Discover the Top 10 Trends in Biotechnology (2024)

How do emerging technologies impact the development of the biotech industry? Explore our in-depth research on 4351 bioTech startups & scaleups and get data-driven insights into solutions spanning gene editing, precision medicine, biomanufacturing, microfluidics & beyond!

Recent innovations in biotechnology are moving towards trends like artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, and automation to optimize production. Consequently, there has been a rise in consumer biotech or biotechnology products targeted directly at customers instead of biopharma or healthcare businesses. Which trends in biotechnology have a big impact on the industry?

While the industry largely still focuses on medicine, startups are working on solutions ranging from food and materials to environmental monitoring. The COVID-19 pandemic really highlighted the far-reaching impact of the BioTech industry, with startups and companies biomanufacturing rapid testing kits, repurposed drugs, and vaccines. This report was published in March 2021 and updated in January 2024.

Top 10 Trends in Biotechnology (2024)

  1. Artificial Intelligence
  2. Big Data
  3. Gene Editing
  4. Precision Medicine
  5. Gene Sequencing
  6. Biomanufacturing
  7. Synthetic Biology
  8. Bioprinting
  9. Microfluidics
  10. Tissue Engineering

Innovation Map outlines the Top 10 BioTech Industry Trends & 20 Promising Startups

For this in-depth research on the top 10 trends in biotechnology and startups, we analyzed a sample of 4351 global startups & scaleups. This data-driven research provides innovation intelligence that helps you improve strategic decision-making by giving you an overview of emerging technologies in the biotech industry. In the Biotechnology Innovation Map below, you get a comprehensive overview of the innovation trends & startups that impact your company.

These insights are derived by working with our Big Data & Artificial Intelligence-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering 3 790 000+ startups & scaleups globally. As the world’s largest resource for data on emerging companies, the SaaS platform enables you to identify relevant technologies and industry trends quickly & exhaustively.

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Tree Map reveals the Impact of the Top 10 Trends in BioTechnology on the Industry

Based on the Biotech Innovation Map, the Tree Map below illustrates the impact of the new advances in biotechnology. Startups and scaleups leverage AI, big data, and analytics to interpret the massive amounts of biological data available now to speed up innovation in the industry. Gene sequencing and gene editing technologies allow companies to understand genomes and engineer them for commercial purposes.

This facilitates applications in precision medicine and synthetic biology, with the latter employing DNA synthesis as well. Biomanufacturing enables sustainable and scalable manufacturing of a wide range of products. Lastly, startups utilize bioprinting, microfluidics, and tissue engineering to reinvent what a biotech product means – with offerings ranging from cultured meat and artificial organs to miniaturized labs.

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Global Startup Heat Map covers 4351 BioTech Startups & Scaleups

The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights the global distribution of the 4351 exemplary startups and scaleups that we analyzed for this research. Created through the StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, the Heat Map reveals that the US is home to most of these companies while we also observe increased activity in Europe, particularly in France.

Below, you get to meet 20 out of these 4351 promising startups and scaleups as well as the solutions they develop. These 20 emerging technologies in biotechnology were hand-picked based on criteria such as founding year, location, funding raised, and more. Depending on your specific needs, your top picks might look entirely different.

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Top 10 Trends in Biotechnology (2024)

1. Artificial Intelligence

AI enables biotechnology startups to automate a wide range of processes, helping them scale up their operations. For instance, biopharma startups leverage AI to speed up the drug discovery process, screening biomarkers as well as scraping through the scientific literature to discover novel products. Image classification algorithms are employed for the swift detection of traits, such as symptoms of crop diseases in leaf images or cancer cells in medical scans.

Deep learning is another tool being utilized for microbiome analysis, phenotype screening, and rapid diagnostics development. Furthermore, AI finds application in environmental biotechnology for effective ecosystem monitoring and management.

Arpeggio Bio develops Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) platform

Arpeggio Bio is a US-based startup developing an RNA platform to guide therapeutic development. The startup’s solution uses AI to interpret RNA time series data for signaling pathway reconstruction. It turns RNA analysis data into visualizations that provide insights into how drugs affect RNA levels depending on dose, time, and tissue.

