The Biomanufacturing Industry Development Centre (BIDC) programme is a three-year project established to translate biotechnology-based R&D into market-ready products and services. The project is housed with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and offers competency throughout the value chain i.e. from laboratory scale validation through to demonstration of technology, prototyping and pilot manufacturing.
The BIDC programme is a hub for open-innovation in biomanufacturing and has a strong focus on supporting start-up and Small, Medium and Micro-sized Enterprises (SMMEs) with the development of new technologies and products. It provides incubated companies with access to ready-to use biomanufacturing facilities and supporting research and development (R&D) laboratories. The programme also provides access to experts in the fields related to bioprocess development, prototyping, pilot manufacturing and scale-up capabilities. The hub includes laboratories for molecular biology, applied biochemistry, biocatalysis and fermentation, as well as laboratory and pilot scale process development. These facilities are complemented by high-end analytical infrastructure and skills within the CSIR Biosciences Unit.
The programme is funded by the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) through the Jobs Fund Programme and by the Department of Science and Technology’s (DST) Industry Innovation Support Fund. The BIDC programme and its facilities are accessible to the National System of Innovation (NSI) and can provide contract R&D, process development, process optimisation, scale-up, regulatory support, commercial manufacturing services and incubation of SMMEs to enable the development of a vibrant and sustainable bioeconomy in South Africa and throughout the continent.
The BIDC Advisory Panel and Steering Committee advise on which companies to support. The programme will support companies through the prototyping and scale-up phase and assist them to do market acceptance testing and to launch products on the market. The companies remain the sole owners of their innovations and retain absolute control over their future in terms of added value and partnerships.
Vision
To be the leading centre that translates biosciences discoveries into products and technologies with impact to industry and society
Our objectives are to:
- Stimulate the growth of a biomanufacturing-based economy and create sustainable jobs in a new industry value chain
- Consolidate and strengthen specialist bioprocess/product development competencies including infrastructure at the CSIR
- Use the strengthened bioprocessing competency to provide affordable and readily accessible support to SMMEs in the biomanufacturing sector in order penetrate and grow their target markets.