What Biosan Laboratories does

Biosan Laboratories (legal entity SIA Biosan) is a Riga, Latvia-based manufacturer of compact, personal-scale laboratory sample preparation instruments founded in 1992 by scientists Dr. Vasily Bankovsky (Ph.D. Molecular Biology) and Svetlana Bankovska (M.Sc. Biochemistry) from the Institute of Microbiology at the Latvian Academy of Sciences. The product portfolio covers the full sample preparation workflow across general lab equipment (rockers, shakers, thermoshakers, centrifuges, water baths, photometers, biosafety equipment), bioprocessing (personal bioreactors, incubator shakers, CO2 incubators), molecular diagnostics (DNA/RNA purification, real-time PCR), immunodiagnostics (ELISA workflows), and veterinary solutions. Core technical differentiators include patented Reverse Spin Technology for personal bioreactors (introduced with the RTS-1 in 2012) and a patented UV Air Recirculator for PCR cabinets, alongside non-invasive real-time OD/pH/pO2 measurement in the RTS-8 Plus multi-channel bioreactor. The company is ISO 9001 (since 2004), ISO 13485 (since 2022), and ISO 14001 (since 2025) certified, with CE marking across all products.

Biosan monetizes primarily through hardware sales of instruments and accessories (replacement blocks, consumables, reagent kits), with quote-based pricing and no public price list. Distribution is global through a network of 40+ international dealers reaching 100+ countries, supplemented by direct e-commerce via a 7-language website and a Dubai-based stock warehouse for Middle East fulfillment (established 2023). Customer segments are diversified across biotechnology, in-vitro diagnostic, pharmaceutical, food and beverage testing, and agricultural testing laboratories, with no named enterprise anchor customers disclosed. As of March 2026, UK-based Royston Instruments Ltd acquired a controlling stake in Biosan, marking a major strategic inflection point for global expansion and product development acceleration.

Name

Biosan Laboratories

Legal name

SIA Biosan

Website

https://biosan.lv

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Biosan Laboratories (SIA Biosan) is a Riga, Latvia-based manufacturer of compact laboratory sample preparation instruments, including shakers, centrifuges, bioreactors, PCR systems, and ELISA equipment, sold to biotech, IVD, pharma, and food/agricultural testing laboratories in 100+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Laboratory Equipment Manufacturing

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)

SIC

Laboratory Apparatus & Furniture (3821), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

General Lab Equipment (Centrifuges, Incubators, Shakers, Ovens) (HLAGAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cell Culture & Bioprocess Lab Equipment (Bioreactors, Single-Use Systems, Controllers) (HLAGAIAG), Laboratory Consumables & Plasticware (Tips, Tubes, Plates, Filters) (HLAGAIAH)

Keywords

• Laboratory sample preparation
• Life science instruments
• Bioprocessing equipment
• Molecular diagnostics devices
• Personal bioreactor systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Riga

HQ country

Latvia

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Laboratory Equipment Sales: Sale of laboratory equipment and instruments for sample preparation, bioprocessing, molecular diagnostics, and immunodiagnostics. Products include shakers, incubators, centrifuges, PCR cabinets, thermocyclers, bioreactors, and related accessories.
2. Accessories and Consumables: Sale of accessories, replacement parts, and consumables for laboratory equipment including blocks for thermoshakers, tube racks, and reagent kits.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Biosan Laboratories manufactures and sells personal, compact, multifunctional laboratory equipment for sample preparation in genomics, proteomics, and cellomics. Its portfolio spans shakers, incubators, centrifuges, thermoshakers, PCR cabinets, personal bioreactors, nucleic acid extraction systems, and ELISA instruments. The company distributes globally through dealers and its own e-commerce storefront, targeting biotech, diagnostic, pharmaceutical, food, agricultural, and veterinary laboratories.

