IBISBA a European distributed research infrastructure dedicated to biotechnology and biomanufacturing, offering a vast range of R&D services covering all steps of bioprocess development. IBISBA constitutes a single access point to researchers from both academia and industry across the globe. Choosing IBISBA provides users with unique visibility of European excellence in biotechnology. By federating European expertise and state-of-the-art R&D facilities, IBISBA constitutes a unique platform for work on standardisation and the development of advanced data practices, both of which form core elements of service reproducibility, interoperability, and knowledge sharing. Likewise, IBISBA contributes to the development of industry standards, crucial for the growing biomanufacturing sector. As a pan-European research infrastructure benefiting both academia and industry, IBISBA forms a nexus for the translation of cutting-edge knowledge into innovation for biomanufacturing. IBISBA’s ambition is to surpass the techno-push/market pull paradigm, founding a new one where R&D expertise and industrial knowledge are exchanged in a bilateral continuum that promotes the production of new knowledge and provides a fast-track to innovation. IBISBA simplifies user access by building shared business practices and streamlining contractual terms, including harmonised IPR policy among its service providers. Likewise, IBISBA is developing common strategic road-mapping, thus providing a pan-European vision of existing assets and future needs. Accordingly, IBISBA is creating the basis for smarter investments and science-based policymaking in favour of the biotechnology & biomanufacturing. Embedded in academia, IBISBA is strategically placed to contribute to the creation of Europe’s future workforce. Providing education and training, IBISBA ensures the timely transfer of the cutting-edge knowledge and skills that are vital to sustain the growth of Europe’s biotechnology sector. Currently an ESFRI project, IBISBA is using a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to federate stakeholders, create its community and establish temporary governance mechanisms. Presently, the MoU is signed by 23 partner entities, representing 11 countries, including France, Belgium, Italy, Ireland, Finland, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the UK. All these partners are committed to drive IBISBA forward and deliver a fully operational research infrastructure in the coming years. Among partner countries, seven (France, Belgium, Italy, Ireland, Finland, Greece, the Netherlands) are members of IBISBA’s steering committee. It is anticipated that IBISBA will become an ERIC, organized following a hub and spoke model. The hub will be composed of the legal entity whose seat will be in France. Working with the ‘spokes’, each of which is a national community (or node), IBISBA-ERIC will deliver its business model, mostly through the participation of R&D service providers located in member nodes.