National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative briefing

Globally, awareness of the value of the bioeconomy is growing. Spanning manufacturing, agriculture, and healthcare, the bioeconomy offers sustainable growth and employment whilst also contributing to our net zero targets and public health.

On 12 September, President Biden published an Executive Order setting out a National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative (NBBI) which looks to accelerate the growth of the US bioeconomy. The Biden Administration estimates that engineering biology could be used extensively in manufacturing equivalent to one third of global output, or $30 trillion, by the end of the decade.

This briefing will investigate the US initiative, comparing it to strategies in place in the UK and EU, and considering its impact on the UK bioeconomy. It is divided into two sections, the first providing the background to the NBBI and the second including policy detail and comparing the initiative to ongoing work in the UK.