Product overview

Biosan Laboratories is a laboratory equipment manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of personal compact, multifunctional products for sample preparation. The product range covers genomics, proteomics, and cellomics applications across five main categories: General Lab Equipment (including rockers, shakers, centrifuges, thermoshakers, water baths, photometers, and biosafety cabinets), Bioprocessing (personal bioreactors, incubator shakers, CO2 incubators), Molecular Diagnostics (DNA/RNA purification, PCR amplification), Immunodiagnostics (ELISA solutions), and Veterinary Solutions. Key products include the RTS-8/RTS-8 Plus multi-channel bioreactors with non-invasive real-time monitoring, ES-20/80 series shaker-incubators, BioQuant-96 real-time PCR system, Biomagpure 12 Plus automated NA extraction, UIS-360 Universal Inoculation Spinner, and various thermoshakers and centrifuges. The portfolio follows a one-stop-shop concept covering the entire sample preparation workflow from mixing, shaking, centrifuging, and incubation to advanced cell cultivation, nucleic acid isolation, and analysis instruments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UIS-360 Universal Inoculation Spinner Semi-automated microbiological plating device designed to improve consistency, operator ergonomics, and regulatory compliance in environments where full automation is not feasible.
• ES-20/80 Orbital Shaker-Incubator Next-generation shaker-incubator device with triple eccentric mechanism providing supreme balancing characteristics, reliability and quiet operation. Available with cooling capability (ES-20/80C).
• RTS-8 Multi-channel Bioreactor Personal multi-channel bioreactor with non-invasive real-time OD (optical density) measurement for cell concentration monitoring.
• RTS-8 Plus Multi-channel Bioreactor Personal multi-channel bioreactor with non-invasive real-time OD, pH and pO2 measurement capabilities.
• S-Bt Smart Biotherm CO2 Incubator Compact CO2 incubator for cell cultivation, representing Biosan's entry into the specialized cell cultivation market.
• TS-100C Smart Thermo-Shaker Thermo-shaker with cooling function for microtubes and PCR plates, featuring smart temperature control.
• Microspin 12 Plus Mini-Centrifuge High-speed mini-centrifuge reaching speeds of up to 16,250 RPM for RNA/DNA extraction and cell suspension separation tasks.
• UVC/T-AR PCR Cabinet PCR cabinet with UV-C decontamination and patented UV air recirculator for contamination-free DNA/RNA sample preparation with Plexiglas walls.
• BioQuant-96 Real-Time PCR System Real-time PCR detection system for molecular diagnostic workflows, launched during COVID-19 pandemic.
• Biomagpure 12 Plus Automated nucleic acid extraction system, upgraded version for complete sample preparation workflow.
• DEN-600 Photometer Compact, universal, battery-powered photometer for portable and mobile device applications.
• DEN-1 McFarland Densitometer Densitometer for measuring bacterial suspension density with digital display.
• MR-1 Mini-Rocker Shaker Mini-rocker shaker for gentle mixing applications.
• WB-4MS Stirred Water Bath Stirred water bath with thermostat function for precise temperature control.
• PST-60HL Plate Shaker-Thermostat Plate shaker-thermostat for temperature-controlled mixing of microplates.
• Bio TDB-100 Dry Block Thermostat Dry block thermostat for heating and temperature control of samples in microtubes.
• MSC-2P Centrifuge/Vortex Compact digital centrifuge for PCR plates to collect droplets, mix reagents and collect for improved PCR yield.
• CTR-6 CO2 Tube Roller CO2 tube roller providing regulated rocking and rolling of up to 6 rollers designed for use in CO2 incubators.
• RCP-24 Tissue Homogenizer Tissue homogenizer completing the Tick-borne encephalitis detection solution.
• LMC-56 Centrifuge Centrifuge with expanded capabilities and broader applications.
• RTS-1 Personal Bioreactor Personal bioreactor featuring patented Reverse Spin technology for microbial cultivation.
• TS-DW Thermoshaker Thermoshaker with shaking and temperature control for various tube and plate formats.
• ES-20/80C Shaker-Incubator Shaker-incubator with cooling capability and 400 rpm performance even when stacked, part of tick-borne encephalitis detection solution.
• Biomagpure 12 Automated NA Extraction System First iteration of complete automated NA extraction system coupling with Biosan sample preparation devices.

