Smart MCs

Smart MCs is a biotechnology company focused on addressing the scaling and cost challenges within the bioprocessing sector, particularly for the cultivated meat and cell therapy industries. Founded in mid-2022 by Lin Ding and Payar Radfar, the company originated from a proof-of-concept for edible microcarriers made from food ingredients. The venture was initially supported by the UTS Startups community, which provides resources and mentorship, and later participated in the Big Idea Ventures accelerator program to develop its minimum viable product.

The company's core business revolves around manufacturing and supplying advanced biomaterials to clients in the bioprocessing and cultured meat markets. Smart MCs addresses a critical bottleneck in large-scale cell cultivation for industries that rely on adherent cells, which require a surface to grow on. Its business model centers on providing customized, application-specific solutions rather than generic products. Key milestones include securing a $600,000 Accelerating Commercialisation Grant from the Australian Government in 2023 to establish an automated microcarrier production line. In mid-2025, the company also obtained $900,000 in funding through the Australian Research Council's Linkage Program in partnership with the University of New South Wales.

Smart MCs' product suite includes three main categories: Microcarriers, Hydrogels, and Microfluidic Solutions. The microcarriers are small, spherical structures that provide a large surface area for cells to grow within bioreactors, enabling higher-density cultures than traditional 2D methods. These microcarriers are distinguished by being customizable, biodegradable, xeno-free, and in some cases, edible, which is particularly beneficial for the cultivated meat industry as it streamlines downstream processing. The company also develops fully defined, xeno-free hydrogels for applications like tissue modeling and wound healing, as well as microfluidic platforms for processes such as cell sorting and droplet generation. These products are designed to help clients scale up production, reduce costs, and minimize cell loss.

Keywords: microcarriers, bioprocessing, cell cultivation, cultivated meat, biotechnology, biomaterials, cell therapy, adherent cells, scalable manufacturing, bioreactors, hydrogels, microfluidics, xeno-free, cell culture, tissue engineering, UTS Startups, Big Idea Ventures, bioproduction, cellular agriculture, advanced biomaterials