AXO SCIENCE SAS

Their core work

AXO SCIENCE is a French biotech SME specializing in rapid biological identification tests, with a strong focus on forensic applications for criminal investigations. They develop presumptive testing kits for biological trace identification — particularly for sexual assault cases — enabling faster evidence collection, suspect profiling, and DNA recovery at crime scenes. Their technology bridges molecular biology diagnostics with law enforcement needs, offering tools that help police and forensic labs process evidence more quickly and reliably.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

AXO SCIENCE began in the broader diagnostics space, participating in FAPIC (2015-2020) on rapid pathogen identification — a general biotech application. From 2018 onward, they pivoted decisively toward forensic biology for criminal justice, first validating their concept through an SME Instrument Phase 1 (Sex-Assault-ID) and then scaling it with a Phase 2 grant (Themis, €1.7M). This trajectory shows a company that found its niche: applying rapid bioassay expertise specifically to sexual assault evidence processing for law enforcement.

AXO SCIENCE is moving from general diagnostics toward commercializing a specialized forensic product for law enforcement, with their SME-2 funding indicating market-readiness ambitions.

How they like to work

AXO SCIENCE predominantly leads projects — coordinating 2 out of 3, including their largest grant. Their SME Instrument projects are solo or small-team efforts typical of product-focused companies using EU funding to bring a specific product to market. With 10 unique partners across 7 countries, they build purpose-driven consortia rather than relying on repeat partnerships, suggesting they recruit expertise as needed rather than operating within a fixed network.

AXO SCIENCE has worked with 10 distinct partners across 7 countries, reflecting a moderately broad European network. As a product-driven SME, their partnerships are likely end-user oriented — involving law enforcement agencies, forensic labs, and validation partners rather than large research consortia.

What sets them apart

AXO SCIENCE occupies a rare niche at the intersection of rapid bioassay development and forensic criminal justice — few biotech SMEs focus this specifically on sexual assault evidence processing. Their progression through both SME Instrument phases (feasibility to commercialization) signals a company with a concrete product, not just research capabilities. For consortium builders in security, justice, or forensic science calls, they bring both the diagnostic technology and direct relevance to law enforcement end-users.

Highlights from their portfolio

• Themis
  Largest grant (€1.7M, SME Phase 2) and their flagship product — a disruptive forensic identification solution for sexual crime investigations, signaling near-market readiness.
• FAPIC
  Their earliest H2020 project and largest consortium role as participant, demonstrating foundational expertise in rapid assay design before specializing in forensics.
• Sex-Assault-ID
  SME Phase 1 feasibility study that validated the forensic sperm identification concept, directly leading to the larger Themis project.