Centre Of The Cell
Centre of the Cell is a London-based nonprofit science education centre embedded within Queen Mary University of London's Blizard Institute, delivering interactive biomedical STEM education to schools, families, and 14-19 year olds through immersive on-site experiences, outreach, and free digital content.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Centre Of The Cell does
Centre of the Cell is a UK-registered nonprofit science education centre operated as Queen Mary University of London's flagship biomedical science public engagement and outreach project. Founded in 2009 and located within the Blizard Institute at QMUL's Whitechapel campus in London, it operates from a single physical site described as the first science education centre in the world to be located within working biomedical research laboratories. The organisation delivers interactive biomedical and STEM education to three primary audiences: schools and groups (curriculum-linked STEM Pod experiences, workshops, and shows), the general public and families (holiday events, venue hire), and young people aged 14-19 (a free Youth Membership Scheme providing work experience, mentoring, summer school, and careers guidance). Two flagship physical experiences anchor the offer: the STEM Pod (opened 2009) and the Neuron Pod (opened 2018), with capacities of 40 and 55 people respectively. Beyond on-site programming, the centre runs an outreach programme delivering shows and workshops to schools, maintains a digital content library (online science games including Skinvaders developed with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, researcher-authored stories updated twice monthly, recorded lectures, and a microscopy gallery), and operates a shop and venue-hire service.
Centre Of The Cell firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Centre Of The Cell
- Legal name
- Centre of the Cell
- Website
- https://centreofthecell.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Centre of the Cell is a London-based nonprofit science education centre embedded within Queen Mary University of London's Blizard Institute, delivering interactive biomedical STEM education to schools, families, and 14-19 year olds through immersive on-site experiences, outreach, and free digital content.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Centre Of The Cell industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Science Education
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (81392)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Biology & Life Science Enrichment (Biotech, Genetics, Anatomy) (EDAMABAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Health Science & Medical STEM Programs (Pre-Med, Public Health) (EDAMABAJ), STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)
Keywords
Where Centre Of The Cell is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Centre Of The Cell business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Educational Services and Bookings: Revenue from school group bookings, public event bookings, and outreach programs. Schools and groups pay via invoice with 30-day payment terms. Individual event bookings are paid at time of booking via credit/debit card.
- Venue Hire: Revenue from hiring out unique event spaces including the STEM Pod and Neuron Pod for private events
- Shop Sales: Revenue from science-inspired and educational products sold through the Centre of the Cell shop
- Donations and Grants: Funding from institutional donors including Wellcome Trust, university partnerships, charitable foundations, and corporate sponsors
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Youth Scheme - Free Membership |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Individual Event Bookings |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Schools and Groups |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Centre Of The Cell product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Centre of the Cell is a nonprofit science education centre that delivers curriculum-linked biomedical science learning through the STEM Pod Experience and Neuron Pod immersive environments, presenter-led workshops and shows, an outreach program that brings activities to schools, a free Youth Membership Scheme for 14-19 year olds, online science games and stories, and venue hire of its unique pod spaces. It is operated as Queen Mary University of London's flagship public engagement project from within the Blizard Institute in Whitechapel, London.
Product overview
Centre of the Cell is Queen Mary University of London's flagship science education centre, operating as a unique interactive science learning facility. It offers a portfolio of experiential education products: the STEM Pod Experience (opened 2009) and Neuron Pod (opened 2018) as its flagship immersive environments; workshops and shows for schools and groups; an outreach program bringing science shows to schools; and a free Youth Scheme Membership for 14-19 year olds providing work experience, mentoring, and careers guidance. Additional offerings include science-themed games (Skinvaders), stories articles, watch-and-listen video content, a scientific image gallery, venue hire, and a shop.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- STEM Pod Experience An immersive interactive experience where visitors engage with cutting-edge cell biology and biomedical science topics within a state-of-the-art pod environment featuring multimedia, sound, film, and interactive elements.
- Neuron Pod A second learning environment offering interactive science education experiences and workshops focused on neuroscience and brain science for visitors.
- Workshops and Shows Interactive presenter-led science shows with demonstrations and hands-on workshops featuring challenges and tasks for groups, covering topics related to cells and the human body, delivered on-site and through outreach.
- Outreach Program Science shows and workshops delivered at schools and organisations, providing curriculum-linked multimedia activities focused on cells and human body topics outside the centre.
