Discovery and Insights into the SynBio Ecosystem of 2021
The synthetic biology ecosystem is a multifaceted one, with many different stakeholders that all serve to contribute in many ways to create a thriving community. In these 2 reports, we showcase the breadth of the community, ranging from the various non-profits that serve to increase accessibility to underserved communities, to the many startups and partners that work together with EPIC all around the world. We hope you will have an enjoyable time reading through the reports. Below are some quick summaries:
EPIC Q1 and Q2 - Updates and Outlook from the iGEM Startup Ecosystem
In this report, we take a broader look at what the iGEM Startup Ecosystem looks like in 2021. This year has been a bumper year for synthetic biology, and iGEM startups have benefited significantly - a total of 3Bn USD have been raised by iGEM alumni companies. We possess a truly global startup community, with over 40 countries having an iGEM alumni startup, and we are poised to continue growing that number in the years to come. Startups have also branched out of the traditional biopharma route, with a number working on diagnostics, biomaterials and food - all of which are reflected in the increasing diversity of founders that we work with, with almost half of our founders being women. We also highlight the story of how Ginkgo Bioworks, an iGEM startup, has been a shining light for the community, and touch a bit on how the pandemic has both impacted and spurred innovation in synthetic biology.
Please find the report here!
Some statistics of our amazing iGEM startups!
iGEM Non-Profits - A Special Report
When one thinks of startups, one generally thinks of profit-making, billion-dollar companies. However, what is commonly neglected in this train of thought is the non-profit organizations (such as iGEM itself!) striving to build the community of people that will then serve to contribute to the wider ecosystem as a whole. In this report, we highlight some of the non-profits that iGEM alumni have founded over the years. From running educational undergraduate courses in Canada (CSBERG) to developing local incubators aimed at nurturing homegrown innovators (SynBio Africa), these non-profits show how one can continue to serve and promote synthetic biology, building the ground for further innovations to come.
Please find the report here!
The many organizations covered in the report!
We hope you will enjoy reading these reports! If you have further questions, please feel free to drop us a mail at epic@igem.org.
If you are keen on contributing to the ecosystem and helping us grow the community, we want you! Sign up to be a committee member here.
