bit.bio is a pioneering synthetic-biology company that provides human cells for scientific research, drug discovery and future medical treatments. Founded in 2016 as a spin-out from the University of Cambridge, the company is built on patented technology that enables the precise programming of stem cells into mature cell types – including nerve, immune and muscle cells. It provides consistent, high-quality cell models that help scientists run advanced experiments with confidence and speed. Headquartered in the UK and serving customers worldwide, bit.bio is committed to accelerating the research and development of next-generation therapies.
When this rapidly emerging biotech organisation began its journey, the leadership team made a bold decision. Rather than waiting until manual processes became unmanageable, they committed to building a long term finance and operations platform that would support global growth from the very start.
Five years on, that decision has paid off. The business has scaled from minimal early revenues to supplying leading pharmaceutical and research organisations across the world, and NetSuite remains the core operational engine behind that growth.
“We wouldn’t be able to live without it now. After working with multiple ERP systems over 20 years, NetSuite is the best I’ve worked with and it’s the one I would recommend.”
– Ross McGarrity, Associate Director, Financial Systems
The Challenge: Create an ERP foundation for future scale
At the time of implementation, the business was still in its early stages, with fewer than 80 staff and only a small number of annual orders. Rather than replacing an existing ERP system, the objective was to put the right system in place early to support the commercial and operational growth that was to follow.
The company wanted a system that would evolve with the business with processes that grew organically within the ERP, rather than as a solution to problems that already existed. Partner selection was equally important and, having previously worked with them on a prior implementation, bit.bio’s Financial Controller was keen to engage Eureka Solutions as a partner once again.
Key requirements included:
- Multi entity financial management across the UK, US and Austria
- One central database to provide master data and streamline consolidation
- A finance system capable of scaling quickly in line with international growth
- Full visibility of stock, raw materials and manufacturing
- Revenue recognition for project-based services
The Solution: NetSuite supporting end to end operations
After evaluating several systems, the business was clear that its ERP needed to scale with rapid growth, unify data across global operations and remove the inefficiencies of manual processes. NetSuite quickly emerged as the strongest fit, offering the flexibility to support complex scientific and commercial workflows while providing a single, connected view of the organisation. With confidence in the technology and in Eureka Solutions as implementation partner, the team moved forward with a defined plan and clear priorities.
Alan Miles, Commercial Director at Eureka Solutions, praised bit.bio’s strategic approach to its tech infrastructure: “Some organisations wait too long to put the right systems in place, and by the time they do, the focus required can distract from the very growth they’re trying to support. bit.bio took the opposite approach – they recognised early that rapid scale requires solid foundations and acted before operational complexity could become a barrier. Implementing a platform like NetSuite at this stage wasn’t overengineering; it was foresight. They’ve future-proofed their operations and created the conditions to grow without distraction.”
Over time, the business has expanded its use of NetSuite across key operational areas:
- Procurement and Inventory
All raw materials are managed within NetSuite, including purchasing, stock takes, automatic purchase order generation and full inventory tracking.
- Manufacturing
Bill of Materials functionality enables accurate usage of materials and provides clear visibility between production and procurement.
- Revenue Recognition
For projects and service-based revenue streams, NetSuite efficiently manages revenue recognition over time.
- Reporting and Consolidation
Having one database across all subsidiaries provides fast management reporting and streamlined consolidation.
Ross explained that choosing NetSuite early allowed the business to work with its standard processes rather than having to engineer the system to match established workflows:
“Because we put NetSuite in before processes were fully formed, we were able to shape our operations around how the system works rather than having to customise everything. It has made life much easier and has justified the decision to implement NetSuite at an early stage. “
The Results
Five years on from implementation, the business continues to scale without operational friction. Although order volumes and global activity have increased dramatically, the finance and operational teams haven’t had to grow at the same rate.
“NetSuite has definitely reduced the amount of headcount we would otherwise have needed. Without it, we would probably need twice the number in the finance team.”
Seamless multi entity operations
Managing subsidiaries in three countries is now simple, with data, reporting and consolidation all handled in one system.
A system that has grown with the business
The decision to implement NetSuite early has proven to be one of the most valuable strategic moves, with:
- No additional systems or adaptions required to support growth
- No reliance on heavy customisation
- Processes shaped naturally with the business
Looking Ahead
While the company does not currently plan to add further modules, NetSuite continues to underpin its ambitions and remains central to operations across the UK, US and Austria.
“We are really happy with the system. Five years on, we still rely on it every day. It has delivered exactly what we needed for growth.”