Initiatives

SynBioVen

Empowering synthetic biology ventures

Dedicated Investment Vehicle

Investing in UK companies for a net-zero economy

Founded in 2022, SynbioVen is an independent dedicated investment vehicle supporting the next generation of engineering biology scientists, founders, start-ups, and scale-ups.

Established by industry leaders whose collective experience spans biotech commercialisation, venture building and global industry networks, SynbioVen provides start-ups with critical funding connections, strategic mentorship, and access to cutting-edge facilities, ensuring that the next generation of engineering biology companies can thrive.

Our Team

The SynBioVen team

Board

David Harding

Co-Chair

David Harding

Co-Chair

Bio

Sir David Harding has been a leader in the development of scientific investment methods for over 40 years. He is the founder of two successful investment management firms: AHL, which was sold to Man Group in 1994, and Winton, which he established in 1997. He is also an investor in many start-up companies, particularly in the fields of finance, cybersecurity and synthetic biology. Sir David was knighted in 2022, in recognition of his contribution to philanthropy.
Board

David Willetts

Co-Chair
David Willetts

Co-Chair
Bio

The Rt Hon Lord Willetts FRS, HonFREng is Chair of the Foundation for Science and Technology and of the UK Space Agency. Lord Willetts served as Minister for Universities and Science (2010-2014). He has held a range of Board positions across the Space and Science sector. He was a Board member of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), and Chair of the British Science Association. Lord Willetts is a visiting Professor at King’s College London and an Honorary Fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford.
Director

Richard Kitney

Co-Director
Richard Kitney

Co-Director
Bio

Key Appointments: – Co-Founder and Co-Director of the EPSRC National Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation (CSynBI). – Co-Founder and Co-Director of SynbiCITE – the Innovation and Knowledge Centre for the translation and commercialisation of synthetic biology. – Professor of BioMedical Systems Engineering at Imperial College London. Professor Kitney has been working at the forefront of synthetic biology and has been pivotal in shaping its development in the UK and internationally since 2003. He has championed synthetic biology to governments, industry, learned societies and the public. Kitney is globally recognised as pioneering in the field. Dick has been a leader of UK R&D and the translation of synthetic biology for more than a decade, promoting global synthetic biology developments. As Chair of The Royal Academy of Engineering’s Inquiry into Synthetic Biology and a member of the UK’s Ministerial Synthetic Biology Leadership Council, Dick has driven the UK’s approach to the field and the technology, its development and its translation into industrially useful products, tools, processes and services – alongside educating future synthetic biologists. In addition to The Royal Academy of Engineering Inquiry Report (Synthetic biology – Scope, Applications and Implications, 2009), he is one of the authors of the two, subsequent, UK roadmaps for synthetic biology (A Synthetic Biology Roadmap for the UK, 2012; and Bio Design for the Bio Economy, 2016). Dick Co-Directs – with Professor Paul Freemont – the UK’s first R&D centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation (CSynBI) and the UK’s National Industrial Translation Centre for Synthetic Biology (SynbiCITE). He gives many keynote presentations at public lectures and international conferences – recently the IET Kelvin Lecture and the City and Guilds Fellowship Lecture.
Director

Paul Freemont

Co-Director

Paul Freemont

Co-Director

Bio

Professor Paul Freemont is the co-founder of the Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation and co-founder and co-director of the National UK Innovation and Knowledge Centre for Synthetic Biology (SynbiCITE – since 2013). He is also director of the London BioFoundry (since 2016) and Head of the Section of Structural and Synthetic Biology in the Department of Infectious Diseases at Imperial College. He was previously the Head of the Division of Molecular Biosciences and Centre for Structural Biology having joined Imperial from Cancer Research UK London Research Institute (now known as the Crick Research Institute) where he was Principal Investigator and Head of Group. His recent research is focused on developing automation and biofoundries and cell-free systems for specific synthetic biology applications He is author of over 300 scientific publications and is an elected member of European Molecular Biology Organisation and Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, Royal Society of Chemistry and Royal Society of Medicine and is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Art. He was a co-author of the British Government’s UK Synthetic Biology Roadmap and was a recent member of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on synthetic biology for the United Nations Convention for Biological Diversity. He is a council member of the US Engineering Biology Research Consortium and co-chair of the newly formed UK Governments Ministerial Engineering Biology Advisory Panel and sits on the UK Governments Engineering Biology Responsible Innovation Advisory Panel. He is a member of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Synthetic Biology and recently led leading a US-funded Task Force on Engineering Biology Metrics and Technical Standards for Global Bioeconomy. He is also co-founder and founding chair of the Global Biofoundry Alliance. He is a passionate advocate for the commercialisation of engineering biology and is co-founder of the Imperial spin-out Solena Materials Ltd developing designer protein fibres and also of SynBioVen Ltd, an early-stage seed investment company for engineering biology start-ups in the UK.

Benefits

Our offerings

Funding & Investment Support

Raising capital can be one of the biggest hurdles for emerging biotech companies. SynbioVen connects start-ups with investors, grant opportunities, and funding networks, ensuring they have the financial resources needed to grow and scale their innovations.

Expert Guidance & Industry Access

Through mentorship, strategic advice, and tailored support, SynbioVen equips entrepreneurs with the knowledge and connections needed to turn groundbreaking research into viable products. Our network includes leading industry professionals, regulatory experts, and successful biotech founders.

World-Class Facilities & Resources

Participants in SynbioVen gain access to specialised infrastructure, including the London Biofoundry, to support the design, prototyping, and testing of new biological technologies. These resources help start-ups bridge the gap between research and commercial application.

Want to learn more?

Head to the SynbioVEN website to find out more about their services

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