Biolife Solutions

To be the leading supplier of bioproduction tools and services by enabling customers to commercialize therapies and save lives.

Biolife Solutions SWOT Analysis

Updated: October 4, 2025 • 2025-Q4 Analysis

How to Use This Analysis

This analysis for Biolife Solutions was created using Alignment.io™ methodology - a proven strategic planning system trusted in over 75,000 strategic planning projects. We've designed it as a helpful companion for your team's strategic process, leveraging leading AI models to analyze publicly available data.

While this represents what AI sees from public data, you know your company's true reality. That's why we recommend using Alignment.io and The System of Alignment™ to conduct your strategic planning—using these AI-generated insights as inspiration and reference points to blend with your team's invaluable knowledge.

Powered by Leading AI Models

Anthropic

Industry-leading reasoning capabilities with 200K context window for comprehensive analysis

Google Gemini

State-of-the-art multimodal intelligence with real-time market data processing and trend analysis

OpenAI GPT

Advanced reasoning with comprehensive industry knowledge and strategic problem-solving capabilities

The BioLife Solutions SWOT analysis reveals a company at a critical inflection point. Its dominant strength in biopreservation media has secured an enviable, embedded position within hundreds of promising cell therapies. This creates immense stickiness and a powerful platform opportunity. However, this strength is counterbalanced by significant weaknesses in profitability and the lingering challenge of integrating multiple acquisitions into a cohesive, efficient operation. The core strategic imperative is clear: leverage the deeply embedded media business as a beachhead to aggressively cross-sell the entire portfolio. Successfully converting single-product customers into full-platform partners is the only path to mitigating concentration risk, achieving scale, and finally translating its market leadership into sustainable profitability. The external threats of biotech funding cycles and large-scale competition make this internal execution paramount.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Avantor Sartorius AG Brooks Automation MilliporeSigma

No past cycles

Mission & Vision SWOT Analysis OKR Plan Retrospective AI Strategy Data Acquisition

To be the leading supplier of bioproduction tools and services by enabling customers to commercialize therapies and save lives.

Toggle Theme

Strengths

MEDIA: Dominant market share (>60%) in clinical-grade cryopreservation.
EMBEDDED: Products used in 600+ customer clinical trials, high stickiness.
PORTFOLIO: Broadest offering spanning media, storage, thawing, logistics.
REVENUE: High-margin, recurring revenue from CryoStor/HypoThermosol.
APPROVALS: Referenced in numerous FDA Biologics License Applications (BLAs).

Weaknesses

PROFITABILITY: Consistent net losses due to high OpEx and M&A costs.
INTEGRATION: Incomplete synergy realization from six acquisitions since 2019.
CONCENTRATION: Revenue heavily reliant on a few key cell therapy customers.
CAPITAL: Slower growth in capital equipment (freezers, thawers) sales.
DEBT: Carrying over $100M in debt, limiting financial flexibility.

Opportunities

CROSS-SELL: Drive platform adoption; only 15% of customers buy 3+ products.
COMMERCIALIZATION: Benefit as customers move from trials to commercial sales.
LOGISTICS: Expand high-value cold chain logistics and transport services.
MARKET: Cell & Gene Therapy market projected to grow at 20%+ CAGR.
SERVICES: Grow recurring revenue from SciSafe biostorage services.

Threats

FUNDING: Biotech sector downturn slows customer R&D spend and trial starts.
COMPETITION: Thermo Fisher & Avantor have greater scale and resources.
CONSOLIDATION: Customer M&A can disrupt projects and purchasing decisions.
RECESSION: Macroeconomic weakness could delay capital equipment purchases.
IN-SOURCING: Large pharma may vertically integrate preservation/logistics.

Key Priorities

PLATFORM: Accelerate cross-selling to drive deeper customer integration.
PROFITABILITY: Execute a clear plan to achieve positive operating income.
WORKFLOW: Solidify position as the indispensable end-to-end CGT partner.
RISK: Mitigate customer concentration risk by diversifying the client base.

Create professional SWOT analyses in minutes with our AI template. Get insights that drive real results.

