
- Strem ChemicalsminorDistributor of Strem Chemicals specialty and research chemicals for organic synthesis and materials science applications.
- ChemSceneminorDistributor of ChemScene building blocks and fine chemicals. Based in New Jersey, USA, offering innovative products at competitive prices for drug discovery.
- Combi-BlocksminorDistributor of Combi-Blocks chemical building blocks and research compounds for organic synthesis.
- Biosynth CarbosynthminorDistributor of Biosynth Carbosynth products. World leader in enzymatic substrates, carbohydrate chemistry, nucleosides, fine chemicals, and natural products.
- Accuris InstrumentsminorDistributor of Accuris Instruments (division of Benchmark Scientific) precision laboratory equipment including SmartDrop spectrophotometers, SmartReader microplate readers, and liquid handling automation.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Start BioScience competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Loccus (Loccus do Brasil): Brazilian distributor of molecular biology reagents, antibodies, ELISA kits, and lab consumables — overlapping niche in life-science research supplies for universities and research institutes in Brazil, comparable distribution model.
- Synth (Laboratórios Synth): Brazilian laboratory products manufacturer and distributor offering reagents, glassware, plasticware, and equipment to academic and industrial labs — closely comparable in product breadth, geography, and target customer (Brazilian universities, pharma, and agro industry).
- Dinâmica Química Contemporânea: Brazilian manufacturer and distributor of laboratory reagents, fine chemicals, solvents, and diagnostic inputs sold through a national network — comparable as a domestic Brazil-focused lab-supply distributor serving research and industrial QC customers.
- Laborclin (Laborclin Produtos para Laboratórios): Brazilian distributor of clinical-chemistry and laboratory reagents, glassware, and equipment to hospitals, universities, and industry — direct competitor in the Brazilian lab-supply channel with overlapping university and clinical-research accounts.
Broad incumbents
- Agilent Technologies Brasil: Global analytical instruments and consumables provider with Brazilian direct sales — competes with Start BioScience's analytical-chemistry equipment (spectrophotometers, GC/HPLC accessories) and laboratory consumables for industrial QC and academic accounts.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific Brasil: Global laboratory equipment, reagents, and consumables leader with direct Brazilian operations — competes with Start BioScience on equipment (centrifuges, PCR, cell culture) and reagents across the same university and pharma customer base.
- Sigma-Aldrich (Merck) Brasil: Global life-science research products giant operating a Brazilian commercial entity — overlapping product categories (reagents, chemicals, antibodies, consumables) with Start BioScience, but at vastly larger scale, broader catalog, and direct manufacturer relationships.
Regional players
- Promega Brasil: Brazilian subsidiary of US-based Promega Corporation, distributing molecular biology reagents (DNA/RNA extraction, PCR, cloning kits) — direct competitor in Omega Bio-Tek's core categories and serves the same Brazilian academic/life-science research market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Start BioScience financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Start BioScience leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Start BioScience funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Start BioScience 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 Start BioScience
What does Start BioScience do?
Start BioScience distributes laboratory reagents, consumables, equipment, and chemical reagents for scientific research in Brazil. The company sells products from more than 20 international brands (e.g., Omega BioTek, Biotium, Benchmark Scientific, TCI) through an e-commerce storefront for standard consumables and a quotation-based ordering system for specialized products. It also provides direct import and nationalization services for Brazilian research funding agencies such as FAPESP, leveraging its Miami office for manufacturer sourcing.
Is Start BioScience a public or private company?
Start BioScience is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Start BioScience founded?
Start BioScience was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Start BioScience based?
Start BioScience is headquartered in Valinhos, Brazil, in the Latin America region.
How does Start BioScience make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Product Sales (E-commerce) is the primary driver. The others are import and Nationalization Services and quotation-Based Sales.
Who are Start BioScience's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Loccus (Loccus do Brasil), Synth (Laboratórios Synth), Dinâmica Química Contemporânea and Laborclin (Laborclin Produtos para Laboratórios). Broad incumbents are Agilent Technologies Brasil, Thermo Fisher Scientific Brasil and Sigma-Aldrich (Merck) Brasil. Promega Brasil is listed as a regional player.
Does Start BioScience have an API?
No public API is recorded for Start BioScience.
What industry is Start BioScience in?
Start BioScience's product category is Laboratory Supplies Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAIAH, Laboratory Consumables & Plasticware (Tips, Tubes, Plates, Filters), with a secondary code of HLAGAGAI, Raw Materials & Critical Reagents Supply (Media/Resins/Cytokines). Its NAICS code is 4246 and its SIC code is 5047.