- Youth Scheme Membership Free membership programme for 14-19 year olds offering work experience, volunteering, summer school, mentoring, and careers advice sessions for those interested in science and healthcare careers.
- Venue Hire Rental of Centre of the Cell's unique spaces including STEM Pod and Neuron Pod for private and corporate events.
- Shop Online shop offering a range of science-inspired and educational products.
Quantifiable outcome
- Free access to all youth activities removing financial barriers to STEM engagement
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Centre Of The Cell
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Centre Of The Cell technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Centre Of The Cell partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Queen Mary University of LondoncoreParent institution and flagship biomedical science, public engagement, and outreach project. Located at the Blizard Institute within QMUL. Provides research partnership and institutional support.
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and DentistrycoreMedical education partner providing academic connections and student involvement
- Blizard InstitutecoreHost institution providing the working biomedical research laboratory environment that makes Centre of the Cell unique
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Centre Of The Cell competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Techniquest (Cardiff): Wales's leading science discovery centre delivering STEM shows, workshops, and outreach to schools. Comparable in size, school audience focus, and outreach-driven revenue model.
- Glasgow Science Centre: Major UK science centre with immersive exhibits, school workshops, and outreach. Comparable operating model as a regional science centre with similar capacity and programme mix.
- Wellcome Collection: Wellcome Trust's public venue combining biomedical-themed exhibitions, events, and digital content. Closest peer given shared biomedical focus and overlapping Wellcome funding source.
- Science Museum (London): London's flagship science museum delivering interactive STEM learning experiences to school groups and families. Direct comparator on audience, funder base, and curriculum-linked programming, though operating at far greater scale.
- Eureka! The National Children's Museum: UK children's museum in Halifax focused on hands-on STEM learning for school groups and families. Comparable on audience demographic, hands-on exhibit philosophy, and curriculum-linked school programmes.
- Manchester Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI): Major UK science museum delivering interactive exhibits and school workshops. Comparable on immersive STEM experiences, school booking model, and outreach programming.
- Royal Institution: Historic London science engagement organisation running family lectures, schools workshops, and the Christmas Lectures. Comparable on STEM public engagement, London base, and school programming.
- We The Curious (Bristol): Bristol-based interactive science centre offering immersive experiences, school programmes, and public events. Closely comparable in scale, philosophy, and UK science centre positioning.
- Natural History Museum (London): Major London science institution offering school workshops, public engagement, and curriculum-linked biology content. Comparable on school bookings, public programming, and grant-funded education model.
Broad incumbents
- The Franklin Institute: Philadelphia-based science education institution with immersive exhibits, a youth research programme, and strong school partnerships. Comparable on immersive STEM experiences, youth research engagement (e.g., STEM Scholars), and biomedical content emphasis.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Centre Of The Cell social profiles
Digital presenceCentre Of The Cell financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Centre Of The Cell leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Centre Of The Cell funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Centre Of The Cell 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 Centre Of The Cell
What does Centre Of The Cell do?
Centre of the Cell is a nonprofit science education centre that delivers curriculum-linked biomedical science learning through the STEM Pod Experience and Neuron Pod immersive environments, presenter-led workshops and shows, an outreach program that brings activities to schools, a free Youth Membership Scheme for 14-19 year olds, online science games and stories, and venue hire of its unique pod spaces. It is operated as Queen Mary University of London's flagship public engagement project from within the Blizard Institute in Whitechapel, London.
Is Centre Of The Cell a public or private company?
Centre Of The Cell is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Centre Of The Cell founded?
Centre Of The Cell was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Centre Of The Cell based?
Centre Of The Cell is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Centre Of The Cell make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Educational Services and Bookings are the primary driver. The others are venue Hire, shop Sales and donations and Grants.
Who are Centre Of The Cell's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Techniquest (Cardiff), Glasgow Science Centre, Wellcome Collection, Science Museum (London), Eureka! The National Children's Museum, Manchester Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), Royal Institution, We The Curious (Bristol) and Natural History Museum (London). The Franklin Institute is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Centre Of The Cell have an API?
No public API is recorded for Centre Of The Cell.
What industry is Centre Of The Cell in?
Centre Of The Cell's product category is Science Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMABAF, Biology & Life Science Enrichment (Biotech, Genetics, Anatomy), with a secondary code of EDAMABAJ, Health Science & Medical STEM Programs (Pre-Med, Public Health). Its NAICS code is 81392 and its SIC code is 8200.