TWB is a biofoundry supported by three public institutions that are pillars of French research: INRAE, INSA, and CNRS.
Created in 2012 as part of the French government’s Programme d’Investissements d’Avenir, TWB benefits from a consortium of around fifty public and private stakeholders who help guide our strategy alongside our founding institutions. We have supported more than 10 start-ups in achieving their ambitions.
Organized around our core expertise—microbial cell factories and the development of industrially scalable, disruptive biosolutions—we carry out around fifty R&D projects each year to build new sustainable production pathways. In close interaction with international stakeholders, we are actively involved in networks working toward a more innovative and efficient biotechnology industry.
2012
Pre-industrial demonstrator
Joint Service Unit (UMS) managed by INRAE, under the joint supervision of INRAE, INSA, and CNRS (UMS INRAE 1337; UAR CNRS 3582), supported by a consortium of private and public partners that chairs the Strategic Orientation Committee (COS).
Direction executive : Pascal Chapon
Direction de l’unité : Elisabeth Lance
Comité d’Orientation Stratégique réunissant une trentaine de représentants du consortium, des tutelles et de la direction de TWB, analyses chimiques et cytométrie
Président du COS : Michaël O’Donohue, directeur scientifique Bioéconomie d’INRAE
Vice-Président du COS : Jérémie Blache, président de Pili
Developing industrial biotechnology for a high-performing and sustainable economy
Research and development in biotechnology (TRL 1 to 6)
Synthetic biology, microbial resource management, bioprocesses, scale-up
3500m2
TWB’s governance is based on its consortium, an executive management team, and complementary governing bodies.
TWB’s executive management is led by the Executive Director and the Unit Director. It is responsible for day-to-day operational decisions and relies on the Executive Committee, composed of its various directors.
Le COS est composé des tutelles de TWB, des représentants du consortium et de la direction executive. Il constitue l’organe de réflexion et de décision stratégique du démonstrateur. Il se réunit minimum 2 fois par an.
Il a en charge notamment :
2012: Creation of TWB with a consortium of 31 members
2020: Installation on the INSA campus
2025: End of the first consortium with 45 members, 400 completed projects, and 10 start-ups hosted and supported
2026: Launch of a new consortium offering
More than 400 projects developed
At the origin of around one hundred patents and publications
11 start-ups created within its ecosystem and with its support: Tolérys, Enobraq, Carbios, MicroPep, Pili, Lantana Bio, BioC3, Amineo, Allozyme, Aviwell, iMEAN
92% funded at Series A stage
More than €200M in total funds raised
4 technological platforms installed: analytical, cytometry, strain engineering, and fermentation
Maximum biodiversity screening throughput: xxxx/day
xxxx fermenters ranging from 2 mL to 300 L
xxxx chemical analyses per day
xxxx cytometry labeling protocols
The concept of the Toulouse White Biotechnology demonstrator was born in 2010, under the leadership of Pierre Monsan, Emeritus Professor at INSA Toulouse and Mines ParisTech. Local, academic, and industrial stakeholders joined the initiative to support the creation in Toulouse of a national and international center of excellence in industrial biotechnology (also known as white biotechnology), aimed at accelerating its development and promoting the bioeconomy.
In March 2011, the project was selected as a winner of the French government’s Programme d’Investissements d’Avenir call for projects, “Health and Biotechnology – Pre-industrial Demonstrators,” managed by the ANR (French National Research Agency). TWB received an initial €20 million in public funding over 10 years. Following a positive evaluation in 2019, an additional €7 million was granted for the 2020–2025 period.
In 2011, around thirty public and private members already formed the consortium. Today, it includes around fifty members, among them about ten industrial groups, around fifteen SMEs and mid-sized companies, and about ten start-ups.
Since 2012, together with its partners, TWB has developed more than 400 projects, leading to around one hundred publications and patents. It has supported the creation and development of ten start-ups. Some of them—Pili, iMEAN, BioC3, Lantana Bio, Allozyme, and Aviwell—are still hosted and supported on our site at the INSA Campus. Others, such as MicroPep, Amoeba, and Carbios, have since required larger facilities to support their growth.
The 3,000 m² technology hall project, led by INSA, will further expand our capacity to host start-ups and mature projects up to the pre-industrial stage starting in the second half of 2027, thanks in particular to the installation of a 2 m³ bioreactor.
01.
Exceptional talent: Benefit from collaboration with 70+ scientists and engineers, and a dynamic network of partners and innovative start-ups.
02.
Tailor-made innovation: Develop turnkey solutions, from proof of concept to pre-industrial production, with scientific and strategic support.
03.
Ultra-fast R&D: Leverage state-of-the-art infrastructure and expertise in synthetic biology and fermentation to reduce your time-to-market.
04.
Optimized costs: Pool resources and risks through co-innovation and the sharing of experimental and scientific resources within an efficient consortium.
05.
Total flexibility: Address your needs with tailored offers (Synergist, Catalyst, Pioneer) designed to match your ambitions.
06.
Simplified legal security: Pre-negotiated intellectual property rights and pre-defined contracts for smoother collaboration.
07.
Transparent ROI: Secure your processes with a clear economic model supported by the state.
08.
Strategic network: Join a unique ecosystem for B2B partnerships and co-innovation opportunities.
09.
Enhanced visibility: Maximize your sector impact through exclusive events (TWB Talks, Start-up Days).
10.
Sustainable impact: Align your projects with CSR objectives and help shape the industry of tomorrow.