DeepTrait Identifies Genetic Markers

Swedish startup DeepTrait uses AI to identify genetic markers. The startup’s proprietary deep neural network architectures analyze genomic data to understand the genetic mechanisms of a trait. DeepTrait’s solution finds applications in plant and livestock breeding, novel drug design, and the development of diagnostics.

2. Big Data

In the realm of Biotechnology, a vast amount of data is now accessible, thanks to the expansion of omics technologies and the integration of sensors and IoT devices. This data abundance enables biotechnology startups to innovate by utilizing big data and analytics solutions. It allows biopharma companies to recruit patients for clinical trials more effectively. Startups and companies deploy bioinformatics solutions to develop better feed, improve crop and livestock varieties, and explore undiscovered microbes.

Fresh Wind Biotechnologies advances Cancer Treatment

US startup Fresh Wind Biotechnologies develops a platform that leverages vast biological datasets to inform and improve the development of personalized cancer treatments. The startup’s technology, Adoptive Cell Therapy (ACT), enhances patients’ immune cells to target cancer effectively. It also specializes in Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte (TIL) therapy, which isolates, activates, and expands a patient’s T cells.

BioBox Analytics develops Genomic Data Analytics Platform

Canadian startup BioBox Analytics develops a genomic data analytics platform. It uses a data library to manage all models, samples, and data and runs bioinformatic pipelines in the cloud. The solution identifies gene enrichment, tissues/cell expression, and ontology. The startup also provides solutions to visualize insights and query papers, datasets, and genes.

3. Gene Editing

The evolution of genetic engineering has led to precise genome edits, moving away from random DNA insertions. Engineered nucleases and, more recently, CRISPR have enhanced gene editing efficiency, acting as molecular scissors. These advancements have broadened the scope of gene therapy, treating genetic disorders and other conditions by adding, replacing, or silencing specific genes.

Furthermore, targeted gene modification facilitates the creation of superior transgenic plants and animals. The pharmaceutical industry also employs gene editing to devise advanced therapies, particularly for cancer treatment.

iECURE advances In Vivo Gene Insertion Technology

US-based iECURE is developing gene-editing therapies to treat rare genetic liver diseases in children. It uses its in vivo gene insertion technology to deliver a healthy copy of the defective gene, independent of the underlying mutations. Its pipeline includes treatments for conditions like ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency, citrullinemia type 1, and phenylketonuria.

Plastomics offers Chloroplast Editing

US-based startup Plastomics develops a next-generation delivery technology for chloroplast editing. Unlike nuclear traits, editing chromosomal traits leads to more effective trait integration, as well as speeds up time to market. This makes the startup’s solution suitable for applications such as modifying photosynthetic pathways and metabolic pathway engineering.

4. Precision Medicine

The declining costs of gene editing and sequencing have made these technologies more commonplace in clinical practice. This has given rise to precision medicine, a strategy that empowers physicians to determine effective treatment and prevention strategies for specific groups. It also facilitates personalized treatment for a variety of diseases, including cancers.

Biotechnology startups are capitalizing on precision medicine to uncover new drug targets, discover innovative drugs, provide gene therapies, and devise new drug delivery technologies. In the field of oncology, precision medicine enables tailored cancer treatments based on individual genetic mutations. This trend is also making waves in rare disease research, where unique genetic insights are leading to groundbreaking therapies.

iLoF offers Personalized Therapies

British startup iLoF offers a precise, patient-centric drug development platform. The blood-based platform finds biological nanostructures in liquid dispersions such as plasma. The platform is rapid and non-invasive and facilitates the development of precise and personalized therapies. The startup’s screening test classifies patients for clinical trials.

Dyno Therapeutics develops Gene Therapy

Dyno Therapeutics is a US-based startup developing AI-powered gene therapies. The startup’s CapsidMap platform optimizes adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors to improve targeting ability. The solution maps the synthetic AAV capsid sequence space to develop better gene therapy vectors.

