CMU STeP

What CMU STeP does

CMU STeP (Science and Technology Park, Chiang Mai University) is a university-affiliated science and innovation park established in 2012 and operated under Chiang Mai University through a cooperation agreement among seven faculties (Engineering, Science, Agriculture, Agro-Industry, Arts Media and Technology, Architecture, and Business Administration). Headquartered in Mae Hia, Chiang Mai, the organization functions as a bridge between university research, specialized facilities, and external stakeholders — startups, SMEs, large enterprises, students, researchers, and government agencies — across Northern Thailand. Its stated vision is to become Asia's leading University Science Park by 2027.

The service portfolio centers on four specialized laboratories (ABPlas plasma technology center, CIMO ion beam materials and gem analysis center, the Food Testing Laboratory, and the FABLAB 3D printing center), two co-working and incubation locations (The Brick Startup Space and The Brick Plus), physical-market access infrastructure (NSP Inno Store, which offers free market testing), and program-driven services covering business incubation, IP commercialization, packaging and rebranding design, CSR facilitation, and a rice pest elimination pilot plant (UTD-RF). Underlying technology is highly physical-science oriented: plasma systems, ion beam accelerators, radio frequency pest control, additive manufacturing, and food processing pilot plants, rather than software or AI platforms.

Commercial revenue comes from usage-based laboratory fees, transaction-based co-working and event-space rentals (THB 250–2,000/hour), professional consulting and training fees, and free market testing via NSP Inno Store. The dominant economic input, however, is government funding and grants from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (อว.), reflecting CMU STeP's status as a public university unit rather than a venture-backed commercial entity. Customer reach is broad — 178K customers served, 2.7K projects completed, 116 partners, and 450K engagements cumulatively — concentrated geographically in Northern Thailand and anchored by the NEC BCG regional economic corridor program covering four provinces.

Name

CMU STeP

Legal name

Science and Technology Park, Chiang Mai University

Website

https://step.cmu.ac.th

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CMU STeP is a university-affiliated science and technology park under Chiang Mai University, operating laboratories, co-working spaces, and incubation programs to connect university research with startups, SMEs, enterprises, and government across Northern Thailand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

University Science and Technology Park Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Technology Transfer & Innovation-Driven Research Universities (High Commercialization) (EDAHABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Research Universities with National Laboratories/Big Science Facilities (EDAHAAAJ), Applied Research & Innovation Universities (EDAHAEAE), Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK)

Keywords

• Science technology park
• University technology transfer
• Business incubation services
• Research commercialization
• Innovation consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Chiang Mai

HQ country

Thailand

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consulting and Advisory Services: CMU STeP provides business consulting, innovation advisory, and expert matching services to entrepreneurs, SMEs, enterprises, researchers, and government entities. Services include process improvement, product development, marketing strategy, business planning, and technology adoption support. Revenue is generated through service fees for consulting engagements, workshops, and training programs.
2. Laboratory and Testing Services: Paid laboratory services including ABPlas plasma technology, CIMO ion beam analysis, food testing, RF pest elimination, and 3D printing. Services are priced per usage with published rate cards (e.g., ABPlas Lab service rates, RF processing). Revenue is usage-based, generated from researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry clients accessing specialized equipment.
3. Co-working Space and Facility Rental: The Brick Startup Space and The Brick Plus locations generate rental revenue from office space, hot desks, fixed desks, meeting rooms, and event spaces. Meeting rooms are priced hourly (250-550 THB/hour), half-day (750-1,350 THB), and full-day (1,300-2,600 THB). Event spaces are priced at 2,000 THB/hour. Revenue is transaction-based from startups, entrepreneurs, and organizations using the facilities.
4. Government Funding and Grants: As a university-affiliated science park under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (อว.), CMU STeP receives government funding, operational support, and project grants. The organization also facilitates funding access for entrepreneurs through its network, connecting businesses with government and international funding sources.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CMU STeP (Science and Technology Park, Chiang Mai University) is a university-linked science park and innovation hub that operates as a bridge between university research and commercial/social application. It offers specialized laboratory services (plasma technology, ion beam analysis, food testing, 3D printing), co-working and incubation spaces, business consulting, technology commercialization support, and market testing services. The organization aggregates research expertise, equipment, and facilities from seven faculties of Chiang Mai University to serve entrepreneurs, SMEs, large enterprises, researchers, students, and government agencies across Northern Thailand.

Product overview

CMU STeP (Science and Technology Park, Chiang Mai University) is a university-linked science park and innovation hub that operates as a bridge between university research and commercial/social impact. The organization offers a multi-module ecosystem of services organized around three operational pathways: INSIDE-OUT (bringing university research to market), OUTSIDE-IN (solving external challenges using university resources), and STARTUP (converting research into new businesses). The core service portfolio includes specialized laboratories (ABPlas for plasma R&D, CIMO for ion beam gem analysis, food testing lab, FABLAB for 3D printing), physical workspaces (The Brick Startup Space and The Brick Plus co-working locations), technology pilot services (UTD-RF for rice pest elimination, food product development), market enablement (NSP Inno Store for market testing, packaging and rebranding), and business development support (incubation, IP commercialization, policy coordination). The NEC project extends this into regional economic corridor planning using the BCG model. The organization is jointly operated by seven faculties of Chiang Mai University.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Brick Startup Space: A startup workspace and incubation space operated by CMU STeP, offering office space, hot desks, fixed desks, virtual offices, meeting rooms, and event space in the Nimmanahaeminda area of Chiang Mai.
• The Brick Plus: Launch Space
• NEC - Northern Economic Corridor
• STeP Green Office
• ABPlas
• CIMO
• NSP Inno Store

