Industry Engagement 
WORLD-CLASS FUNDAMENTAL SCIENCE
NBIC expands, catalyses and harnesses 
the UK’s academic and industrial strengths 
in biofilms to deliver national benefit. We 
engage closely with industry partners to 
understand their unmet needs, operating 
contexts, and the constraints and levers 
within their markets.
Through this ongoing engagement, we 
leverage the capabilities of our research 
partners to address these needs, creating 
opportunities for industry–academic 
collaboration, investment and income 
generation.
Our strategy aligns unmet industrial biofilm challenges 
with potential solutions, positioning NBIC as a key 
component of our partners’ innovation pipelines. 
We systematically listen to, understand and assess 
industry needs and capabilities, then facilitate 
connections through targeted mechanisms, including 
Translational Funding calls, FTMA competitions 
and partner searches, as well as signposting 
relevant external opportunities. Through proactive 
and sustained engagement, we have established 
meaningful relationships with more than 300 
businesses across all biofilm-relevant sectors, from 
micro-enterprises to large corporates.
Within the UK Modern Industrial Strategy, our work 
aligns most directly with the IS-8 sectors of Life 
Sciences, Advanced Manufacturing, and Digital and 
Technologies, particularly at the convergence of 
Engineering Biology and AI-enabled biofilm technology 
development. It also contributes to wider UK 
priorities across health, marine, net zero, the circular 
economy, defence, and food and water security. 
Guided by our Industrial Advisory Board, we have 
strengthened activity in previously underrepresented 
areas, particularly Water, Waste Management, 
Personal Care, the Built Environment and Marine.
Since its launch in 2024, the Industry Membership 
scheme has grown, providing a structured 
platform for commercial development and deeper 
industry engagement in biofilm innovation.
Together, these activities strengthen the pathway 
from industry need to practical application. NBIC 
accelerates knowledge transfer and translation 
by bringing together complementary capabilities, 
while our partner search function matches industry 
needs with relevant academic and commercial 
expertise through direct brokerage and targeted 
outreach. Our cross-sector workshops then build 
momentum around shared challenges, generating 
new collaborations, influential position papers, and 
a diverse and growing innovation portfolio with clear 
potential for commercial and societal impact.
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