Biotechnology manipulates living organisms or other biological systems to manufacture products or manage the environment. It reaches back many years to the modification of seed crops and the selective breeding of livestock.
In the 20th century, biotechnology saw the discovery of penicillin, the uncovering of the structure of DNA and mapping of the human genome. The 21st century has seen more personalized medicine and stem cell reprogramming. Today there are many biotech business opportunities and here are some trending startup ideas.
- Biomedical startups
The use of biotechnology in health care is higher than in most other sectors. For example, biomedical engineers explore how living and mechanical processes intersect. They design products like internal organs, artificial limbs, laser systems for corrective eye surgery, and devices that regulate insulin.
If you’re a biomedical startup looking for an investor, read this resource from Excedr about top venture capital (VC) firms for biotech and what they want to see in terms of market size, cutting edge research, what you’re doing differently from the competition and your management team’s ability to execute the business plans.
- Biofuel startups
The global biofuel market is expected to double over the next few decades. Biofuel startups are likely to start transforming the energy field. For example, bioethanol decreases dependence on non-renewable fossil fuels by producing fuel from corn, sugarcane, or cellulose biomass.
Algae biofuel absorbs large amounts of carbon so it helps towards carbon neutrality and prevents overuse of croplands. It is made by reproducing and cultivating algae microorganisms. Biodiesel is made from waste vegetable oils and animal fats.
- Biopharmaceutical startups
DNA-derived pharmaceutical products include vaccines, antibodies, biosimilars, cellular immunotherapies, cosmetics and skincare. The Pharmaceutical Research Manufacturers of America estimate that a fourth of all new medicines in the future are likely to be biopharmaceuticals of one kind or another.
Peptide-based pharmaceuticals are popular because of their high safety and efficacy. Antibody-based therapy has the potential to precisely treat different forms of cancer. The prevalence of many autoimmune diseases due to poorly functioning immune metabolism means that intervention in metabolic pathways offers promising therapeutic solutions.
Biopharmaceuticals that modulate the function of key biomarkers can reverse the disease state. The pharmaceutical industry is also taking note of the medicinal potential of cannabis.
- Craft beer brewing startups
The production of beer was one of the first recorded cases of biotech in action. The formula for beer is basically yeast, barley, and hops but the strains of ingredients and choice of dosage require biotechnical expertise.
Microbreweries are reinventing and revitalizing beer and the craft beer trend is expected to continue growing in relevance in the coming years. There’s plenty of hard work that goes into craft better brewing, from adhering to regulations to balancing combinations of flavor and managing a facility and supply chain.
- Agri-clinic startups
Starting an Agri clinic can be a great business startup idea for a biotechnologist. An Agri clinic can provide a wide variety of services to local farmers related to agriculture.
This could include seed processing, soil testing, tissue cultures etc. Soil and water analysis plays an important role in crop yield so farmers always want good quality soil testing. A plant protective service could include pest surveillance, diagnosis, and control.
An Agri clinic could offer different types of hybrid and high-yield seeds, biofertilizers or biopesticides to farmers. Biopesticides are more eco-friendly than chemical pesticides so they are in demand by organic farmers. Livestock farming depends on giving livestock nutritious feeds at competitive prices. A feed processing and testing unit could be a good startup idea but would require some capital investment.