Technology roadmap for the development of a 3D cell culture workstation for a biomedical industry startup

Abstract This paper is a first attempt to establish how technology roadmapping, commonly reserved for established organizations, can be adapted for the characteristics and limitations of a startup company. This work was performed in collaboration with a newly founded company to create a technology roadmap for devising a 3D cell culture solution for the fields drug discovery and in vitro disease models. Currently, published literature focuses mainly on the methodology and the application in mature companies and industries and overlooking novel technological multinationals. This paper on the other hand, provides a case of implementing a technology roadmap for a start up technology building product based on an emerging technology in an emerging industry. The paper outlines how it was adopted and implemented successfully in a startup company. The roadmapping process was intended to create a strategic plan that can illustrate to the investors how the acquired resources will be used to develop the product. Additionally, it aimed to assist the company in disclosing diverse gaps and prioritizing efforts and resources to face uncertainty while developing the product and the company. The widespread use of advanced manufacturing has reached the drug discovery and research domain. There is an emerging market with no dominant design; currently, no solution addresses the requirements of the research and industry segments.