UbiQ
UbiQ Bio BV is a Dutch specialty reagent company that chemically synthesizes site-selective ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like research tools — including activity-based probes and assay reagents — and sells them to pharmaceutical drug discovery teams and academic laboratories worldwide via catalogue e-commerce and custom synthesis services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersAmsterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What UbiQ does
UbiQ Bio BV is a privately held Dutch life-science research tools company founded in 2010 and headquartered at Amsterdam Science Park. The company develops and commercializes chemical reagents for studying the ubiquitin-proteasome system and related ubiquitin-like (Ubl) modifications. Its portfolio spans site-selectively ubiquitinated peptides, activity-based probes (including a Triple E probe architecture that sequentially targets E1-E2-E3 enzymes), di-ubiquitin chains, and assay reagents, as well as Ubl variants such as SUMO, ISG15, and NEDD8. The company's defining technical capability is total and site-selective chemical synthesis of ubiquitin conjugates, which it states can produce reagents not achievable through biological expression systems.
UbiQ serves two primary customer segments: pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies working on ubiquitin-pathway drug discovery, and academic research laboratories conducting structural biology, enzymology, and fundamental ubiquitin research. The company makes money through two streams: standardized catalogue reagents sold direct via its e-commerce storefront (typical ASP around €300-350 per 50 µg unit, pay-as-you-go billing), and quote-based custom synthesis services for tailored ubiquitinated conjugates (multi-year contractual relationships). Distribution is direct and global. UbiQ also invests in scientific visibility through conference exhibition, award sponsorship, and co-authored publications with leading academic groups at NYU, the Netherlands Cancer Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center, University of Leeds, and University of Pennsylvania, among others. The company is led by co-founder Alfred Nijkerk (CEO) and co-founder Farid El Oualid (CSO), with a small operating team and no disclosed external funding.
UbiQ firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- UbiQ
- Legal name
- UbiQ Bio BV
- Website
- https://ubiqbio.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- UbiQ Bio BV is a Dutch specialty reagent company that chemically synthesizes site-selective ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like research tools — including activity-based probes and assay reagents — and sells them to pharmaceutical drug discovery teams and academic laboratories worldwide via catalogue e-commerce and custom synthesis services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
UbiQ industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Life Science Research Reagents
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Reagents, Chemicals & Assay Kits (Buffers, Antibodies, ELISA, Enzymes) (HLAGAIAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Drug Discovery (Target ID/Validation & Hit Discovery) (HLAIALAA), High-Throughput Screening & Assay Platforms (HTS/HCS, phenotypic screening) (HLAAAIAA)
Keywords
Where UbiQ is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amsterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
UbiQ business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Catalogue reagent sales: Sale of standardized ubiquitin research reagents including ubiquitinated peptides, activity-based probes, di-ubiquitin chains, and assay reagents through e-commerce platform.
- Custom reagent synthesis: Custom synthesis services for producing tailored ubiquitinated conjugates and peptides not available through standard catalogue, providing specialized solutions for specific research requirements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard catalogue reagents |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom synthesis services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
UbiQ product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UbiQ develops, manufactures, and commercializes ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like research reagents, including ubiquitinated peptides, activity-based probes, and activity assay reagents, using proprietary site-selective chemical synthesis technology at its Amsterdam Science Park laboratory. The company offers a catalogue of standardized reagents covering ubiquitin, SUMO, ISG15, and NEDD8 variants, alongside custom synthesis services that produce tailored ubiquitinated conjugates not readily achievable through biological methods. These tools support pharmaceutical drug discovery, fundamental academic research, and structural biology studies targeting the ubiquitin-proteasome system.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Catalogue Ubiquitin and Ubiquitin-Like Reagents Standardized catalogue of ubiquitinated peptides, activity-based probes, and activity assay reagents for ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like research, available for direct purchase. Products are manufactured at UbiQ's Amsterdam Science Park laboratory and are for laboratory research use only.
- Custom Ubiquitin Reagents Service Custom chemical synthesis of tailored ubiquitinated conjugates and reagents for researchers with specific requirements not met by catalogue products, using UbiQ's site-selective chemical synthesis technology.
- Custom Ubiquitinated Peptides Custom chemical synthesis of specific ubiquitinated peptides enabling researchers to design unique conjugates for specialized experimental needs, leveraging site-selective synthesis not achievable through biological approaches.
- UbiQ-378 - Biotin-Ahx-Ub-MTC Activity-Based Probe Biotin-Ahx-Ub-MTC, a new type of activity-based probe for deubiquitinating enzymes, designed for researchers studying DUB activity and ubiquitin pathway mechanisms.
- UbiQ-381 - L17ER4 Endosomolytic Peptide L17ER4, an endosomolytic peptide reagent for intracellular delivery of ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like reagents into live cells, enabling intracellular research applications.
- UbiQ-344 - Ubiquitin (1-75) Ubiquitin(1-75) reagent prepared by total chemical synthesis, lacking the C-terminal Gly76 residue and therefore unable to be activated by an E1 enzyme, useful for specialized research applications.
- UbiQ-158 - His6-3C-MAP1LC3a-Dha Activity-Based Probe His6-3C-MAP1LC3a-Dha, an activity-based probe targeting E1-E2-E3 enzymes involved in autophagy, designed for researchers studying autophagy-related enzyme mechanisms.
Quantifiable outcome
- Tools used by many leading laboratories in the ubiquitin field worldwide
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use UbiQ
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
UbiQ technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
UbiQ partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- New York University School of MedicinecoreCollaborative research partnership with Tony T. Huang's lab at NYU School of Medicine on deubiquitinases regulating cleavage and stability of ubiquitin-fused ribosomal proteins, resulting in publication in Molecular Cell 2025.
