TWB: Kick-off for a New Era in Industrial Biotechnology Innovation
The TWB consortium signs a new 10-year agreement to accelerate research and support for start-ups in industrial biotechnologies.
By Julien Bonnafous
••3 min read
AI
Generic image of scientific laboratory equipment, with a subtle blue glow and artistic blur.
The TWB consortium, a key player in industrial biotechnologies, officially launched its new strategic phase on October 7 in Toulouse, following the signing of a renewed agreement with its governing bodies: INRAE, INSA Toulouse, and CNRS.
On October 7, in Toulouse, Philippe Mauguin, CEO of INRAE, Alexandra Bertron, Director of INSA Toulouse, and Jocelyn Méré, Regional Delegate of CNRS Occitanie-Ouest, signed the new consortium agreement for TWB (Toulouse White Biotechnology). This joint service unit, focused on industrial biotechnologies, thus inaugurates a new phase centered on biofoundry, with enhanced offerings for start-ups and a collective innovation dynamic.
This new agreement, for a renewable term of 10 years, aims to strengthen collaboration between partners and support TWB's strategy, which aligns with the ambitions of France 2030. Funding from the General Secretariat for Investment (SGPI) encourages this direction towards closer ties with industry and more comprehensive support for young companies.
The involvement of research units is also strengthened through the creation of a scientific and technological college. Composed of 9 researchers with expertise in metabolic engineering, genomics, fermentation, enzymatic catalysis, AI, and monitoring, this college will provide advice and strategic proposals to develop more sustainable and environmentally friendly production methods.
TWB offers a differentiated service with four membership levels, now integrating strategy, finance, and network services alongside scientific and technological expertise. This approach aims to meet the diverse needs of industrialists, companies, and start-ups, facilitating contracting and intellectual property to accelerate projects.
Starting November 13, 2026, TWB will launch its first community of interest dedicated to raw materials in industrial biotechnologies. This open innovation framework will bring together about fifteen stakeholders (industrialists, researchers, start-ups, investors) to address common challenges and foster the emergence of high-impact collaborative projects.
Support for start-ups is also a priority, symbolized by the Smart-Up Ventures competition. This initiative, complemented by three start-up studios and SATT Toulouse Tech Transfer, offers tailored training covering administrative, marketing, and financial aspects. The most promising start-up projects will pitch to a jury on November 25, with the prospect of consortium membership.
The goal is to support about fifteen start-ups by 2027, with the backing of the future Halle Biotech at INSA Toulouse, scheduled to open in autumn 2027. This new agreement confirms TWB's role as a catalyst for an agile ecosystem in the development of industrial biotechnologies.
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"Joining TWB means choosing a solid partner and participating in a collective dynamic driven by a strong desire to accelerate the development of biotechnologies and the transition to a more sustainable world."
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"This consortium should allow us to accelerate the transition from research to innovation in biotechnologies. By breaking down silos of expertise, TWB is a force for INRAE and its public and private partners to transform scientific excellence into concrete innovations more quickly, creating value and competitiveness for France."
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"With TWB and the future Halle Biotech, we aim to strengthen this collective dynamic for the benefit of companies, start-ups, and our future engineers."
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"With this new agreement for TWB, supported by CNRS and its partners, the objective is to facilitate the link between the excellent fundamental research conducted by all scientific actors, innovation, and pre-industrial phases."
