IBioIC - Driving Scotland’s Industrial Biotechnology Forward

We are delighted to welcome the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) as one of the valued sponsors of Beauty By The Sea 2025. Established in 2014, IBioIC has become a European centre of excellence, advancing Scotland’s leadership in industrial biotechnology. By connecting world-class researchers with innovative companies and government partners, IBioIC plays a pivotal role in bringing new biotechnology processes and products to global markets. With a network of over 380 members spanning food, feed, cosmetics, sustainable materials, green chemicals, and textiles, IBioIC is driving forward Scotland’s National Plan for Industrial Biotechnology—targeting £1.2 billion in turnover and 4,000 jobs by 2025. Beyond strategy, IBioIC offers hands-on support through collaboration, scale-up facilities, and skills development, ensuring that emerging biotech ventures can grow and thrive.
​
As a nation with an extensive coastline and a rich history of seaweed use, Scotland is now experiencing a renaissance in marine biotechnology. IBioIC is at the heart of this transformation, supporting seaweed valorisation, packaging innovation, and cosmetic applications through initiatives like its open-access FlexBIO bioprocessing facility near Edinburgh. This makes Scotland an attractive hub for marine biotech innovation—and IBioIC a natural partner for Beauty By The Sea.

We are thrilled to have IBioIC join us in Oban, where their insights and international perspective will help strengthen collaboration between Scotland, Canada, and the global community in building a sustainable bioeconomy.

1. Can you introduce IBioIC and explain its role in advancing industrial biotechnology in Scotland?

The Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) was established in 2014 to stimulate growth of the Industrial Biotechnology (IB) in Scotland.  IBioIC is recognized 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 facilitates collaboration, provides scale-up capabilities, creates networks and develops skills and training provisions. IBioIC has 380+ industry members, the majority of which are SME or micro companies and across all sectors from food and feed, cosmetics, sustainable materials, green chemicals and textiles.
 
IBioIC is a key driver of Scotland’s National Plan for Industrial Biotechnology, which recently set a new target of £1.2 billion in associated turnover and 4,000 direct employees by 2025 for the industry in Scotland.
 
2. How do you see seaweed and algae contributing to the bioeconomy, particularly in sectors like cosmetics, packaging, and sustainable materials?

Scotland is a nation with an extensive coastline and a long tradition of using seaweed for food and materials. Recently there has been a renaissance in the seaweed industry, generating a wealth of exciting new commercial opportunities in novel foods, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and packaging.
 

3. What makes Scotland an attractive hub for marine biotech innovation, and how does IBioIC support companies in scaling up?

Scotland has a wealth of world class research in marine sciences – from unique algal culture collections to innovations in seaweed cultivation – and a vibrant start up scene. It also has a great supply of talented professionals, excellent investment and funding opportunities, and extensive business support.
IBioIC is a key player in industrial biotechnology in Scotland and can offer support, connections and advice for researchers and companies in marine biotechnology. Importantly, IBioIC also operates an open-access bioprocess facility called FlexBIO, which can help support bioprocesses scale-up to 300L and seaweed valorisation projects. The facility, based just outside Edinburgh, also delivers a wide range of hands-on training courses. IBioIC - Bioprocessing Scale-Up Centre
 
4. Where do you see the biggest opportunities for collaboration between Scotland and Canada in seaweed innovation and industrial biotechnology?

Scotland and Canada can work together to share expertise and learnings around seaweed cultivation and processing, biotechnology process scale up, and skills and training.
 
5. What excites you most about participating in Beauty By The Sea 2025, and what message would you share with global innovators attending the event?
​
IBioIC is excited to attend Beauty By the Sea to make new connections across the cosmetic industry and to forge international collaborations to grow the marine biotechnology industry in Scotland. Please come and say hello and find out more about Scotland's beautiful biotech!

Visit the Website