Operating scale

This card helps you explore the different scales at which your biodesign project can operate, from biothinkerspace, to biomakerspace, to biofactory.

• What specific resources are accessible in your current workspace and how do they influence your design choices?

• As your biodesign project grows, what considerations should you make for transitioning to a larger operating scale?

• How does the operating space influence the level of collaboration and access to expertise?

Different scales

Biodesign projects typically progress through three operating scales. They often begin in small, domestic lab environments, known as the biothinkerspace, where proof of concepts are tested. As the projects grow, they move into more specialized labs, called biomakerspaces. Finally, for commercialisation, they scale up to larger production plants, known as biofactories. Ideally, this final stage is decentralized,

utilising local resources to benefit the local economy.

• Match the operating scales with the current stage of your biodesign project. 

• Assess the resources and expertise available in your current operating space.

• Plan for scalability, consider how your project can transition from one scale to the other.