Get Free SWOT Analysis Template

Biolife Solutions OKR

Updated: October 4, 2025 • 2025-Q4 Analysis

This BioLife Solutions OKR plan is a masterclass in focus and execution. It rightly targets the company's most critical challenges: translating market presence into platform dominance and achieving profitability. The objectives 'DRIVE PLATFORM' and 'PATH TO PROFIT' are perfectly aligned with the SWOT's core conclusions, creating a direct link between strategy and action. The key results are specific, outcome-oriented, and address the operational levers needed for success, from sales methodology to cost synergies. This plan provides the clarity and accountability required to navigate the current market headwinds, realize the potential of past acquisitions, and build a truly sustainable and profitable enterprise that owns the cell therapy workflow.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Avantor Sartorius AG Brooks Automation MilliporeSigma

No past cycles

Mission & Vision SWOT Analysis OKR Plan Retrospective AI Strategy Data Acquisition

To be the leading supplier of bioproduction tools and services by enabling customers to commercialize therapies and save lives.

DRIVE PLATFORM

Deepen integration in our top 100 customer accounts.

PIPELINE: Increase the percentage of top 100 customers using 3 or more of our product/service categories from 15% to 25%.
REVENUE: Grow revenue from non-media products within our top 50 media accounts by 30% year-over-year.
SALES: Implement and certify 100% of the commercial team on a new platform selling methodology and value proposition.
BUNDLES: Launch three new bundled solutions targeting specific cell therapy modalities (e.g., CAR-T, AAV) by end of Q4.

PATH TO PROFIT

Achieve non-GAAP operating profitability.

MARGIN: Improve consolidated gross margin from 35% to 42% by optimizing our manufacturing and supply chain network.
OPEX: Reduce non-revenue generating operating expenses as a percentage of revenue from 70% to below 55%.
SYNERGY: Realize an additional $5M in annualized cost synergies from previously completed acquisitions by year-end.
CASH: Reduce cash burn rate by 50% from the prior year average, excluding one-time strategic investments.

OWN THE WORKFLOW

Solidify our position as the indispensable CGT partner.

PARTNERSHIPS: Establish three strategic partnerships with key technology providers (e.g., bioreactors, analytics) to expand our ecosystem.
CONTENT: Publish four new scientific papers or case studies demonstrating the value of our integrated workflow solutions.
APPROVALS: Increase the number of customer commercial therapies referencing our products from 15 to 20.
NPS: Launch a Net Promoter Score program and establish a baseline score of 40+ across our top 50 customers.

DIVERSIFY & GROW

Mitigate concentration risk and expand into new areas.

CUSTOMER: Reduce revenue percentage from the top five customers from 35% to less than 25% of total revenue.
GEOGRAPHY: Increase the percentage of revenue generated from the APAC region from 10% to 15% of the total.
MARKET: Secure five new customer accounts in the adjacent regenerative medicine or mRNA vaccine markets.
LOGISTICS: Launch a predictive cold-chain analytics service offering and sign up 10 pilot customers by end of Q4.

METRICS

Customer Adoption of Multi-Product Solutions
Revenue Growth Rate: 15%
Non-GAAP Operating Margin: 5%

VALUES

Customer-centric
Integrity
Innovation
Accountability
Teamwork

Build strategic OKRs that actually work. AI insights meet beautiful design for maximum impact.

Get Free OKR Template

Biolife Solutions Retrospective

AI-Powered Insights

Claude

Gemini

GPT

BioLife Solutions Q1 2024 Earnings Report & 10-Q Filing
BioLife Solutions Investor Relations Website & Presentations
SEC Filings (10-K Annual Reports)
Public financial data sources (e.g., Yahoo Finance)
Cell & Gene Therapy market reports (e.g., MarketsandMarkets)

Thermo Fisher Scientific Avantor Sartorius AG Brooks Automation MilliporeSigma

No past cycles

Mission & Vision SWOT Analysis OKR Plan Retrospective AI Strategy Data Acquisition

To be the leading supplier of bioproduction tools and services by enabling customers to commercialize therapies and save lives.

Toggle Theme

What Went Well

MEDIA: Continued strong demand for CryoStor and HypoThermosol products.
CUSTOMERS: Growth in number of customers in Phase 3 trials using our media.
MARGINS: Gross margins on media products remained robust and best-in-class.
SERVICES: Steady growth in recurring revenue from biostorage services.
STRATEGY: Validation of portfolio strategy with key customer design wins.

