MicrobioMx, a project led by CRG researchers Toni Gabaldon and Pedro González, wins the Science to Business (S2B) Concept Challenge 2016.

Finalists of the S2B Concept Challenge 2016 edition were evaluated by a committee consisting of two industry experts, two investors, a CRG group leader, and a member of the Technology and Business Development Office (TBDO). The evaluation committee awarded the MicrobioMx project, of which they greatly appreciated the scalable business model and the straightforward path to market of the future CRG spin-off.

MicrobioMx will offer commercial grade services in the expanding market of metagenomics analysis of living organisms and their environments, backed by the CRG group leader and ICREA research professor Dr. Toni Gabaldón’s know-how in the sector of metagenomics and by Dr. Pedro González’s business and technical experience in the field of metagenomics services.

The company will dedicate its first phase of operations to build a customizable Minimum Viable Service (MVS) to target private clinics, pharma and food companies. The MVS will mostly hold on CRG existing infrastructure, which has already proven sound throughout several national and international large-scale metagenomics projects, like the citizen science project “Saca la Lengua” aimed at studying the oral microbiome and its possible relationship with lifestyle and environmental conditions.

“The business model we proposed assumes low initial investment and fixed operational costs, allowing the company to reach sustainability and stability in a short period of time and to evolve accordingly to income generated through its sales and from participating in national and European public-private partnerships and consortiums,” explains Toni Gabaldón.  In parallel, MicrobioMX will foster fruitful R&D collaborations with research institutes and hospitals, to start building its own IP portfolio and create value for its shareholders.

About the S2B Concept Challenge
The Science to Business (S2B) Concept Challenge is a TBDO initiative that celebrates the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship among CRG researchers. The challenge aims to address critical healthcare and market needs, while stimulating CRG entrepreneurs to create innovative strategies to address them. The program aligns resources available through CRG’s entrepreneurial ecosystem to maximize the opportunity to launch a successful commercial venture, thus increasing the impact of CRG’s research-derived innovations.