NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials

What NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials does

NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials is a Swiss National Center of Competence in Research established in 2014 by the Swiss National Science Foundation and hosted at the University of Fribourg, with École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and ETH Zurich as core partners. Its mission is to develop "smart" materials whose design and function are inspired by nature, organized across three research modules: (1) Mechanically Responsive Materials (self-healing polymers, tough stimuli-responsive polymers and hydrogels, enzyme-aided 3D printable bone scaffolds, mechanically triggered degradable plastics), (2) Photonic Materials (magnetically tunable structural colors inspired by cephalopod iridophores, blue-halo structural color research for pollination), and (3) Bio-interfaces Across Scales (broad-spectrum antivirals, targeted cancer therapies, organoid-based tissue models, BioPISA artificial cells, spider-silk vaccine microcapsules, the AI-based LINA protein-aggregate detection tool).

Name

NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials

Legal name

NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials (National Center of Competence in Research Bio-Inspired Materials)

Website

https://bioinspired-materials.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials is a Swiss National Center of Competence in Research, established in 2014 and hosted at the University of Fribourg, that develops nature-inspired smart materials across mechanically responsive, photonic, and bio-interface modules for academic and industrial partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bio-inspired Materials Research

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodegradable Packaging Materials (films, trays, foams) (IMAEAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bioprinting & Biofabrication Systems (Tissue/Cell Printing Hardware) (IMAAAAAG), Compostable & Bio-based Flexible Films and Sheet (extrusion/cast/blown) (IMANANAC)

Keywords

• Bio-inspired materials research
• Smart materials science
• Stimuli-responsive polymers
• Biomimetic materials engineering
• Nano-composite materials research

Headquarters

HQ city

Fribourg

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) Funding: Primary funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation as a National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR). Founded in 2014 with SNSF funding and University of Fribourg support. The NCCR completed its 12-year mission with the funding period ending in 2026.
2. Proof-of-Concept Grants: Funds for short-term projects towards demonstration of technological feasibility and economic viability of ideas emanating from NCCR research. Supports translation of research outcomes.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials is a Swiss National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) that conducts paradigm-shifting research in smart materials inspired by nature. It operates three main research modules on mechanically responsive materials, photonic materials, and bio-interfaces across scales, and delivers associated research translation services through proof-of-concept grants, an Industrial Associates Program, fellowship programs (Women in Science), and educational training (undergraduate internships, doctoral and postdoctoral training). Technology transfer occurs through spin-off companies such as Microcaps, FenX, Nanolockin and Hemolytics.

Product overview

NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials is a National Center of Competence in Research based at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, focused on paradigm-shifting research, innovation, and education in smart materials inspired by nature. The organization operates three interconnected research modules covering mechanically responsive materials, photonic materials, and bio-interfaces. It complements its research with technology transfer programs (Proof-of-Concept Grants, Industrial Associates Program), educational offerings (Undergraduate Research Internships, Doctoral Training, WINS Fellowships for women researchers), and open science initiatives. The center has supported multiple spin-off companies including Microcaps and FenX, and has published research across leading journals including Nature Chemistry, Advanced Functional Materials, and Nature Communications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Module 1: Mechanically Responsive Materials Research Program
• Module 2: Photonic Materials Research Program
• Module 3: Bio-interfaces Across Scales Research Program
• Proof-of-Concept Grant Program
• Industrial Associates Program
• Undergraduate Research Internship (URI) Program
• Doctoral Training Program
• Women in Science Fellowships (WINS)
• Spider Silk Microcapsule Vaccine Delivery Platform
• Enzyme-aided 3D Printable Bone Scaffold Technology
• Smartphone-Based Fluorescence Microscope

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% accuracy in detecting protein aggregates using LINA AI method
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