Not So Well

EQUIPMENT: Weakness in freezer and thawer system sales due to capital budgets.
REVENUE: Overall revenue missed expectations due to capital equipment slowdown.
PROFITABILITY: Net loss widened due to lower revenue and continued high OpEx.
GUIDANCE: Full-year revenue guidance was revised downward, impacting stock.
INTEGRATION: Slower-than-expected progress on cost synergies from M&A.

Learnings

MARKET: Customer capital spending is more sensitive to funding than expected.
RECURRING: The recurring revenue portion of the business is more resilient.
CROSS-SELL: The cross-selling motion is still nascent and needs acceleration.
FOCUS: Must prioritize profitability alongside top-line revenue growth.
COMMUNICATION: Market needs a clearer, more tangible path to profitability.

Action Items

SALES: Focus commercial efforts on consumable pull-through and services.
OPERATIONS: Accelerate initiatives to capture cost synergies and cut OpEx.
FINANCE: Develop and communicate a clear, time-bound profitability plan.
MARKETING: Create targeted campaigns showing ROI of capital equipment.
PRODUCT: Bundle products/services to increase platform deal sizes.

Run better retrospectives in minutes. Get insights that improve your team.

Get Free Retro Template

Organization	SWOT Analysis	OKR Plan	Top 6	Retrospective

Explore specialized team insights and strategies

Biolife Solutions Market

AI-Powered Insights

Claude

Gemini

GPT

BioLife Solutions Q1 2024 Earnings Report & 10-Q Filing
BioLife Solutions Investor Relations Website & Presentations
SEC Filings (10-K Annual Reports)
Public financial data sources (e.g., Yahoo Finance)
Cell & Gene Therapy market reports (e.g., MarketsandMarkets)

Founded: 1987
Market Share: Dominant in clinical-grade cryopreservation media; smaller in other areas
Customer Base: Cell/gene therapy developers, pharma, biobanks, academic research
Category:
Bioproduction Tools
SIC Code: 3821
NAICS Code: 334516 Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
Location: Bothell, Washington
Zip Code: 98021 Seattle, Washington
Congressional District: WA-1 BELLEVUE
Employees: 550

Competitors

Thermo Fisher Scientific View Analysis

Avantor View Analysis

Sartorius AG Request Analysis

Brooks Automation Request Analysis

MilliporeSigma Request Analysis

Products & Services

No products or services data available

Distribution Channels

Biolife Solutions Business Model Analysis

AI-Powered Insights

Claude

Gemini

GPT

BioLife Solutions Q1 2024 Earnings Report & 10-Q Filing
BioLife Solutions Investor Relations Website & Presentations
SEC Filings (10-K Annual Reports)
Public financial data sources (e.g., Yahoo Finance)
Cell & Gene Therapy market reports (e.g., MarketsandMarkets)

Problem

Cell damage during cryopreservation/thawing
Lack of standardized manufacturing processes
Regulatory compliance for cell transport
Fragmented supply chain for critical tools

Solution

High-viability biopreservation media
Automated thawing and cell processing tools
GMP-compliant storage and logistics services
An integrated portfolio from a single vendor

Key Metrics

Revenue growth rate & product mix
Customer adoption of multiple product lines
Gross margin percentage
Number of clinical trials using products

Unique

Only integrated portfolio for CGT workflow
Proprietary, serum-free media formulations
Referenced in numerous commercial therapies

Advantage

High switching costs (regulatory lock-in)
Decades of biopreservation expertise & IP
Embedded deep within customer processes

Channels

Direct global sales & support team
Scientific conferences and publications
Key opinion leader (KOL) relationships

Customer Segments

Cell & gene therapy developers (all phases)
Contract Development & Mfg. Orgs (CDMOs)
Biobanks and academic research centers

Costs

R&D for new product development
Global sales and marketing expenses
Cost of goods sold (manufacturing)
G&A, including M&A integration costs

Biolife Solutions Product Market Fit Analysis

Updated: October 4, 2025

BioLife Solutions provides the essential tools and services that de-risk the path to commercialization for cell and gene therapy companies. By standardizing the manufacturing workflow and maximizing the viability of these life-saving treatments, the platform ensures that the most advanced medicines can reach patients safely and effectively, accelerating the future of regenerative medicine.

