Stellenbosch University (SU) has announced the opening of LaunchLab CERIBIO, a biotechnology laboratory for biotechnology startups. This facility is an extension of the services offered to entrepreneurs by SU’s business incubator, the LaunchLab. This initiative aims to accelerate the local biotechnology sector, bridging the gap between research and real-world impact. The laboratory has been specifically designed to provide entrepreneurs with the necessary equipment and incubation support to commercialise their biotech research.

Biotechnology has the potential to solve some of Africa’s most pressing challenges ranging from health, food security and the development of sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels. Among SU’s current 35 spinout companies, ten are in the biotechnology sector. Innovus Technology Transfer Office (TTO) and LaunchLab have successfully incubated five biotech spinouts – Fluorobiotech, Biocode, Phagoflux, Urobo Biotech and Immobazyme. During the incubation of these companies two critical barriers were identified: the high costs of material as well as laboratory infrastructure. Unlike traditional academic or government biotech facilities, the LaunchLab CERIBIO aims to solve this challenge by providing entrepreneurs with affordable state-of-the-art laboratory space, equipment and specialised business support to help scale their biotechnology ventures. The facility is a strategic investment to boost Africa’s biotechnology ecosystem and attract more investment into deep tech ventures.

“We have an incredible foundation for research at Stellenbosch University and in South Africa, in general. However, we lack biotech laboratory incubators that can convert our world-class science into products”, comments Prof. Tulio de Oliveira, Director of the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI). He adds that, “during the pandemic, we lead the world in the discovery of variants and clinical trials, but we were at the back of the queue to access diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines. That is one of the reasons why we are investing in LaunchLab CERIBIO, to position South Africa as a global leader in the production of biotechnology products that save lives and advance livelihoods”.

The commercialisation of deep technologies by startups has a high impact potential, specifically in Africa, because the continent has less resources compared to the rest of the world. Despite South Africa’s thriving startup ecosystem, investors prefer to invest in software, fintech, and consumer-driven sectors which have a much faster time to market. It is almost crucial therefore, that universities actively participate in ecosystem conversations to advocate for increased infrastructure and investment flow into science-based ventures with high commercial and global impact potential.

Anita Nel, Chief Director of Innovation & Commercialisation (I&C) at SU, founded the original LaunchLab in 2015 and spearheaded the LaunchLab CERIBIO project with a strategic vision to create a space that supports both business incubation and commercial collaboration. This model has proven to be successful, exemplified by ventures such as CubeSpace, an aerospace spinout on its way to becoming Africa’s first university spinout unicorn.

“The LaunchLab CERIBIO coupled with the LaunchLab business incubator facility is the start of what we hope will foster more collaboration in our ecosystem. SU LaunchLab will continue hosting various ecosystem events and programmes in collaboration with Stellenbosch Network and Innovus TTO. These activities are always driving local investor support, and the LaunchLab CERIBIO adds some depth to this community by attracting local and global investors, and stakeholders who are keen to collaborate,” states Nel.

Serving as a prominent project partner, SU biotechnology spinout Fluorobiotech, has spearheaded the facility’s renovations, design, and implementation. The team will also manage and run LaunchLab CERIBIO under an agreed Service Level Agreement with the SU Innovation & Commercialisation Division (I&C). The lab space will be shared with their spinout peers Biocode and Phagoflux.

“Biotech is experiencing a surge in South Africa, and LaunchLab CERIBIO is uniquely positioned to accelerate this momentum – empowering biotech startups to transform innovative concepts into impactful, industry-changing realities,” Fluorobiotech team.

The co-shared space is a significant step forward for South Africa’s biotechnology and deep technology industries, enabling more biotechnology companies to compete on a global stage. Despite the crucial impact of the facility, SU’s I&C Division acknowledges that it has capacity limitations, and with their usual forward-thinking approach, aim to raise enough funds to establish a larger facility that can accommodate even more African biotechnology companies. The University plans to replicate LaunchLab and LaunchLab CERIBIO, but on a much bigger scale at The Bridge – a new smart city development close to Stellenbosch and are looking for partners to collaborate with them in this regard.

In a final comment Prof. De Oliviera declares, “this is just the beginning, we are already engaged with large funders and investors such as the Mastercard Foundation to help us expand the ecosystem.”

SU LaunchLab operates as an integral part of the I&C Division, working closely with the Innovus TTO to provide business incubation support to SU entrepreneurs. SU LaunchLab offers various services, including student entrepreneurship programmes, new company creation, portfolio company support, and fund management. Through the development of bespoke initiatives such as entrepreneurial mindset workshops, faculty-specific bootcamps, hackathons, and incubation programmes, SU LaunchLab helps to nurture the next generation of entrepreneurs at SU. The department also provides administrative, governance, and strategic support to spin-out companies, ensuring their long-term success within the SU ecosystem.

The Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI) is a globally recognised institute based at Stellenbosch University, dedicated to improving epidemic responses through cutting-edge research and innovation. CERI is a specialised genomics facility of the WHO AFRO and the Africa CDC and a training hub for Africa. CERI is based at Stellenbosch University. CERI recently launched the African STARS Fellowship Program in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, to provide advanced training and capacity building in biotechnology innovation to help Africa to control its own epidemics and pandemics. Connect with us at www.ceri.org.za and on X: @ceri_news and LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ceri-su/

The I&C Division has the exclusive mandate to manage and commercialise SU’s intellectual property portfolio and other business opportunities, including the use of its facilities, in consultation with relevant faculties and PASS environments.
Through its various divisions, I&C Division plays a crucial role in driving innovation, fostering entrepreneurship, and ensuring the sustainable commercial growth of Stellenbosch University.