Forward BIOLABS Biotech Startup Lab and Innovation Grant Program

About

Forward BIOLABS is a shared lab and accelerator platform focused on supporting early-stage biotech and medical tech startups in Wisconsin, providing essential resources, funding through the Innovation to Commercialization Pipeline (ICP) grant program, and a collaborative community to help companies rapidly grow from research to market validation.

Benefits

• Dedicated shared lab space and equipment to accelerate R&D without high equipment costs or long-term leases
• Access to lab facilities valued at $3-4 million, assisting 55 startups in securing over $450 million in investments and grants
• Future expansion planned for 2026 to support more lab stations
• Pilot office at UWM Innovation Accelerator to build a regional biomedicine tech ecosystem
• Newly launched Innovation to Commercialization Pipeline (ICP) grant program offering $25,000 to $75,000 in funding for biomedicine startups transitioning from research to commercialization
• Entrepreneurial training, networking resources, industry connections, and lab community support

Eligibility Criteria

• Primarily aimed at early-stage biotech and medical tech companies
• Approximately 75% of members are in biomedicine or medical technology, with the remainder in clean tech or ag tech
• Two-thirds are spin-offs from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, but innovative companies from other regions are also welcome
• Located in Madison, Wisconsin, with future support planned for Milwaukee