About Us

About Us

Backed by the University of Plymouth and Innovate UK, our team combines deeptech, data science, and microbiology to unlock the next generation of bio-based solutions.

Backed by the University of Plymouth and Innovate UK, our team combines deeptech, data science, and microbiology to unlock the next generation of bio-based solutions.

Meet Our Team

Meet Our Team

Meet Our Team

Meet Our Team

Meet Our Team

Meet Our Team

Backed by

OUR STORY

Strain Vaults is building the UK’s first centralised microbial biobank.

Strain Vaults is building the UK’s first centralised microbial biobank.

Strain Vaults is building the UK’s first centralised microbial biobank.

A next-generation platform that transforms microbial access for researchers and bioindustry.

A next-generation platform that transforms microbial access for researchers and bioindustry.

We make it radically easier and faster to source high-value microbial strains by turning fragmented collections into a national resource.

We make it radically easier and faster to source high-value microbial strains by turning fragmented collections into a national resource.

Like Amazon for microbes, our marketplace connects public institutions, startups, and researchers to a growing catalogue of commercially viable microbes.

Like Amazon for microbes, our marketplace connects public institutions, startups, and researchers to a growing catalogue of commercially viable microbes.

We’re more than just a supplier -
we're unlocking the hidden value of biology.

We’re more than just a supplier -
we're unlocking the hidden value of biology.

Get In Touch

Get In Touch

Get In Touch

The Problem

Why It Matters

Why It Matters

Microbes underpin innovation across food, energy, agriculture, and health - yet UK researchers face broken access.

Microbes underpin innovation across food, energy, agriculture, and health - yet UK researchers face broken access.

Microbes underpin innovation across food, energy, agriculture, and health - yet UK researchers face broken access.

DELAYS

Up to 12-week delays for international orders.

DELAYS

Up to 12-week delays for international orders.

DELAYS

Up to 12-week delays for international orders.

COSTS

High costs, regulatory complexity, and customs issues.

COSTS

High costs, regulatory complexity, and customs issues.

COSTS

High costs, regulatory complexity, and customs issues.

ACCESSIBILITY

No centralised UK database means inconsistent metadata and quality.

ACCESSIBILITY

No centralised UK database means inconsistent metadata and quality.

ACCESSIBILITY

No centralised UK database means inconsistent metadata and quality.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Gaps in coverage - many essential strains just aren’t available in the UK.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Gaps in coverage - many essential strains just aren’t available in the UK.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Gaps in coverage - many essential strains just aren’t available in the UK.

The result?

Researchers are often forced into backdoor arrangements, building labs around what’s accessible instead of what’s optimal. Strain Vaults changes that.

Researchers are often forced into backdoor arrangements, building labs around what’s accessible instead of what’s optimal. Strain Vaults changes that.

Researchers are often forced into backdoor arrangements, building labs around what’s accessible instead of what’s optimal. Strain Vaults changes that.

The Problem We Solve

How We’re Different

How We’re Different

Strain Vaults combines four powerful pillars:

SOURCING AT SCALE

SOURCING AT SCALE

We unlock thousands of forgotten strains from university and R&D collections. Instead of charging upfront, we offer future royalties and academic credit.

We unlock thousands of forgotten strains from university and R&D collections. Instead of charging upfront, we offer future royalties and academic credit.

AI-POWERED DISCOVERY

Our in silico prediction engine identifies high-value traits from genetic data — turning uncharacterised samples into licensable leads.

AI-POWERED DISCOVERY

Our in silico prediction engine identifies high-value traits from genetic data — turning uncharacterised samples into licensable leads.

AI-POWERED DISCOVERY

Our in silico prediction engine identifies high-value traits from genetic data — turning uncharacterised samples into licensable leads.

BIOPROSPECTING

We actively collect novel strains from UK biomes, focusing on untapped biodiversity with potential in AMR, agriculture, and industrial biotech.

BIOPROSPECTING

We actively collect novel strains from UK biomes, focusing on untapped biodiversity with potential in AMR, agriculture, and industrial biotech.

BIOPROSPECTING

We actively collect novel strains from UK biomes, focusing on untapped biodiversity with potential in AMR, agriculture, and industrial biotech.

NEXT-DAY UK DELIVERY

NEXT-DAY UK DELIVERY

No more 12-week delays. And if it’s not in our catalogue? We’ll go find it for you.

No more 12-week delays. And if it’s not in our catalogue? We’ll go find it for you.

AI-Assays: Revealing Hidden Potential

Turning Genomic Data into Discovery

Turning Genomic Data into Discovery

Across the UK, thousands of microbial strains sit idle in freezers - uncharacterised, underutilised, and overlooked.

Why?

Because traditional assays are slow, expensive, and highly selective. As a result, only a tiny fraction of collections are ever explored for real-world applications. Strain Vaults is changing that.

Because traditional assays are slow, expensive, and highly selective. As a result, only a tiny fraction of collections are ever explored for real-world applications. Strain Vaults is changing that.

We’re building a virtual AI assay platform that can screen entire microbial collections in silico - rapidly predicting functional and commercial traits from DNA alone.

We’re building a virtual AI assay platform that can screen entire microbial collections in silico - rapidly predicting functional and commercial traits from DNA alone.

CUTTING-EDGE FEATURES

What Our AI Platform Enables:

Predicts enzyme activity, metabolite production, and therapeutic potential

Surfaces unexpected leads for applied R&D

Accelerates licensing by making strains discoverable and ready to deploy

UNMATCHED BENEFITS

Scientific Advantages:

Faster than wet-lab screening - assess entire collections in hours

Dramatically reduces costs - lower barrier to discovery by 90%+

Opens up previously inaccessible collections for collaboration, licensing, and impact

Interested in licensing or contributing to the platform?

Interested in licensing or contributing to the platform?

Interested in licensing or contributing to the platform?

Get In Touch

Get In Touch

Get In Touch

OUR TIMELINE

Where We Are Now

Strain Vaults is proud to be supported by non-dilutive grant funding and a formal partnership with the University of Plymouth, where we have access to lab space, equipment, and world-class scientific expertise.

Strain Vaults is proud to be supported by non-dilutive grant funding and a formal partnership with the University of Plymouth, where we have access to lab space, equipment, and world-class scientific expertise.

Strain Vaults is proud to be supported by non-dilutive grant funding and a formal partnership with the University of Plymouth, where we have access to lab space, equipment, and world-class scientific expertise.

Major Milestone Achieved

Our first major R&D initiative
is already underway:

Our first major R&D initiative is already underway:

Our first major R&D initiative is already underway:

We’re leading a bioprospecting project across the UK to isolate novel microbial strains that could play a role in tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) — one of the most urgent global health challenges.

We’re leading a bioprospecting project across the UK to isolate novel microbial strains that could play a role in tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) — one of the most urgent global health challenges.

We’re leading a bioprospecting project across the UK to isolate novel microbial strains that could play a role in tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) — one of the most urgent global health challenges.

This project marks the beginning of our mission to build the UK’s most advanced, application-ready microbial collection — one that serves science, society, and the bioeconomy.

This project marks the beginning of our mission to build the UK’s most advanced, application-ready microbial collection — one that serves science, society, and the bioeconomy.

This project marks the beginning of our mission to build the UK’s most advanced, application-ready microbial collection — one that serves science, society, and the bioeconomy.