Seameo Biotrop

What Seameo Biotrop does

SEAMEO BIOTROP is an intergovernmental research and training center established on 6 February 1968 under the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), headquartered in Bogor, Indonesia. It operates as the only regional center dedicated exclusively to tropical biology across its eight SEAMEO member countries — Indonesia, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam — and serves government ministries, universities, students, researchers, educators, and select private sector clients. The center's mission centers on biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture, invasive species management, and biotechnology capacity building.

The center operates 11 specialized research laboratories spanning herbarium sciences (12,000 specimens), phytopathology (298+ fungal isolates), natural products and essential oils, entomology, biotechnology (including DNA barcoding), remote sensing and GIS, aquatic sciences, hydroponics, biosystem and landscape management, weeds and invasive alien plant species, and tissue culture (including first-in-Asia seaweed tissue culture). It maintains ISO 17025 laboratory accreditation and ISO 9001 certification, a SCOPUS-indexed Q2-ranked BIOTROPIA journal, and a 10-hectage headquarters complex featuring laboratories, 11 greenhouses, a 4.57 ha experimental field, dormitories, and a 700-person conference hall. Core deliverables include fee-based training programs, technical consultancy, internships, a free visit program, and physical products such as tissue cultured plants, hydroponic produce, edible mushroom products, and essential oil-based items.

Revenue is derived from core funding by the Government of Indonesia and SEAMEO, supplemented by fee-based training, consultancy services to government agencies and enterprises, and partner-sponsored research collaborations. In 2025 the center trained over 3,100 participants from Indonesia and other Asian and African countries. The institution maintains 324 active MoU partnerships, 244 documented completed research projects, and operationalized special programs including IndoBIC, the MSc in IT for Natural Resource Management (MIT Program), and a Smart Greenhouse digital platform.

Name

Seameo Biotrop

Legal name

Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Tropical Biology

Website

https://biotrop.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

SEAMEO BIOTROP is the Southeast Asian intergovernmental center for tropical biology research and training, established in 1968 in Bogor, Indonesia. It serves 8 SEAMEO member countries through 11 specialized laboratories, training programs, consultancy services, and 324 institutional partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bogor

HQ country

Indonesia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: SEAMEO BIOTROP receives core funding support from the Government of Indonesia and SEAMEO (Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization) to carry out its research mandate and capacity building activities.
2. Fee-based Training Programs: Training courses are conducted on fee-basis. Priority is given to nationals of SEAMEO member countries, especially for sponsored courses. National training courses are exclusively for Indonesian participants.
3. Consultancy Services: Technical consultancy services provided to individuals, groups/communities, institutions, and enterprises (both private sector and state-owned) on topics related to tropical biology expertise including ex-mining land reclamation, essential oils, tissue culture, pest management, phytopathology, aquaculture, and urban agriculture.
4. Partner Organization Funding: Research and development activities are funded through partner organizations and collaborative funding arrangements for specific projects and programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SEAMEO BIOTROP is a regional research and training center that conducts tropical biology research across 11 specialized laboratories, delivers capacity-building training programs, and produces sellable biotechnology products including tissue-cultured plants, hydroponic plants, edible mushrooms, essential oils, and GIS-based spatial mapping services. It supports SEAMEO member countries through technical consultancy, internship programs, and educational visit programs for schools and universities.

