What is Civic Biotechnology?

Civic Biotechnology is an interdisciplinary research initiative advancing new models for conservation biotechnology deployment.

We bring together a coalition of conservation scientists, technologists, community organizers, designers, and institutional leaders–each committed to advancing community-based stewardship as a critical pathway toward biodiversity protection, regeneration, and climate resilience.

Led by the MIT Media Lab’s Community Biotechnology Initiative, our collaborators include Revive & Restore, Value Mentors, the Leading Change Network, Practicing Democracy Project, Parley for the Oceans, Alligator Head Foundation, One People One Reef, and the Harvard Kennedy School. Together, we prototype methods for building relational infrastructure—supporting coordination, legitimacy, and long-term stewardship in conservation practice.

Our Mission

Our mission is to strengthen how biotechnology deployment decisions are made in shared ecological and civic contexts—so powerful interventions in living systems are effective, legitimate, and accountable to place.