Products and services

• The Brick Startup Space
• The Brick Plus: Launch Space
• The Brick FABLAB
• ABPlas (Agriculture and Bio Plasma Technology Center)
• CIMO (Center of Ion Beam Materials Development and Optical Analysis)
• UTD-RF (RF Technology Pilot Plant)
• NSP Inno Store
• Food Testing Laboratory
• Food Product Development and Prototype Manufacturing
• Packaging and Rebranding Design
• Business Incubation and Acceleration
• Intellectual Property and Technology Commercialization
• NEC (Northern Economic Corridor) Project

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.7K projects completed
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Faculty of Engineering, Chiang Mai UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the 7 founding faculties of CMU STeP. Provides engineering expertise for technology development, prototyping, and industrial collaboration projects.
• Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the 7 founding faculties providing scientific research expertise, laboratory resources, and scientific personnel to support STeP services.
• Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the 7 founding faculties contributing agricultural science expertise for food product development, agricultural technology, and related innovation programs.
• Faculty of Agro-Industry, Chiang Mai UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the 7 founding faculties providing agro-industry expertise supporting food processing technology and value-addition services.
• College of Arts, Media and Technology, Chiang Mai UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the 7 founding units providing creative design, digital technology, and media expertise for innovation and design services.
• Faculty of Architecture, Chiang Mai UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the 7 founding faculties contributing architectural and environmental design expertise to STeP's design and rebranding services.
• Faculty of Business Administration, Chiang Mai UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the 7 founding faculties providing business management, marketing, and entrepreneurship expertise for STeP's business development programs.
• Northern Economic Corridor (NEC) - BCG EconomyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMU STeP serves as a key implementing organization for the NEC BCG master plan covering Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lamphun, and Lampang provinces. The initiative focuses on 4 strategic industries: creative industries, tourism and wellness, agriculture and food, and digital industries, with technology enablers including digital creative technology, extraction technology, and plasma technology.
• Regional Science Park Network - NationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMU STeP is the Regional Science Park (North) for Thailand, operating within a network of science parks coordinated by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (อว.). The NMCO team facilitates collaboration across this network for technology sharing and joint programs.
• Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (อว.)coreOthersGovernment ministry overseeing and funding science park operations. CMU STeP operates under directives and support from อว., including coordination of regional science park activities, NSTIS program participation, and national innovation policy implementation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Singapore Science Park (CapitaLand): Established Southeast Asian university-adjacent science park offering lab-ready space and incubation. Comparable as a regional peer operating a multi-tenant R&D and innovation park, but at much larger scale and serving multinational tenants in Singapore.
• Thailand Science Park (TSP): Thailand's flagship national science park operated by NSTDA near Bangkok. Comparable as a multi-tenant science park offering lab services, incubation, and university-industry linkages, but with a national rather than regional mandate and a much broader tenant base.
• National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA): The Thai government agency that operates Thailand Science Park and runs national R&D programs. Highly comparable as the upstream policy and funding body that CMU STeP interfaces with, and as a peer operator of technology incubation and commercialization services.
• TusPark (Tsinghua University Science Park): One of the largest university science parks globally, founded by Tsinghua University in China. Comparable as a leading university-anchored science park providing incubation, lab access, and technology commercialization, and as a model for CMU STeP's "Asia's leading" 2027 ambition.

Direct peers

• Mahidol University Technology Park (MU Techno Park): University-affiliated Thai science park providing incubation, lab access, and commercialization services from another major Thai university. Directly comparable in mission, structure, and service mix to CMU STeP, but anchored to Mahidol's medical and science faculties.
• NUS Enterprise / NUS Industry Liaison Office: National University of Singapore's technology transfer and incubation arm. Directly comparable in providing university-based commercialization, IP support, and startup incubation — analogous to CMU STeP's INSIDE-OUT and STARTUP pathways.

Regional players

• National Science Technology and Innovation Policy Office (STI): Coordinates Thailand's regional science parks, including the network CMU STeP belongs to. Comparable as the network orchestrator providing policy direction, joint programs, and funding flows that CMU STeP and its sibling parks plug into.
• TOA (Thailand Overview Accelerator) - True Incube / dtac Accelerate: Corporate-backed Thai startup accelerator offering co-working, mentorship, and corporate venture connections. Comparable in delivering incubation and market access for Thai startups, but operating under private-sector funding rather than a university umbrella.

Emerging players

• BIOTEC (NSTDA) - National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology: Specialized biotech research unit under NSTDA offering analytical services and partnerships with universities. Comparable as a publicly funded Thai lab providing analytical testing and R&D services that partially overlap with CMU STeP's food and plasma testing offerings.

Others

• Startup Thailand / National Innovation Agency: Thai national innovation agency running startup competitions and programs (e.g., Startup Thailand League) that CMU STeP participates in. Comparable as an ecosystem-level peer co-organizing events and incubation programs for Thai entrepreneurs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCoGMGF7Rqfnl5ysNbt3jCYw
• Facebookfacebook.com/cmustep
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cmu-step
• Instagraminstagram.com/cmustep
• TikToktiktok.com/@cmustep

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CMU STeP