Product overview

SEAMEO BIOTROP operates as a regional research and training center offering a diverse portfolio of products and services in tropical biology. The core offerings include Spatial Mapping and Modeling (GIS/Remote Sensing), Tissue Culture Plant production, Edible Mushroom cultivation and processing, Hydroponic Plant cultivation, Essential Oil-based Products, and Phytopathology Laboratory Services. Supporting services include Visit Programs for educational tours, Internship Programs for students, and Consultancy Services for institutions seeking expertise in areas such as land reclamation, biodiversity management, and sustainable agriculture. The center serves SEAMEO member countries (Indonesia, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) through research, training, and technology transfer activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Spatial Mapping and Modeling
• Tissue Cultured Plants
• Edible Mushrooms
• Hydroponic Plants
• Essential Oil-based Products
• Phytopathology Laboratory Services
• Visit Program
• Internship Program
• Consultancy Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,100 participants trained in 2025 across Indonesia and multiple Asian and African countries
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• SMK Negeri TolikaraminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 December 2021Human resource development for teachers, students, and alumni. Duration: 3 years.
• Universitas MataramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2021MoU for research, training, and community service to support Merdeka Belajar-Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) implementation. Includes faculty-level agreements with Faculty of Food Technology and Agroindustry for biodiversity studies and Faculty of Agriculture for MBKM internship programs. Duration: 3 years.
• The Canadian Grains CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2021Focused discussion cooperation on Low Level Presence policy sharing forum in Asia Pacific Region. Duration: not specified.
• FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 November 2021Project MoU for analyzing Indonesian Invasive and Alien Species (IAS) policy and institution, data collection, and organizing stakeholder consultations, group meetings, and workshops. Duration: 1 year.
• Universitas Teuku UmarcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 November 2021MoU for education, research, community service, and institutional development. Faculty-level agreement for student internship programs supporting MBKM. Duration: 3 years.
• PT Tirta Investama (Aqua)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 April 2021Water subscription service contract for drinking water (Aqua gallon). Duration: 1 year.
• PT J Resources Bolaang MongondowminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 April 2021Study services contract for passive acid mine drainage management for mining area continuation. Duration: 10 months.
• IPB UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPB University Rector Prof Dr Arif Satria serves on SEAMEO BIOTROP Governing Board representing Indonesia, indicating institutional partnership and collaboration in research and education.
• SEAMEO Member Country GovernmentsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEAMEO BIOTROP serves 8 member countries: Indonesia, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam through government-appointed representatives on the Governing Board.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CABI: International not-for-profit organization applying scientific expertise to address agricultural and environmental challenges. Comparable as an intergovernmental-style research and training organization delivering applied tropical biology, plant health, and bioscience services globally.
• International Potato Center (CIP): CGIAR international agricultural research center focused on root and tuber crops. Comparable as a tropical biology research institution delivering genetic resources, training, and applied biotechnology for developing countries.
• Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT: CGIAR alliance delivering research on agricultural biodiversity and tropical crop improvement. Comparable as a tropical biology research organization with herbarium/genebank assets, training programs, and a network of country offices in Southeast Asia.
• CIFOR-ICRAF: Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry, a CGIAR consortium focused on forests, landscapes, and tropical ecosystems. Highly comparable as a tropical biology and ecology research organization delivering training and policy-relevant science across Southeast Asia.
• International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT): CGIAR international agricultural research center with a strong tropical crops mandate. Comparable as a research and training institution focused on tropical plant biology, genetics, and capacity building in developing regions.
• WorldFish: CGIAR international fisheries and aquaculture research center. Directly comparable in aquatic biology and aquaculture expertise, with overlapping focus on tropical species, capacity building, and intergovernmental governance.
• International Rice Research Institute (IRRI): CGIAR international agricultural research center headquartered in Los Baños, Philippines. Comparable as a mission-driven tropical agriculture research and training institution serving Southeast Asia with multi-country donor funding and lab-based research programs.
• SEAMEO SEARCA: Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture, a sister SEAMEO center focused on agriculture and rural development. Directly comparable as an intergovernmental SEAMEO institution delivering research, training, and capacity building across the same member countries.

Broad incumbents

• IPB University (Bogor Agricultural University): Indonesia's leading agricultural university, headquartered in Bogor adjacent to SEAMEO BIOTROP. Comparable in tropical biology, agriculture, and biotechnology research, but operates a broader academic mandate including degree programs across many disciplines.
• National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia (BRIN): Indonesia's national research consolidation body, successor to LIPI which originally hosted BIOTROP during 1968-1973. Comparable as a government-backed tropical biology research body but with a much broader mandate across all scientific disciplines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/biotrop
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seameobiotrop

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Seameo Biotrop