BioLink Depot
BioLink Depot is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that collects surplus lab equipment and STEM supplies from biotech companies and universities, then redistributes them free to Title I schools, community colleges, and educators across 18 California counties from its Oakland warehouse.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersOakland, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What BioLink Depot does
BioLink Depot is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 47-5022749), founded in 2002 with City College of San Francisco grant support and operating as an independent entity since 2015, that runs a physical science retail setting and warehouse at 9235 San Leandro St in Oakland, California. The organization collects surplus laboratory equipment and consumable supplies from more than 100 institutional donors — including biotech firms (Genentech, Illumina, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Bayer, Novartis, Bio-Rad, Nkarta) and universities (UC Berkeley, UCSF, UC Davis, San Jose State, City College of San Francisco) — and redistributes them at no charge to educators through recurring weekend Teacher Open House events and weekday appointments. Distribution prioritizes Title I K-12 schools across the Bay Area, with reach expanding to 18 California counties and growing; educators from Southern California and out of state travel to access supplies, and each teacher typically receives $2,500-$2,600 of equipment and consumables per visit, with the organization redistributing over $1 million of supplies annually.
The business model is donation-driven rather than commercial. BioLink Depot raises funds through individual donations via a PayPal integration, a tiered corporate sponsorship program ($2,500 to $25,000 annually across four tiers), and an active 2025 fundraising campaign targeting $500,000 to double distribution capacity and equip 1,000 additional classrooms. In-kind supply donations constitute the core economic engine: donors receive tax-deductible receipts for surplus lab equipment (microscopes, PCR machines, incubators, spectrometers, freezers, centrifuges) and consumables (pipette tips, tubes, glassware, PPE). Operations are lean, with a 1-10 person team supplemented by volunteers and corporate group volunteer programs, governed by a Board of Directors.
Customer segments span five verticals: K-12 schools (primary, with Title I priority), community colleges, four-year universities, community labs and makerspaces (e.g., BioCurious, Counter Culture Labs), and other STEM-focused nonprofits. Distribution is event-driven and regional, anchored on the Oakland retail location and supported by direct school-district partnerships with Oakland USD, San Francisco USD, Berkeley USD, Fremont USD, and over 22 additional California districts. Outreach runs across social channels (Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok), email newsletters via Mailchimp, and event registration through Eventbrite. BioLink Depot is not a technology company: it operates a physical redistribution infrastructure for scientific materials in California, with no proprietary software platform, no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, and no patents or trademarks on file.
BioLink Depot firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BioLink Depot
- Legal name
- BioLink Depot
- Website
- https://biolinkdepot.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- BioLink Depot is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that collects surplus lab equipment and STEM supplies from biotech companies and universities, then redistributes them free to Title I schools, community colleges, and educators across 18 California counties from its Oakland warehouse.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BioLink Depot industry classification
Industry- Product category
- STEM Education Supply Redistribution
- NAICS
- All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)
- SIC
- Laboratory Apparatus & Furniture (3821), Wholesale-Medical, Dental & Hospital Equipment & Supplies (5047)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Science & STEM Lab Equipment & Supplies (Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Makerspaces) (EDAEAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA), Laboratory & Scientific Supplies Scheduled Delivery (Non-medical) (TLAAAEAI)
Keywords
Where BioLink Depot is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oakland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
BioLink Depot business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Financial Donations: The organization raises funds through a $500,000 fundraising campaign in 2025 to expand operations and double distribution capacity. Donations are tax-deductible as BioLink Depot is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN No. 47-5022749).
- Corporate Sponsorships: The organization offers tiered sponsorship programs: Innovation Leader ($25,000/year), STEM Champion ($10,000/year), Lab Partner ($5,000/year), and Community Partner ($2,500/year). These corporate partnerships provide recurring revenue and in-kind support.
- Supply Donations (In-Kind): The organization receives donated lab equipment and supplies from universities, research institutions, and biotech companies, which are then redistributed to schools. Donors receive tax deduction receipts.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free supplies for all educators |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels10 records
BioLink Depot product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BioLink Depot operates a free redistribution service that collects donated surplus laboratory equipment and STEM supplies from biotech companies, research universities, and scientific suppliers, then distributes them at no cost to educators and educational institutions. The organization runs a physical science retail setting in Oakland, CA where teachers can browse and select supplies during scheduled Teacher Open House events and weekday appointments. Title I schools receive priority access to high-value equipment including microscopes, incubators, thermal cyclers, hot plate stirrers, and vortexers.
Product overview
BioLink Depot operates as a nonprofit science retail setting that redistributes surplus laboratory equipment and STEM supplies to educational institutions at no cost. The core offering consists of two primary access methods: Teacher Open House Giveaway events held on weekend Sundays (with Title I school priority) and weekday appointments. The organization accepts donations of large lab equipment (autoclaves, PCR machines, centrifuges, microscopes, freezers) and consumable supplies (pipettes, tubes, glassware, PPE), then redistributes them to K-12 schools, community colleges, universities, and community laboratories. A tiered sponsorship program supports operational funding.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Teacher Open House Giveaways Recurring weekend events where educators can pick up free STEM supplies and equipment from BioLink Depot's Oakland science retail setting, with Title I school priority entry at 11am and all educators welcome at 1pm.
- Weekday Appointments
- Large Lab Equipment Redistribution
- Lab Supplies Redistribution
- Sponsorship Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Redistributes over $1 million in scientific supplies annually
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use BioLink Depot
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
BioLink Depot technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
BioLink Depot partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- GenentechcoreCore supporter and in-kind donor partner. Provides surplus lab equipment and supplies for redistribution to educational institutions. Genentech supports BioLink's mission of STEM education equity through corporate giving.