Quantifiable outcome

• Double production capacity in 2021 to meet global demand
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Riga Stradiņš University (RSU)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026Biosan provided support exceeding EUR 90,000 to establish a new microbiology laboratory at RSU's Science Centre's Institute of Microbiology and Virology. This investment marks an important step in developing RSU's research infrastructure and highlights close cooperation between academia and industry.
• University of LatviamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Collaboration partner in development of ecological disinfection equipment using UV LEDs and ozone (project 1.1.1.3/1/24/A/051). The project involves expertise from photonics, material science, and microbiology. Also partner in cultivation system for complex microbial communities project.
• Latvian Biomedical Research and Study CentremajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Project partner in development of ecological disinfection equipment using UV LEDs and ozone (project 1.1.1.3/1/24/A/051). Contributes expertise in microbiology for pathogen inactivation testing.
• SIA MetabonetminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Project partner in development of cultivation system for complex microbial communities based on principles of microbial ecology (project 1.1.1.3/1/24/A/104).
• Grant InstrumentscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Biosan entered into strategic partnership with UK-based Grant Instruments, forging a strong transnational partnership. Grant Instruments is a UK-based company in the laboratory equipment sector.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights9 records

Broad incumbents

• Sartorius: Germany-based global bioprocessing leader offering bioreactors, cell culture, and bioprocess analytics. Competes directly with Biosan's RTS-1/RTS-8 bioreactors and CO2 incubators, but operates at vastly greater scale across the full bioprocessing value chain.
• Agilent Technologies: Global analytical instrument, life sciences, and diagnostics company. Overlaps indirectly with Biosan via cell analysis, PCR/qPCR, and lab automation — particularly competitors to BioQuant-96 real-time PCR and automated NA extraction workflows.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Global life sciences and laboratory equipment conglomerate with broad portfolio including centrifuges, shakers, incubators, bioreactors, PCR systems, and photometers. Overlaps with the majority of Biosan's catalog but operates as a much larger multi-segment incumbent.

Direct peers

• Heidolph: Germany-based manufacturer of premium lab equipment including shakers, mixers, magnetic stirrers, rotary evaporators, and peristaltic pumps. Directly comparable mid-sized family-owned lab equipment maker with similar product breadth and dealer-led distribution.
• Boekel Scientific: US-based manufacturer of benchtop laboratory equipment including shakers, water baths, incubators, dry baths, and blood bank equipment. Small-to-mid sized direct peer in compact personal lab equipment for clinical and research labs.
• Benchmark Scientific: US-based manufacturer of compact personal lab equipment including centrifuges, vortex mixers, and homogenizers. Closely comparable business model focused on affordable, compact benchtop instruments for small-to-mid labs.
• Grant Instruments: UK-based laboratory and life sciences equipment manufacturer with overlapping product lines in shakers, water baths, and sample preparation. Existing strategic partner of Biosan since 2004, making it both a peer and a historical collaborator.
• Eppendorf: Germany-based manufacturer of premium benchtop liquid handling, sample preparation, and cell handling equipment including centrifuges, shakers, bioreactors, and PCR instruments. Direct competitor to Biosan across nearly every core product category (centrifuges, shakers, bioreactors, thermoshakers) with comparable personal/compact design philosophy.
• IKA Works: Germany-based manufacturer of laboratory, analytical, and process equipment including magnetic stirrers, overhead stirrers, shakers, vortex mixers, and dispersers. Closely overlapping product overlap with Biosan's general lab equipment portfolio (shakers, mixers, magnetic stirrers) and similar international distribution model.

Emerging players

• Cole-Parmer (Antylia Scientific): US-based distributor and manufacturer of laboratory equipment including shakers, mixers, centrifuges, and sample preparation tools. Comparable go-to-market via catalog-distribution into research and clinical labs, particularly across the US/EMEA research market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Biosan Laboratories