A North Wales biotech firm has pioneered a new robotic dispensing system for diagnostic devices that test for conditions such as cancer, with Welsh Government support.
Biofortuna, in Deeside, secured £225,000 SMART Flexible Innovation Support, to develop its BeadBot™ system, which is set to help the company achieve international growth ambitions.
The project is one of 140 initiatives to receive SMART funding as part of a £20 million programme launched in 2023 to invest in cutting-edge research and innovation that will improve people’s lives.
So far £17.9 million in innovation grants have been allocated to companies such as Biofortuna, to design and deliver R&D solutions to major challenges facing society.
BeadBot™ will enable Biofortuna to expand its customer base in the growing Lyo bead market, driven in part by the increasing shift towards point-of-care testing.
It will do this by improving productivity - automating a complex packing process currently undertaken by qualified scientists and resolving a bottle neck that limits output.
This will make the company a leader in developing and manufacturing Lyo beads, building on £4.7 million in export contracts already secured with Welsh Government support.
Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, said:
We are committed to fostering a culture of innovation which will improve the lives of people across Wales. This includes building a Welsh economy based on the industries and services of the future.
This pioneering processing system from Biofortuna will boost productivity significantly and positions the company to increase its share of a rapidly growing global market, protecting skilled jobs and creating the need for new ones.
It also further strengthens Wales’ reputation for excellence in the dynamic life sciences and advanced manufacturing sectors.
Chief Operating Officer at Biofortuna Limited, Dr Nick Leaves, said:
The Welsh Government’s SFIS support will help us significantly increase our manufacturing capacity, accelerating market penetration in a rapidly growing and essential segment of the diagnostics market. This is great example of what can be achieved when Government and Industry work together.
