European Society for Animal Cell Technology

What European Society for Animal Cell Technology does

ESACT (European Society for the Advancement of Cell Technology e.V.) is a German-registered non-profit scientific society founded in 1976 in Amsterdam and headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. It is structured as an eingetragener Verein (e.V.) under German law, governed by an elected Executive Committee chaired by Nicole Borth (BOKU University Vienna) with Vice Chair Stefanos Grammatikos (UCB), Secretary Anne Tolstrap (AbtBioConsult), and Treasurer Francesc Gòdia (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona). The society's mission is to promote scientific dialogue and continued development in animal cell technology, serving academic researchers (PhD students, postdocs, faculty), industry scientists and engineers in biopharma/biotech, and early-career scientists through its ESACT Frontiers Program founded in 2014.

The society's core offering is a recurring portfolio of knowledge-exchange events rather than a technology product. Biennial scientific meetings rotate across European host cities (Edinburgh 2024, Salzburg 2026) and attract up to ~1,000 international participants, featuring keynote presentations, oral and poster sessions, vendor exhibitions, and a social program. Four annual intensive theoretical and practical courses — Animal Cell Technology (16th edition, 2026), Bioprocessing and Manufacturing of Gene and Cell Therapy Products (6th edition), Vaccine Technology (11th edition), and Metabolic and Bioprocess Modelling (4th edition) — are held in Llafranc, Costa Brava, Spain, each capped at 30 participants for hands-on interaction. Supporting programs include the ESACT Innovation Award (€5,000 plus plaque, awarded biannually), travel and research grants for early-career scientists (€500 European, €1,000 overseas), and the Frontiers Retreat series.

ESACT generates revenue through individual membership fees (€80 for 4-year regular; free 2-year student tier), course registration fees (€1,250 academia, €1,950 industry per course plus €250 single-room upgrade), and conference registration fees (members receive reduced rates). Course logistics are outsourced to Remember Management GmbH; membership is managed via aMember Pro; newsletter distribution uses Mailchimp under a GDPR-compliant Art 28 DSGVO data processing agreement. The society maintains reciprocal partnerships with nine affiliated national, regional, and thematic organizations including ACTIP, ESACT-UK, BELSACT, JAACT, SLATCC, BioProNet UK, EFB, ECI, and IBioNet, enabling cross-promotion, speaker sponsorship, and joint meetings (historically including ESACT/JAACT Kyoto 1998). Headcount is reported as 101-250, though only two administrative staff (Antje Krämer, Manon Lepinske) support the office, suggesting the figure reflects broader community and member participation rather than employed personnel.

Name

European Society for Animal Cell Technology

Legal name

European Society for the Advancement of Cell Technology (ESACT) e.V.

Website

https://esact.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

ESACT is a 49-year-old German-registered non-profit scientific society (e.V.) that promotes animal cell technology through biennial international meetings (~1,000 attendees), four annual intensive courses in Spain, grants, and an early-career Frontiers program, serving academic researchers, biopharma industry scientists, and students across Europe and globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Scientific Society Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDACAIAB

In-Service Professional Development (Workshops/Institutes/Short Courses)

Education/Early Childhood Education/Early Childhood Teacher Training & Professional Development

Keywords

• Scientific society services
• Animal cell technology
• Bioprocess training courses
• Scientific conference management
• Biotechnology professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfurt

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Regular membership runs 4 years for €80 (€20/year), payable by bank transfer or PayPal. Student membership is free for 2 years for confirmed full-time students. Membership fees fund society operations and grant programs.
2. Course Registration Fees: Annual intensive courses (ACT, GCT, VT, MBM) generate revenue through registration fees. Academia participants pay €1,250 per course; industry participants pay €1,950. Additional single-room supplement is €250. Course fees cover registration, materials, accommodation in shared rooms, meals, and airport transfers.
3. Conference Registration Fees: Biennial ESACT Meetings charge registration fees, with reduced rates for members. The 28th Meeting in Edinburgh (2024) and the 29th Meeting in Salzburg (2026) are the primary events. Revenue supports the society's scientific programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ESACT is a non-profit scientific society that organizes biennial scientific conferences (up to 1,000 international participants) and four annual intensive 5-day training courses on Animal Cell Technology, Gene and Cell Therapy Bioprocessing, Vaccine Technology, and Metabolic and Bioprocess Modelling (each capped at 30 participants). The society also runs a travel grants program for early-career scientists, the ESACT Frontiers Program and Retreats, and a biennial Innovation Award (€5,000 plus travel expenses). Membership runs €80 per 4 years (free 2-year student membership), and courses are priced at €1,250 for academia and €1,950 for industry participants.

