Biotechnology
The Biotechnology team at Innovate UK Business Connect focuses on Industrial Biotechnology (IB), Engineering Biology (EB, commonly referred to as Synthetic Biology) and Microbiomes.
Specialist Areas
|Sectors
|Case Studies
|Opportunities
|Case Studies
|Events
|Experts
|News
|Perspective
|Programmes
These technologies have the potential to carry out transformations which would not be feasible, technically or economically, using traditional chemistry. They hold the potential to make entirely new materials or to develop processes which run at low or ambient temperatures, thus reducing energy consumption. Consequently they can have a major impact in the UK’s move to Net Zero emissions.
The team works with all sectors that either use, or are interested in using, biotechnology in their business, in particular Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Home & Personal Care, AgroChemicals, Food and Drink – and many more.
Our experts use deep knowledge of the sector to help you and your business innovate through access to funding, expertise and building connections and collaborations. The team works closely with national bodies such as the Industrial Biotechnology Leadership Forum (IBLF) and the Engineering Biology Leadership Council (EBLC). In 2025 we launched the Engineering Biology Innovation Network, aiming to progress innovations, create a commercially focused community, and foster new consortia to advance innovations towards commercial applications.
Our current focus in this area
Related Opportunities
European Space Agency: Bioengineering In The Space Environment
Opens: 29/09/2025 Closes: 29/10/2025
€200k per project for enabling studies to support industry in assessing the potential of bioengineering in microgravity environments.
More Information
Resource efficiency for resilience and sustainability: feasibility studies
Opens: 22/09/2025 Closes: 03/11/2025
Up to £25k per project for innovative feasibility studies in novel, sustainable, low carbon materials and manufacturing, including seaweed processing.
More Information
Farmed animals and aquaculture SPARK Awards
Opens: 20/10/2025 Closes: 26/11/2025
UK-registered academic institutions or Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs) can apply for up to £20,000 to collaborate with a UK-registered SME to accelerate the development of innovative products, processes or services to drive sustainable production within the UK farmed animal or aquacult
More Information
Related Events and Recordings
Our Experts
Related News
18/06/2024
Materials Research Exchange 2024: event highlights
Highlights from the Reimagining Materials and Manufacturing Together team, who attended this year’s Materials Research Exchange.
Read more
20/09/2024
Getting to GRIPS with plastic waste
Over 600 delegates attended the fourth annual Global Research and Innovation in Plastics Sustainability Conference (GRIPS 2024) on Thursday 19 September, held at the University of Sheffield, and online.
Read more
Related programmes
Engineering Biology Innovation Network
Driving the development of a joined-up UK innovation ecosystem to ensure synthetic biology tools, technologies and processes can be more easily developed and adopted by a variety of industries.
Microbiome Landscape
Connecting the UK’s growing microbiome community to raise the visibility of the UK’s world leading microbiome science and enable its translation to benefit academic institutions, start-ups, SMEs and larger established companies.