- Netherlands Cancer InstitutecoreScientific collaboration with Niels Keijzer and team at NKI on USP1/UAF1 targeting polyubiquitinated PCNA, resulting in Nature Communications publication 2025.
- Wroclaw University of Science and TechnologycoreCollaborative partnership contributing chapter to Methods in Molecular Biology book series on ubiquitin and ISG15 deconjugase characterization.
- University of Texas Health Science CentercoreCollaborative research partnership contributing to characterization of SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease ubiquitin and ISG15 deconjugase activity, published in Methods in Molecular Biology 2023.
- University of YorkcoreCollaborative research on essential roles of ubiquitin proteases and ubiquitin conjugation in Leishmania parasites with Prof Jeremy Mottram's lab.
- University of GlasgowcoreCollaboration with Daniel Harris and Dr Richard Burchmore on ubiquitin activating enzyme as novel therapeutic target for leishmaniasis.
- Beatson Institute for Cancer ResearchcoreCollaboration with Dr Danny Huang and Dr Mads Gabrielson on Leishmania ubiquitin system research.
- University of LeedscoreInternational collaboration led by Dr Elton Zeqiraj on cryo-EM structure of human BRISC-SHMT2 complex involved in cell metabolism and immune response, published in Nature 2019.
- University of PennsylvaniacoreCollaboration with Prof Roger Greenberg on structure of BRISC-SHMT2 complex showing metabolic regulation of immune signaling through ubiquitin pathway, published in Nature 2019.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
UbiQ competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- LifeSensors: LifeSensors is the closest direct competitor to UbiQ. It specializes in ubiquitin, ubiquitin-like, and SUMO research reagents, activity-based probes, and enzymes, serving both academic and pharma drug-discovery customers in the UPS field.
- UBPBio: UBPBio offers ubiquitin pathway research tools including DUB activity assays, ubiquitin chains, and E3 ligase substrates. It competes head-to-head with UbiQ in catalog DUB/UPS reagents used for compound screening and target validation.
Broad incumbents
- MilliporeSigma (Merck KGaA Life Science): MilliporeSigma supplies an extensive catalog of biochemicals, proteins, and research reagents, including ubiquitin and proteasome-related products. As a global broad incumbent, it competes with UbiQ across standardized research reagents.
- Promega Corporation: Promega provides a broad portfolio of life-science reagents and assay kits, including proteasome and protease tools. As a broad incumbent, it overlaps with UbiQ in drug-discovery assay reagents used by pharma and academic researchers.
- Abcam: Abcam supplies research-grade antibodies and protein reagents, including products targeting ubiquitin pathway components. It competes with UbiQ in serving the same academic and pharma research customer base.
- Cell Signaling Technology (CST): CST is a major provider of antibodies and reagents for cell signaling research, including UPS-related targets. It overlaps with UbiQ in serving academic and pharma labs studying post-translational modifications.
- Enzo Life Sciences: Enzo supplies life-science research reagents including proteasome, DUB, and ubiquitin-related assay kits and inhibitors. It is a broad incumbent that overlaps with UbiQ in UPS drug-discovery tools.
- Bio-Techne (R&D Systems / Tocris): Bio-Techne is a large life-science tools incumbent that supplies proteins, antibodies, and small-molecule reagents (including UPS-related tools) across pharma and academia. It competes broadly with UbiQ's reagent catalog and could enter adjacent ubiquitin specialties.
Emerging players
- Cayman Chemical: Cayman Chemical supplies biochemical research tools including UPS-related probes, inhibitors, and assay reagents. It overlaps with UbiQ in serving drug-discovery and academic customers targeting the ubiquitin pathway.
- South Bay Bio: South Bay Bio offers ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like reagents and conjugates, including di-ubiquitin chains and activity probes. As a smaller specialty provider, it competes with UbiQ in the UPS reagent niche.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
UbiQ social profiles
Digital presenceUbiQ financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
UbiQ leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
UbiQ funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
UbiQ 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 UbiQ
What does UbiQ do?
UbiQ develops, manufactures, and commercializes ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like research reagents, including ubiquitinated peptides, activity-based probes, and activity assay reagents, using proprietary site-selective chemical synthesis technology at its Amsterdam Science Park laboratory. The company offers a catalogue of standardized reagents covering ubiquitin, SUMO, ISG15, and NEDD8 variants, alongside custom synthesis services that produce tailored ubiquitinated conjugates not readily achievable through biological methods. These tools support pharmaceutical drug discovery, fundamental academic research, and structural biology studies targeting the ubiquitin-proteasome system.
Is UbiQ a public or private company?
UbiQ is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was UbiQ founded?
UbiQ was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is UbiQ based?
UbiQ is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does UbiQ make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Catalogue reagent sales are the primary driver. The others are custom reagent synthesis.
Who are UbiQ's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are LifeSensors and UBPBio. Broad incumbents are MilliporeSigma (Merck KGaA Life Science), Promega Corporation, Abcam, Cell Signaling Technology (CST), Enzo Life Sciences and Bio-Techne (R&D Systems / Tocris). Emerging players are Cayman Chemical and South Bay Bio.
Does UbiQ have an API?
No public API is recorded for UbiQ.
What industry is UbiQ in?
UbiQ's product category is Life Science Research Reagents. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAIAI, Reagents, Chemicals & Assay Kits (Buffers, Antibodies, ELISA, Enzymes), with a secondary code of HLAIALAA, Drug Discovery (Target ID/Validation & Hit Discovery). Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 8731.