5. Gene Sequencing

A significant drop in DNA sequencing costs has unlocked numerous industry applications. Whole genome sequencing now identifies pediatric disorders and enables personalized treatments. It also facilitates the establishment of large cohorts with comprehensive phenotyping. Rapid and affordable, sequencing detects microbes, from pathogens in clinical and dairy samples to beneficial soil microbes. Innovation thrives as biotechnology startups develop new sequencing technologies and explore fresh gene sequencing applications.

BioClavis offers Personalized Diagnostics

British startup BioClavis offers personalized diagnostics. The startup’s TempO-Seq platform enables quick and inexpensive high-throughput profiling of the protein-coding transcriptome. By using defined input sequences, the solution increases the efficiency and needs only 10 % sequencing reads as compared to RNA-Seq. The startup also develops a solution for the rapid and accurate identification of active COVID-19 infections.

BioSkryb provides Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) Workflow

Bioskryb is a US-based startup developing ResolveDNA, a whole-genome sequencing workflow. The startup’s workflow is compatible with single cells, multiple cells, and low-input DNA samples. BioSkryb also offers the BaseJumper Bioinformatics Platform, compatible with most sequencing platforms, for DNA sequencing analysis.

 

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6. Biomanufacturing

Biomanufacturing utilizes biological systems for the production of medical products and therapies, biomaterials, food & beverages, and specialty chemicals. Startups are advancing different cell culture, fermentation, and recombinant production technologies to make biomanufacturing inexpensive and scalable.

The use of biological raw materials also makes it comparatively more sustainable as compared to other manufacturing paradigms. The industry’s production models are also adopting machine learning and automation. By integrating Industry 4.0 models, Biotechnology startups offer bioprocessing 4.0 to optimize each step of the production process.

Proteinea develops an Insect-based Production Platform

US-based startup Proteinea develops an insect-based production platform for next-gen biomanufacturing. The startup InsectaPro technology leverages mass-produced insect larvae as mini-bioreactors for recombinant production. It grows them in data-driven vertical farms, making the process predictable and environmentally sustainable. The solution enables a more scalable and robust alternative to conventional bioreactors.

Deep Branch offers Gas Fermentation

Deep Branch is a British startup that converts carbon dioxide from industrial emissions into high-value chemicals. It uses a proprietary gas fermentation process to turn captured carbon dioxide into Proton, a single-cell protein. Proton is optimized for use as animal feed and has high protein and vitamin content and an optimal amino acid profile.

7. Synthetic Biology

Unprecedented advancements in genome reading and writing accelerate product development in biotechnology. Synthetic biology ensures standardization and reproducibility, manipulating organisms at the gene network level.

Synthetic biology startups tackle diverse challenges, from computational drug design to cellular agriculture and microbiome solutions. Bacterial cell factories yield valuable biochemicals for pharma, materials, and food applications. Beyond microbes, mammalian synthetic biology solutions are emerging. The fusion of genetic engineering and computational design creates custom DNA sequences for specific applications.

LenioBio provides Cell-Free Protein Expression

German startup LenioBio develops plant-based, cell-free protein expression solutions. The startup’s ALiCE kit produces over 500 proteins with post-translational modifications at a high yield of 3 mg/ml. It simply requires the addition of a gene in a plasmid to the lysate, eliminating the need for multiple pipetting steps. The startup manufactures reporter proteins, antigens, antibodies, allergens, and hormones for use in BioTech and biopharma sectors.

Ribbon Biolabs offers DNA synthesis

Ribbon Biolabs is an Austrian startup developing new methods for DNA synthesis. The startup’s process combines biochemistry, algorithms, and automation to drive precise and multiplexed DNA synthesis. It synthesizes DNA for diverse applications in BioTech, biopharma, and agriculture by building entire genomes or developing libraries for antibody screening. Moreover, it also facilitates DNA-based nanotechnology and storing information or computing with DNA.