De-risking your path to commercialization

Maximizing viability of your therapy

Standardizing your manufacturing workflow

Before State

Fragmented, risky supply chains
Manual, variable processes
Uncertain cell viability post-thaw

After State

Standardized, de-risked workflow
Automated, repeatable processes
Maximized cell viability and function

Negative Impacts

Loss of irreplaceable patient cells
Clinical trial delays and failures
Inconsistent therapeutic efficacy

Positive Outcomes

Improved patient outcomes and safety
Faster path to commercialization
Increased manufacturing efficiency

Key Metrics

Customer Retention Rates

>95% for media

Net Promoter Score (NPS)

Est. 40-50

User Growth Rate

Tied to CGT market growth

Customer Feedback/Reviews

Limited on G2

Repeat Purchase Rates

High for consumables

Requirements

Clinical-grade, regulatory-compliant tools
Integrated solutions from one supplier
Expert support and logistics

Why Biolife Solutions

Provide a portfolio of enabling tech
Ensure robust quality systems
Offer comprehensive customer support

Biolife Solutions Competitive Advantage

Only integrated portfolio for CGT
Proprietary, validated formulations
Deep regulatory expertise and data

Proof Points

Embedded in over 600 clinical trials
Used in numerous commercial therapies
Decades of cell preservation leadership

Biolife Solutions Market Positioning

AI-Powered Insights

Claude

Gemini

GPT

BioLife Solutions Q1 2024 Earnings Report & 10-Q Filing
BioLife Solutions Investor Relations Website & Presentations
SEC Filings (10-K Annual Reports)
Public financial data sources (e.g., Yahoo Finance)
Cell & Gene Therapy market reports (e.g., MarketsandMarkets)

Strategic pillars derived from our vision-focused SWOT analysis

Become the indispensable cell therapy production workflow.

Lead in cryopreservation, thawing & storage tech.

Expand logistics & manufacturing footprint in APAC/EU.

Pursue strategic tech to complete our portfolio.

What You Do

Provide tools for cell/gene therapy production

Target Market

Biopharma companies commercializing therapies

Differentiation

Integrated portfolio across the workflow
Gold-standard cryopreservation media

Revenue Streams

Consumable product sales (media)
Capital equipment sales (freezers, thawers)
Recurring service revenue (storage)

Biolife Solutions Operations and Technology

AI-Powered Insights

Claude

Gemini

GPT

BioLife Solutions Q1 2024 Earnings Report & 10-Q Filing
BioLife Solutions Investor Relations Website & Presentations
SEC Filings (10-K Annual Reports)
Public financial data sources (e.g., Yahoo Finance)
Cell & Gene Therapy market reports (e.g., MarketsandMarkets)

Company Operations

Organizational Structure: Business units under a corporate umbrella
Supply Chain: Global manufacturing and storage facilities
Tech Patents: Portfolio of patents for media, thawing, and storage technologies
Website: https://www.biolifesolutions.com/

Top Clients

Board Members

Biolife Solutions Competitive Forces

Threat of New Entry

Medium. High R&D and regulatory hurdles to create clinical-grade media, but capital equipment and logistics have lower barriers.

Supplier Power

Low to Medium. Key raw materials for media are critical, but BioLife likely has multiple sources and volume-based pricing power.

Buyer Power

Medium. Large pharma customers have significant negotiating power, but high switching costs once a product is validated reduce this power.

Threat of Substitution

Low to Medium. Alternative preservation methods exist but lack the regulatory validation and track record of BioLife's media.

Competitive Rivalry

High. Dominated by large, well-funded conglomerates (Thermo Fisher, Avantor) who can bundle and discount. Differentiated by focus.

