Biobank Suisse

What Biobank Suisse does

Biobank Suisse, operating under the legal name Swiss Biobanking Platform (DBA: Swiss Biobanking), is a Swiss non-profit national research infrastructure founded in 2005 that coordinates a national network of 100+ biobanks (as of April 2025). The organization serves two principal audiences: biobanks (hospitals, universities, and research institutions that hold biological samples) and researchers who require access to high-quality, FAIR-compliant samples and data.

Its core offering is built on a Platform–Network–Node architecture. The Platform provides governance, coordination, and strategic guidance; the Network delivers shared tools and services (Labels quality recognition, SMPL event-based sample tracking, Support Documents, Training, Datasets, and a Cost Calculator); and the Node connects researchers to national and European sample catalogues (notably NExT) and collaborative projects. The technology stack emphasizes interoperability and standards alignment with European research infrastructures, most prominently BBMRI-ERIC.

The business model is funded through public research infrastructure grants and institutional support rather than commercial revenue. There is no disclosed pricing or commercial sales motion; go-to-market is community-led, relying on website content, newsletters, LinkedIn engagement, and events such as the Swiss Biobanking Day and Europe Biobank Week to attract members and researchers. Revenue mechanics resemble those of a publicly funded coordination body: budget allocated by Swiss federal science funding and BBMRI-ERIC participation rather than per-seat or transactional pricing.

Name

Biobank Suisse

Legal name

Swiss Biobanking Platform

Website

https://biobank-suisse.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Swiss Biobanking Platform is a non-profit national research infrastructure coordinating 100+ Swiss biobanks through a Platform–Network–Node architecture, providing quality labels, sample tracking tools, and a national sample catalogue for biobanks and researchers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biobanking Research Infrastructure

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (6215)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLACAMAG

Biobank & Biospecimen Management LIMS

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Digital Health & Health IT/Laboratory Information Systems (LIS/LIMS) & Pathology Informatics

SECONDARYHLAJAKAN

Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Global Health & Development Agencies (NGOs/Multilaterals)

SECONDARYHLAIALAF

Translational Medicine & Biomarkers

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Pharmaceuticals/Pharmaceutical Research and Development

Keywords

• Biobanking research infrastructure
• Biological sample management
• Biobank quality standards
• Sample catalog services
• Research network coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Research Infrastructure Funding: Swiss Biobanking operates as a government-funded national research infrastructure, likely sustained through public funding, grants, and institutional support rather than commercial revenue generation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Biobank Suisse (Swiss Biobanking Platform) operates Switzerland's national research infrastructure for biobanking, federating more than 100 biobanks into a coordinated network. It delivers standardized quality assessment through its Labels framework, a national electronic sample catalog (NExT), a sample management tool (SMPL), harmonized minimum datasets, a biobank cost calculator, and training programs for biobank staff and researchers. Its role as Switzerland's national node to the European BBMRI-ERIC infrastructure underpins cross-border sample and data discoverability for translational research.

Product overview

Swiss Biobanking is structured as a platform-plus-components architecture consisting of three complementary pillars: the Platform (executive coordination and strategic guidance), the Network (supporting biobanks through collaboration, tools, standards, and training), and the Node (connecting researchers to samples and services). The offering includes named tools and modules: Labels (quality assessment framework), SMPL (sample tracking and documentation), NExT (national sample catalogue), Datasets (harmonized data for interoperability), Cost Calculator (infrastructure cost modeling), Support Documents (templates and guidance), and Training programs. CPCR Service Finder is also referenced as a linked service for clinical research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Platform: Executive and coordination activities of Swiss Biobanking, providing strategic guidance and understanding of biobanking
• Network
• Node
• NExT
• SMPL
• Labels
• Cost Calculator

Products and services

• NExT (National E-Catalog of Swiss Biobanks) A national electronic catalog that lists collections and samples available across the Swiss Biobanking network, allowing researchers to discover and request biological samples from participating biobanks.
• SMPL (Sample Management Tool) Software tool that enables network biobanks to record, track, and manage biological samples with standardized metadata, supporting traceability and operational quality.
• Labels (Biobanking Quality Assessment) A structured evaluation and labelling framework that assesses participating biobanks against defined quality criteria and grants labels accordingly, providing standardized quality recognition within the network.
• Harmonized Minimum Datasets Standardized dataset definitions that allow participating biobanks to describe their collections with consistent metadata, supporting cross-biobank comparability and researcher search.
• Biobank Cost Calculator Web-based tool that helps biobanks model and benchmark the operational costs of biobanking activities, supporting financial planning and sustainability.
• Training Program for Biobanking Education and training activities for biobank personnel and researchers covering biobanking standards, quality, cataloging, and sample management.
• CPCR Service Finder A finder tool associated with the CPCR initiative that helps users locate relevant services within the platform and partner network.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100 biobank members in network

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Czech-Swiss CollaborationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2026Czech–Swiss collaboration for high-quality biobanking and FAIR data. This partnership strengthens cross-border cooperation in biobanking standards and data sharing practices between Switzerland and the Czech Republic, supporting the broader goal of European research infrastructure interoperability.
• BBMRI-ERICcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBBMRI-ERIC (European Research Infrastructure for Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources) is the European partner organization. Swiss Biobanking connects to this pan-European research infrastructure to facilitate international sample access and harmonize with European standards and practices.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Finnish Biobank Cooperative (FINBB): National coordinating body for Finnish biobanks. Operates a comparable federated network model for harmonizing biobank quality, sample access, and researcher services across hospitals and research institutions in Finland.
• BBMRI-ERIC: European Research Infrastructure for Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources. Swiss Biobanking is explicitly affiliated with BBMRI-ERIC as the Swiss national node, making it the most directly comparable peer in terms of mission, governance model, and standardization role.
• BBMRI.nl: Dutch national node of BBMRI-ERIC coordinating Dutch biobanks. Provides an almost structurally identical model — a non-profit national hub providing Labels-style quality recognition, catalogs, and tools for member biobanks.
• EuroBioBank: European network of rare disease biobanks coordinated by Telethon. Shares the federated network structure and focus on harmonized sample access, but scoped to rare diseases rather than general biobanking.

Broad incumbents

• UK Biobank: Large-scale national biobank with a population cohort of 500,000+ participants. While much larger and disease-cohort focused, it shares the role of a nationally coordinated biobank infrastructure with researcher-facing sample/data access services.
• LabVantage Solutions: Commercial LIMS vendor with a biospecimen management module. Comparable because its biobanking functionality (sample tracking, chain of custody, quality management) overlaps with SMPL and Labels offered by Swiss Biobanking.
• ISBER (International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories): Global society setting best practices for biorepositories (including its well-known Best Practices guidance). Comparable because it is a standards-and-community body for biobanks globally, much as Swiss Biobanking is at the national level.

Others

• Thermo Fisher Scientific (SampleManager LIMS): Major life sciences tools and LIMS provider. Relevant as a potential alternative or adjacent infrastructure provider for sample management and traceability at Swiss member biobanks, representing competitive pressure on the platform's tooling layer.

Regional players

• CRB-IPO (Swiss Childhood Cancer Registry Biobank): Specialized Swiss biobank for pediatric oncology. Although narrower in scope (single disease area), it operates within the same Swiss national ecosystem and depends on the same Swiss Biobanking Platform for networking and standards.
• Estonian Biobank (EstBB): National population-scale biobank based at the University of Tartu. Comparable in role (single national biobank hub with researcher access) though it operates a centralized model rather than a federated network.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1329954

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Biobank Suisse