Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre supported Mercel Ltd in accelerating the development of a seaweed-based laundry film material with potential to replace synthetic polymers.

The Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) was established in 2014 to stimulate growth of the Industrial Biotechnology (IB) in Scotland. IBioIC is recognised as a European centre of excellence and connects world-leading industry with outstanding academic expertise and government to bring new IB processes and products to the global market. IBioIC provides support and expertise to ease the innovation journey of entrepreneurs by de-risking investment into IB and helping large and small companies accelerate the development of products and processes for global markets. It has been pivotal in delivering the ambitious targets of the National Plan for IB and has built a critical dynamic mass of connections and knowledge. It facilitates collaborations between the business community and Higher and Further Education institutions, provides skills and talent development, and offers technical support and pilot-scale capabilities via FlexBIO, an open-access lab at Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh, which recently welcomed the addition of Scotland’s only open-access 300l fermenter. Biotechnology uses plant-based and waste resources to produce or process materials, chemicals and energy, offering green and sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels in everything from energy, to medicines and food packaging. Biotechnology is one of the means to deliver the move to a greener and more sustainable economy, and part of the solution to climate change. IBioIC supports over 400 companies, 13 research projects per year, and works with 21 Scottish universities and research institutes. IBioIC is hosted by the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow’s Innovation District.

Founded 2014