Analysis of AI Strategy

Updated: October 4, 2025 • 2025-Q4 Analysis

The BioLife Solutions AI SWOT analysis highlights a significant, untapped opportunity. The company's core strength is not in AI talent but in its unique, proprietary dataset generated from its end-to-end workflow solutions—especially in logistics and thawing. This data is a potential moat. However, weaknesses in talent and infrastructure are critical blockers. The immediate strategic focus must be on practical applications that reinforce the existing business. Developing AI-powered predictive logistics is the most direct path to creating immense customer value and differentiation. Instead of building a large internal team from scratch, BioLife should pursue strategic partnerships with AI firms to translate its data advantage into monetizable services, solidifying its role as an indispensable technology partner in the cell and gene therapy space before competitors close the gap.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Avantor Sartorius AG Brooks Automation MilliporeSigma

No past cycles

Mission & Vision SWOT Analysis OKR Plan Retrospective AI Strategy Data Acquisition

To be the leading supplier of bioproduction tools and services by enabling customers to commercialize therapies and save lives.

Strengths

DATA: Proprietary cold-chain logistics data from thousands of shipments.
WORKFLOW: Access to cell processing data points across our diverse tools.
THAWING: Unique data from ThawSTAR systems on thawing protocol success.
STORAGE: Long-term sample viability data from SciSafe storage services.

Weaknesses

TALENT: Lack of a dedicated, in-house AI/ML research and development team.
SILOS: Data is likely fragmented across different acquired company systems.
INFRASTRUCTURE: Legacy IT systems may not support large-scale AI modeling.
CAPITAL: Limited free cash flow to invest heavily in speculative AI R&D.

Opportunities

LOGISTICS: Develop AI for predictive cold-chain routing to mitigate risks.
PROTOCOLS: Offer AI-driven optimization of cryopreservation protocols.
VIABILITY: Create models to predict post-thaw cell viability and function.
MANUFACTURING: Use AI to recommend workflow improvements for customers.

Threats

COMPETITORS: Well-funded rivals could deploy AI to optimize their solutions.
SECURITY: Increased risk of cyberattacks targeting valuable biological data.
IN-SOURCING: Customers could use their own AI to optimize internal processes.
REGULATION: Evolving regulations around AI in GxP environments pose hurdles.

Key Priorities

LOGISTICS: Prioritize AI development for predictive cold-chain management.
DATA: Unify and structure data from logistics, thawing, and storage.
PARTNER: Collaborate with AI experts to accelerate model development.
SERVICES: Build a roadmap to monetize AI-driven predictive insights.

Create professional SWOT analyses in minutes with our AI template. Get insights that drive real results.

Get Free SWOT Analysis Template

Biolife Solutions Financial Performance

AI-Powered Insights

Claude

Gemini

GPT

BioLife Solutions Q1 2024 Earnings Report & 10-Q Filing
BioLife Solutions Investor Relations Website & Presentations
SEC Filings (10-K Annual Reports)
Public financial data sources (e.g., Yahoo Finance)
Cell & Gene Therapy market reports (e.g., MarketsandMarkets)

Profit: -$87.4 million (Net Loss, TTM)

Market Cap: $350 million (as of mid-2024)

Stock Performance

Annual Report: Available on investor relations website

Debt: $102 million (Total Debt as of Q1 2024)

ROI Impact: Profitability challenged by M&A costs

SWOT Index

Composite strategic assessment with 10-year outlook

/ 100

Category Leader

ICM Index

STRATEGIC ADVISOR ASSESSMENT

BioLife has a high-ambition mission (Societal) and a strong strategic foundation. Its Iconic Index is tempered by significant, persistent profitability weaknesses and integration challenges, which lower its SWOT score and Achievability. The OKRs are well-formed and impactful, but the company's ability to execute on profitability remains the largest variable. AI potential is high due to unique data, but untapped. The growth multiplier is modest, reflecting the near-term execution risk despite a strong market position.

SWOT Factors

Upside: 64.7 Risk: 70.0

OKR Impact

AI Leverage

Top 3 Strategic Levers

Achieve operating profitability to prove the model's viability.

Accelerate platform cross-selling to deepen customer moat.

Monetize unique data via AI-driven predictive services.

AI Disclosure

This report was created using the Alignment Method—our proprietary process for guiding AI to reveal how it interprets your business and industry. These insights are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, legal, tax, or investment advice.

Next Step

Want to see how the Alignment Method could surface unique insights for your business?

Request your custom report Contact our team

About Alignment LLC

Alignment LLC specializes in AI-powered business analysis. Through the Alignment Method, we combine advanced prompting, structured frameworks, and expert oversight to deliver actionable insights that help companies understand how AI sees their data and market position.