- BiocomcoreCore supporter of BioLink Depot, providing organizational support and partnership in the life science community.
- UC BerkeleycoreEducation partner donating surplus research equipment and supplies. Students benefit from hands-on access to professional-grade scientific tools.
- UCSFcoreEducation partner contributing donations and supporting STEM education through the UCSF MLK Core Facility.
- UC DavisminorEducation partner providing donations of scientific equipment and supplies.
- San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE)coreMajor educational institution partner and supporter of BioLink programs, with former director Kirk Brown serving as an advocate.
- BABEC (Bay Area Biotechnology Education Consortium)coreEducation partner supporting biotechnology education in Bay Area schools through collaboration with BioLink.
- Habitat for Humanity East BayminorCommunity partner with adjacent facility allowing expanded access to BioLink Depot during closed weekends.
- StopWasteminorCommunity partner supporting waste reduction and circular economy initiatives.
- Life Science CaresminorVolunteer partner organizing corporate volunteer groups and supporting STEM education initiatives.
- BioCuriousminorCommunity lab partner exchanging donations and supporting biotech education community.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights4 records
BioLink Depot competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- DonorsChoose: DonorsChoose is the largest U.S. nonprofit crowdfunding platform connecting public school teachers with donors who fund classroom supply requests. Directly comparable to BioLink Depot in its mission of channeling donated resources to K-12 educators, though operating via cash crowdfunding rather than physical redistribution of surplus equipment.
- AdoptAClassroom.org: AdoptAClassroom.org is a national nonprofit that enables individuals and corporations to directly fund classroom supply purchases for pre-K-12 teachers. Highly comparable to BioLink Depot's mission of equipping underfunded classrooms, with a similar donor-to-teacher funding model and emphasis on Title I schools.
- BABEC (Bay Area Biotechnology Education Consortium): BABEC is a Bay Area nonprofit that supports biotechnology education in K-12 schools through teacher training, equipment loans, and curriculum support. Listed as a core partner of BioLink Depot and directly comparable in mission and regional focus on biotech education equity.
Others
- Life Science Cares: Life Science Cares is a nonprofit that mobilizes the life sciences industry to fight poverty through collective impact, including STEM education. Listed as a volunteer partner of BioLink Depot and comparable as an industry-organized philanthropic intermediary in the same ecosystem.
- StopWaste: StopWaste is a public agency supporting waste reduction and circular economy initiatives in Alameda County, California. Listed as a community partner of BioLink Depot and thematically comparable as a circular economy enabler in the same region.
- Biocom California: Biocom California is a life science industry association serving California biotech companies. Listed as a core supporter and partner of BioLink Depot; comparable as an ecosystem organization that connects biotech industry surplus and corporate philanthropy to STEM education.
Broad incumbents
- School Specialty: School Specialty is a large commercial distributor of educational supplies, furniture, and equipment to K-12 schools nationwide. Comparable as the established commercial channel for classroom supplies, against which BioLink Depot's free redistribution model positions as a complementary nonprofit resource.
- Ward's Science: Ward's Science is a major commercial distributor of science lab supplies, specimens, and equipment to K-12 and higher education. Comparable as the commercial incumbent in the educational lab supply market that BioLink Depot serves via free redistribution.
- Fisher Scientific (Thermo Fisher): Fisher Scientific is a leading commercial wholesaler of laboratory equipment, supplies, and chemicals to research and educational institutions. Comparable as the established commercial supplier whose surplus inventory BioLink Depot redirects; Thermo Fisher is also a current BioLink donor partner.
- Carolina Biological Supply Company: Carolina Biological is a large, established distributor of K-12 and higher education science supplies and lab equipment. While for-profit rather than donation-based, it is comparable as the dominant commercial channel that BioLink Depot supplements with free redistributed equipment.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
BioLink Depot social profiles
Digital presenceBioLink Depot financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BioLink Depot leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
BioLink Depot funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BioLink Depot 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 BioLink Depot
What does BioLink Depot do?
BioLink Depot operates a free redistribution service that collects donated surplus laboratory equipment and STEM supplies from biotech companies, research universities, and scientific suppliers, then distributes them at no cost to educators and educational institutions. The organization runs a physical science retail setting in Oakland, CA where teachers can browse and select supplies during scheduled Teacher Open House events and weekday appointments. Title I schools receive priority access to high-value equipment including microscopes, incubators, thermal cyclers, hot plate stirrers, and vortexers.
Is BioLink Depot a public or private company?
BioLink Depot is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was BioLink Depot founded?
BioLink Depot was founded in 2002. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is BioLink Depot based?
BioLink Depot is headquartered in Oakland, United States, in the North America region.
How does BioLink Depot make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Financial Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships and supply Donations (In-Kind).
Who are BioLink Depot's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are DonorsChoose, AdoptAClassroom.org and BABEC (Bay Area Biotechnology Education Consortium). Others are Life Science Cares, StopWaste and Biocom California. Broad incumbents are School Specialty, Ward's Science, Fisher Scientific (Thermo Fisher) and Carolina Biological Supply Company.
Does BioLink Depot have an API?
No public API is recorded for BioLink Depot.
What industry is BioLink Depot in?
BioLink Depot's product category is STEM Education Supply Redistribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAEAIAC, Science & STEM Lab Equipment & Supplies (Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Makerspaces), with a secondary code of EDAMABAA, Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs). Its NAICS code is 61169 and its SIC code is 3821.