Product overview

ESACT is a scientific society, not a technology product company. It offers a portfolio of services for the animal cell technology community including biennial scientific conferences, annual intensive courses, travel grants for early-career scientists, the ESACT Frontiers program for young researchers, and the Innovation Award. The four main courses are: Animal Cell Technology Course (covering cell biology and bioprocessing), Bioprocessing and Manufacturing of Gene and Cell Therapy Products Course, Vaccine Technology Course, and Metabolic and Bioprocess Modelling for Animal Cells Course (which includes AI/ML topics as curriculum content). All courses are held annually in Llafranc, Costa Brava, Spain, with fees ranging from EUR 1,250 for academia to EUR 1,950 for industry participants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers3 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

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ACTIP (Animal Cell Technology Industry Platform)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACTIP is listed among ESACT related organizations and societies. ACTIP collaborates with ESACT on bursary funding for course participants from industry, sharing the cost of bursaries for the Animal Cell Technology Course.
• ESACT-UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerESACT-UK is a related national society listed alongside ESACT's logo. ESACT sponsors travel expenses for speakers at ESACT-UK events and courses, facilitating knowledge exchange between national and European communities.
• BELSACT (Belgian Society for Animal Cell Technology)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBELSACT is listed among ESACT related organizations. ESACT sponsors travel expenses for speakers at BELSACT events, maintaining cross-border scientific collaboration.
• JAACT (Japanese Association for Animal Cell Technology)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJAACT is listed among ESACT related organizations. A joint JAACT/ESACT Meeting was held in Kyoto, Japan in 1998, and the societies maintain ongoing collaboration.
• SLATCC (Spanish Latin American Tissue Culture Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSLATCC is listed among ESACT related organizations and societies. ESACT sponsors speaker travel for SLATCC events, supporting cross-regional scientific exchange between Europe and Latin America.
• BioProNet UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBioProNet UK is listed among ESACT related organizations. The network facilitates collaboration in bioprocessing and animal cell technology between UK and European communities.
• EFB (European Federation of Biotechnology)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEFB is listed among ESACT related organizations. EFB is a broad European biotechnology federation that ESACT collaborates with for knowledge sharing and cross-society initiatives.
• ECI (Engineering Conferences International)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerECI organizes the Cell Culture Engineering Conference (CCE) scheduled for 1–7 May 2027 in Quebec City, Canada. ESACT promotes this event to its members and facilitates participation.
• IBioNet (Integrated Biologic Net)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIBioNet is listed among ESACT related organizations. The network connects institutions working in integrated biology and bioprocessing, facilitating cross-institutional collaboration in the field.
• MailchimpminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerESACT uses Mailchimp as its newsletter processor for sending and managing newsletters to subscribers. Mailchimp has committed to comply with applicable data protection regulations, with a contract processing agreement in place per Art 28 DSGVO.
• Remember Management GmbHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerESACT outsources course registration and logistical coordination (participant management, accommodation at Hotel Terramar, bus transfers) to Remember Management GmbH, represented by Antje Krämer. This third-party manages the operational execution of ESACT courses in Llafranc, Spain.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• BioPhorum: Industry-led collaboration hub for biopharmaceutical manufacturers covering bioprocess, fill-finish, and cell & gene therapy. Overlaps with ESACT's industry training audience and competes for industry attention.
• Cell & Gene Therapy Insights: Digital media and conference organizer focused on cell and gene therapy bioprocessing. Operates in the same content/training space as ESACT's GCT course but with a commercial digital-first delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB): Major US-based cell biology society with annual meetings, training programs, and a comparable member-driven governance model. Serves overlapping cell biology scientific community, especially basic research.
• BIO (Biotechnology Innovation Organization): Largest global biotech industry trade association. Serves the biopharmaceutical industry that attends ESACT courses, but with a broader commercial and policy focus rather than scientific training.
• European Federation of Biotechnology (EFB): Umbrella federation covering all of European biotechnology. EFB is an ESACT affiliate but operates at a much broader scope, offering an alternative cross-disciplinary community for biotech scientists.
• Society for Biological Engineering (SBE): AIChE's bioprocessing arm covering biopharmaceutical manufacturing, cell culture engineering, and bioprocess design. Operates broader scope than ESACT but serves overlapping industry members.

Regional players

• Parenteral Drug Association (PDA): US-headquartered association for pharmaceutical manufacturing professionals with global reach. Serves an overlapping biopharma manufacturing community but emphasizes regulatory and quality over upstream bioprocessing.
• International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE): Global society for pharmaceutical engineering professionals. Overlaps with ESACT's bioprocess manufacturing training audience, particularly for industry participants, though with a much broader engineering scope.

Direct peers

• International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT): Global professional society for cell and gene therapy. ISCT directly overlaps ESACT's GCT course audience and serves an overlapping scientific community with comparable annual meeting and training programs.
• Engineering Conferences International (ECI): Runs the Cell Culture Engineering (CCE) biennial conference — a competing forum in the same animal cell technology space. ESACT even cross-promotes CCE, signaling direct competitive overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/esact-org

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 European Society for Animal Cell Technology