BioGenerator is a privately funded, non-profit organization created to facilitate the formation of life science companies in the St. Louis area. Founded in 2003, BioGenerator has been funded through the generosity of the McDonnell Family Foundation, the Danforth Foundation, Bunge North America, the Monsanto Fund, and CORTEX.  BioGenerator’s mission is to support economic development for the St. Louis region, to identify promising life science technology (usually from local high-quality research institutions), to work with the researcher/inventor, and to build successful, sustainable life science companies. BioGenerator provides assistance, possibly with seed funding, at the very earliest stages of new company formation - where the researcher first recognizes that his/her discovery could provide real benefits to mankind, but is unsure how to proceed.

BioGenerator provides crucial financial support for new company formation known as “Pre-Seed” or “Seed” stage funding.  These funds allow newly formed life science companies to hire their first employees, set-up their first laboratories to reach R&D milestones towards the development of their product. Typically Venture Capital investors and Angel investors do not invest until much later in the development process, which can be up to two or three years later. BioGenerator generally provides financial support in the range of $50,000 to $250,000 to promising technologies. BioGenerator works with area Venture Capital investors and Angel investors to solicit feedback on promising technologies and to gauge their level of interest in initial co-investment or to provide follow-on funding after the initial “Pre-Seed” or “Seed” funding. 

BioGenerator works directly with area academic researchers and research institutions such as Washington University, Saint Louis University, and the University of Missouri - St. Louis, as well independent entrepreneurs and other area research institutions such as the Danforth Plant Science Center and Missouri Botanical Gardens. BioGenerator provides support in the form of advice and counsel, access to needed professional services such as lawyers and accountants, and access to sources of funding (including BioGenerator).