[DIYbio] Indiebio Accelerator Experience

Hi everyone,

Now that the incubator is de facto over, I want to share the experience. Setting foot in a new country feels weird anyways, plus you don't know what awaits you on the company side of things. But very quickly you get accustomed to the people, all of them are really into biology (why else would you make your own biotech company) and you have a great time talking about numerous topics. Additionally it is so cool to meet people you only knew from the internet, and see them in real life. Nowhere else you find so many people with that passion, words cannot describe. There are some amazing companies coming out of the incubator.

A short overwiev what the projects are:

Ageria: Developing foods beneficial to health and longevity.

Aranex Biotech: Creating a Peanut without allergens

BioCellection: Creating an ocean-friendly fish-farming feed that provide the nutritional requirements of commercially farmed fish without relying on by-catch or trawler-caught fish produce

Efflorus: Producing high-value fragrance compounds from micro-organisms

GlowDX: Creating a diagnostic DNA computer for neglected tropical disease

PiLi: Developing colours for manufactures from natural sources that won't hurt the planet or customers' pockets

Prospective Research Inc: Working on a revolutionary way to discover new medicines from Streptomyces

Saphium: Designing bioplastic-producing algae that eat CO2 and release cheaply-purifiable plastic granules, ready for big or small manufacturing including 3D printing

Sothic Bioscience: Aiming to save the Horseshoe Crab by creating artificial Limulus Blood

It definitely has been one of the most amazing and exciting experiences of my life. I would definitely do it again (with some modifications, of course. E.g. expect an old bike in Ireland to cost 120€ and don't waste days looking for cheaper ones. And don't buy them at cash connectors, they always break down, they give you replacement, they break down, repeat).

The time of „DIY biotech gone business" is now, and with falling costs of DNA synthesis and equipment there's no better opportunity. At University they never mention you can do a biotech start-up, the big pharma companies are what you hear of always.

I can only encourage everybody who has an idea to apply to the Indiebio program. These folks are doing a great job in helping young biology graduates (or older ones) to take the chance of their lives and teach them the basic knowledge on how to run a company. You can always go back to a 9-05 job later, there will always be one.

Here is a link to the demo day livestream (you have to register, but it is free)

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/indiebio-eu-summer-party-demo-dinner-tickets-17453533990

where all the CEOs explain what our companies do.

Cheers,

Andreas