8. Bioprinting

Additive manufacturing in biotechnology has led to the emergence of bioprinting startups offering a plethora of materials and products. Bioprinters, working with bio-inks derived from bio-based materials or biomaterials, are utilized. Cells serve as substrates in medical applications, growing around a scaffold to develop bone, skin, or vascular grafts. This process enables the creation of personalized medicine using the patient’s own cells. Bioprinting also finds use in rapid prototyping and biopolymer development.

3D Biotechnology Solutions enables Biofabrication

3D Biotechnology Solutions is a Brazilian startup developing bioprinting solutions. Genesis, the startup’s bioprinter for 3D biofabrication, serves the needs of researchers working on tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The startup also offers BioFDM, another printer that performs fused deposition modeling (FDM) with biocompatible polymers.

Prometheus offers Artificial 3D Tissues

Italian startup Prometheus offers 3D bioprinting of human tissues with high cell viability. The startup combines cells with biomaterials to create a bio-ink which is then printed layer by layer. The artificial 3D human tissue has a similar composition, functionality, and architecture to that of real human tissue. The startup also develops Ematik Ready, a veterinary patch that promotes wound healing in dogs and horses.

9. Microfluidics

The interest in microfluidics in the BioTech industry stems from the need for lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices. These miniaturized labs enable affordable, swift testing of infectious diseases, paving the way for point-of-care diagnostics. Paper-based microfluidics for diagnostics and environmental monitoring are being developed by startups. Organ-on-a-chip (OOC) devices, simulating organ physiology on small chips, find applications in drug screening and disease modeling.

Eden Tech offers Microfabrication Solutions

Eden Tech is a French startup leveraging microfluidics for microfabrication solutions. The startup provides a range of microfluidic equipment and accessories, as well as Flexdym, a biocompatible polymer. It develops high-volume artificial organs for use in the MedTech sector. For cleantech applications, the startup’s solutions use smart microchannel networks for ultra-efficient wastewater filtration.

Transition Bio develops a Droplet Microfluidics-based Drug Discovery Platform

US-based startup Transition Bio develops a proprietary drug discovery platform called Condensomics which leverages droplet microfluidics, cellular imaging, and machine learning. Its technology enables the study of biomolecular condensates, which are implicated in many diseases, with high precision. The startup harnesses microfluidics and cellular platforms to map condensates in molecular detail. Additionally, machine learning algorithms on proprietary datasets model spatiotemporal networks in cells for target discovery, validation, and drug design.

10. Tissue Engineering

Tissue engineering startups have grown sharply in number in recent years, thanks in large part to developments in bioprinting and microfluidics. It enables the creation of autologous tissue grafts for treating burns and organ transplantation and for regenerative medicine.

While traditionally focused on biomedical applications, tissue engineering now explores sustainable alternatives to animal products like meat or leather. However, achieving a scale that makes food products cost-comparable to animal-based products is necessary. Cardiac tissue engineering also offers potential solutions for heart disease treatments, addressing the shortcomings of traditional transplant methods.

Aleph Farms produces Cultured Meat

Aleph Farms is an Israeli startup that produces cultured meat. The startup isolates cells from healthy cows and grows them into an ethical and sustainable meat alternative. It produces indistinguishably real beef steaks without the need for slaughtering animals or producing carbon emissions. The startup’s process also offers a way to sustainably grow food in long-term space missions.

LyGenesis develops Organ Regeneration Technology

US-based startup LyGenesis develops an organ regeneration technology platform. It transforms lymph nodes into functioning ectopic organs, enabling the treatment of dozens of patients from a single donor organ. The startup transplants its cell therapy using outpatient endoscopic ultrasound, eliminating the need for surgery.

Discover all Biotechnology Trends, Technologies & Startups

These trends in biotechnology rapidly accelerate research in biomanufacturing, bioprinting, and precision medicine, among other upcoming applications. Moreover, the developments in the BioTech industry often percolate into the pharma industry. BioTech is essential to sustainability as well, providing eco-friendly alternatives to the production of materials and promoting a circular economy.

These new trends in biotechnology and startups outlined in this report only scratch the surface of trends that we identified during our data-driven innovation & startup scouting process. Identifying new opportunities & emerging technologies to implement into your business goes a long way in gaining a competitive advantage.

 

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