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A: FlexBIO's flagship bioreactor is a 300-litre vessel, making it one of the largest publicly-accessible pilot fermentation units in Scotland. We also have multiple bioreactors at 2L, 7L, and 30L (fermentation) and 3L and 15L (mammalian cell).

A: Yes. FlexBIO is well equipped to support downstream processing and optimisation at pilot scale. We encourage early consideration of DSP, as it is often a key bottleneck during scale-up due to cost and technical complexity.  Our facilities include an end-to-end suite of DSP equipment, covering cell clarification, lysis, filtration, chromatography, and drying. We can support both early-stage process development and integrated scale-up projects.  Working closely with analytical partners we are able to separate product to the desired purity.

A: All projects are treated as confidential. We can put appropriate non-disclosure agreements in place before detailed discussions begin. Customers retain ownership of any background IP that they bring into a project. Any new IP generated during the project will belong to the customer, subject to project fees being paid.  To deliver the project, FlexBIO requires a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use that IP. This licence is limited to project delivery and does not affect your ability to use or commercialise the IP.

A: We aim to provide indicative (ballpark) costs shortly after an initial discussion, with a formal quote typically issued within a few days. Project start times depend on factors such as technology transfer, health and safety review, protocol development, consumables procurement, and contract approval, as well as current facility availability.

In many cases, technology transfer can begin within 2-3 weeks, with projects starting within 4-6 weeks. Shorter timelines are often possible for focused activities such as downstream processing or strain screening, which we offer as part of our “Short Duration Projects”.

A: Yes. FlexBIO operates under containment level 2 conditions, enabling safe scale-up of both wildtype and genetically modified microorganisms. Our team can advise on organism classification and appropriate containment requirements.

A: Yes. IBioIC provides discounted access rates for universities, startups and small-to-medium enterprises to make pilot-scale bioprocessing financially accessible. Please mention your company size when enquiring.

A: Yes. Every enquiry begins with a no-obligation confidential technical consultation with a member of our bioprocess team. There is no charge for this initial discussion.  We may require some information and have a simple enquiry form we can send out which gathers critical non-confidential information to help aid an initial discussion.

A: FlexBIO primarily supports TRL 4–7 - the critical transition zone between laboratory proof-of-concept and full industrial-scale production. This is the "valley of death" for many biotech companies, and addressing it is IBioIC's core mission.

A: Yes. FlexBIO supports a range of pre-processing steps, including maceration (0.2-4 mm), drying, and pressing. Combined with our capabilities in both liquid and solid-state fermentation, this allows us to work with complex and novel feedstocks such as biomass and waste streams. We have experience delivering valorisation projects that integrate these materials into fermentation processes.

A: There are some areas where we may refer you to trusted partners within the IBioIC network or the Pilots4U EU database. If your requirements fall outside our current capabilities, we’ll help connect you with the right expertise.

Examples include:

• We operate to GLP standards but are not GMP or ISO accredited.

• We do not currently support scale-up to food-grade production, although we are actively exploring this with partners.

• Much of our equipment is not ATEX-rated (spark-free). However, suitability can be process-dependent, so we encourage you to get in touch to discuss your specific requirements - particularly for volatile products

A:  Simply get in touch via our enquiry form or email. We’ll arrange an initial confidential consultation to understand your process, goals, and scale-up challenges. From there, we can propose a tailored project plan, including timelines, costs, and technical approach.

A:  Projects typically begin with a technical scoping phase, followed by process development and optimisation at smaller scale after technology transfer, before progressing to pilot-scale fermentation and downstream processing. We work closely with clients throughout to generate data that supports further scale-up or commercialisation.  We can help with projects from 1 hour of technical advice or equipment use, through to multiple fermentation campaigns over several months.