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

• University of FribourgcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Home institution and lead organization of NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials. Hosts the Adolphe Merkle Institute where the NCCR is led. Provides institutional support, infrastructure, and administrative backbone for the center's operations.
• École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Core partner institution hosting multiple NCCR Principal Investigators and research groups. Key contributions include Soft Materials Laboratory (SMaL) research on mechanically responsive materials, biomineralization, and membrane technology. Home to research on 3D printable bone scaffolds, composite polymers, and plastics recycling.
• ETH ZurichcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Core partner institution hosting NCCR research groups including Prof. André Studart's Complex Materials laboratory. Source of Microcaps spin-off technology. Research on mechanoluminescent living materials and 3D printed structures.
• Adolphe Merkle Institute (AMI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Primary research institute at University of Fribourg where NCCR is led. Hosts multiple research groups focused on polymer chemistry, bioinspired materials, biophysics, and biomaterials. Key research on self-healing polymers, spider silk vaccine delivery, antimicrobial coatings, and degradable plastics.
• Technical University of DarmstadtmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on artificial cell synthesis using biocatalytic polymerization (BioPISA) with Prof. Nico Bruns' Sustainable Functional Polymers group. Also collaborated on mechanistically-triggered on-demand degradable polymers research.
• University of GenevamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on spider silk microcapsules for cancer vaccine delivery with Prof. Carole Bourquin. Research on gold nanoparticles for immune cell targeting with Sandra Hočevar. Both projects developed at the intersection of NCCR research and medical applications.
• University of BaselminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on artificial cell synthesis research as part of the international team developing BioPISA technology.
• University of Paris-SaclayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheory and Computer Simulation group collaborated on large-area self-healing block copolymer membranes for energy conversion research.
• AMSilkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman company collaborating on spider silk microcapsule development for cancer vaccine delivery. Provided synthetic spider silk biopolymers for the research.
• Swansea University Medical SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on gold nanoparticle research for immune system impact, led by Martin Clift. Provided nanotoxicology and in vitro systems expertise.
• University of BayreuthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Prof. Thomas Scheibel, world specialist in spider silk, on synthetic spider silk microparticles for vaccine delivery.
• University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland - FribourgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in field trials and production upscaling of degradable nanoparticles for sustainable plant disease protection.
• Bern University of Applied Sciences - School of Agricultural, Forest and Food SciencesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in field trials and upscaling of degradable nanoparticle production for agricultural applications.
• University of StrathclydeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on artificial cell synthesis using BioPISA. UK partner funded by Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
• University of CambridgeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on blue halo research showing how flowers attract bees, with colleagues at Cambridge and Kew Royal Botanical Gardens.
• Kew Royal Botanical GardensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on blue halo research demonstrating how flowers attract bees using structural color.
• Yale-NUS College SingaporeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on novel color-generation mechanism discovery in nature, with potential for cosmetics and other applications.
• Martin Luther University Halle-WittenbergminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on monitoring healing process in supramolecular polymers using X-ray spectrum imaging techniques.
• RocheminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProf. Matthias Lutolf, NCCR Associate PI, now affiliated with Roche, leads organoid-on-a-chip research for stomach infection modeling.
• KidsUni - University of FribourgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in PSCHITT! science experiments book for children, published in collaboration with Swiss universities.
• Espace des Inventions - LausanneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in science outreach book PSCHITT! providing fun experiments for primary school children.
• Science Outreach Department EPFLminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in science experiments book for children and German translation ZISCH! project.
• Scienscope - University of GenevaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in science experiments book for children, published in collaboration with Swiss science outreach centers.
• Imperials College LondonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Flavia Sousa conducted postdoctoral research at Imperial College before joining NCCR WINS fellowship program.
• Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia GenoaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Flavia Sousa conducted postdoctoral research before NCCR WINS fellowship for glioblastoma treatment research.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces: Comparable research center working on bio-inspired soft matter, polymer chemistry, and self-assembly. Both are interdisciplinary hubs producing nature-inspired materials with biological interfaces; main difference is geographic scope (Germany vs. Switzerland).
• MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine: Maastricht University institute focused on biofabrication, 3D-printed scaffolds, and bio-inspired materials for regenerative medicine. Direct overlap with NCCR's enzyme-aided 3D-printed bone scaffolds and bio-interfaces research.
• NCCR Molecular Systems Engineering: Sister NCCR also funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation with a 12-year mandate and multi-institutional structure (ETH Zurich, University of Basel, EPFL). Structurally identical in funding/governance model and overlapping in molecular materials research.
• Adolphe Merkle Institute (AMI): University of Fribourg institute that hosts NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials. Overlaps on polymer chemistry, bioinspired materials, biophysics, and biomaterials research; effectively the consortium's host research core.

Regional players

• Cambridge Centre for Smart Materials and Surfaces: University of Cambridge research cluster covering responsive polymers, photonics, and bio-inspired interfaces. Already a direct collaborator on blue halo research, indicating substantive overlap in mission and scope.
• Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon (Institute of Polymer Research): German research institute with strong programs in polymer science, membranes, and biomaterials. Comparable in scale of research output and in the type of applied materials science at the core of NCCR's work.
• Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC): Spanish research institute with parallel bio-inspired materials, biomaterials, and nanomedicine research programs. Comparable in mission scope and academic output; differs primarily in geographic focus (Spain vs. Switzerland/Europe).

Broad incumbents

• Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering: Harvard's flagship bio-inspired engineering institute. Directly comparable in mission (nature-inspired advanced materials and devices) and technology domains (bioprinting, smart materials, AI biomedical tools), but operates at significantly larger scale and longer institutional runway.
• MIT Department of Materials Science and Engineering (DMSE): Premier US materials science department with active research in bio-inspired materials, polymers, and biomaterials. Comparable in research themes though much broader and integrated into a degree-granting university rather than a focused research consortium.
• Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology): Swiss national lab with deep research in bio-inspired materials, biodegradable polymers, and self-healing materials. Comparable analytically on materials themes though broader in mandate than NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCOSn0rhflLmS5pwkC3wS34w
• Xx.com/NCCRbioinspired

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials