I. INTRODUCTION Bio-Helix, a Taiwanese privately held company, has been focusing on providing the best bio-reagents for life science researchers all over the world since 2007. Among others, its products, include DNA markers, protein markers, pre-cast protein gel, nucleic acid purification, PCR reagents and so on. Working together with scientists in the lab around the world and continuing efforts of quality improvement, Bio- Helix is strengthening its image as a company providing trustworthy reagents in laboratories of life science with its brand currently known in more than forty countries [1]. With the demand for good quality bio-reagents for diagnostic devices growing fast (see the information box below for a summary of the trends in biotechnology reagents market), there is a whole set of new growth opportunities opening up for Bio-Helix. The company has the vision that one day our life span can be prolonged and life quality can be improved by early detection and subsequent proper treatment of all diseases following ancient Chinese beliefs that a good doctor treats disease before illness, instead of after its onset. Bio-Helix's new brand, LifeDirex, is created to fulfill this vision by focusing on supplying the best and most innovative reagents for diagnostic tools to promote earliest detection of diseases as possible. Company's mission is to provide the best quality products and to develop novel technologies that assist researchers to find solutions in quest of scientific achievements. Among Bio-Helix's goals under this mission is establishing a presence in the market of in vitro diagnostic device (IVDD) and become the best solution provider in this market for both research laboratory and IVDD. TRENDS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY REAGENTS MARKET According to various market research companies (2, 3, 4), the biotechnology reagents market size is expected to reach a value of around USD 32.11 billion, at a CAGR of 7.39% during 2021-2025, growing by $37.87 billion at a CAGR of 8.08% during 2019-2024 (or at around 9.4% between 2021 and 2028). The global Biotechnology Reagents market accounted for USD 77.4 Billion in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 159.2 Billion by 2028. According to the some sources, some of the main vendors in this industry are Abbott Laboratories, Agilent Technologies Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Becton, Dickinson and Co., Bio-Rod Laboratories Inc. Geographically, North America is expected to register the highest growth rate of 50.07% among the other regions and have the largest market share by 2028 providing significant business opportunities for the vendors during the forecast period. This research identifies also the key factors driving the biotechnology reagents market growth: Increasing R&D investments by federal agencies and biotechnology firms, the high usage of biotechnology reagents in diagnostic and therapeutic applications, growing focus on reducing carbon footprint, consistent product advancement in the food & beverage, agro-biotech, and phormaceuticals industries. In terms of the market product-segmentation, the biotechnology reagents market is segmented into Chromatography, In-vitro diagnostics, Electrophoresis, Polymerase chain reaction, etc. (See Figure below.)Global Biotechnology Reagents Market Share, By Technology, 2020 (c) Chromatography Electrophoresis PCR IMass spectrometry Flow Cytometry Expression and Tranelection With regard to its global expansion strategy, Bio-Helix has already established a presence in North America: United States, Canada, and Mexico; Canada and Mexico are currently managed by exclusive distributors. For the US market specifically, the company uses a couple of small distributors (CEDARLANE LABORATORIES USA INC, INTERPRISE USA CORP., FROGGABIO INC, and BIOHIPPO INC.)[5] marketing the products under Bio-Helix's brand name. The main goal for the Bio-Helix's US-based subsidiary is to develop the B2C markets, focusing on the regional/local dealers and biopharma companies. Company's mini-warehouse is currently located in Vancouver, Canada for managing the logistics of top 10 - 15 reagents. As rapid as the expansion of Bio-Helix into U.S./North American market has been, however, and despite the very sound innovation, manufacturing, and distribution capabilities it possesses, Bio-Helix's management is concerned that its brand name might suffer as a result of the negative perception associated with "Made-in-China' products. Various developments have simultaneously played a role in shaping such a perception. Firstly, several controversies surrounding Chinese biotechnology sector, such as the revelation of several cases related to the quality of children's vaccines, the questionable quality of products and services, as well as the failure to comply with ethical standards have all not only undermined the confidence of Chinese consumers but also raised doubts among international partners and potential clients [6]. In addition, there is a belief that the Chinese government has set up a relatively lax regulatory environment for biotechnology, which indeed may encourage scientific innovation, but does so at the cost of giving rise to controversial practices.Secondly, the 'Made-in-China' image should also be interpreted within the broader issue of the Sino- American rivalry, specifically in the biotechnology industry. Despite the current dominance of the U.S. in this market, China is likely to occupy a leadership position in the coming years, with Chinese companies benefitting from a regulatory environment that is considerably more flexible than that of their American counterparts, better access to and the potential to mobilize large amount of data, as well as enjoying substantial financial support from the Chinese state [6] In addition, regulations in China for biotechnology products may favor Chinese developers and producers: "China's regulatory policy for biologics reduces the market protections new products receive if they are first submitted for approval outside of China, with further reductions if the applications rely on data not collected in China. These regulations obviously aid Chinese developers of biopharmaceuticals, but could also cause multi-national biopharmaceutical companies to prioritize China as a first market of entry, especially considering the high market potential in China due to their enormous and aging population" [7]. Thirdly, zooming out even further, we find ourselves in the middle of a U.S.-China trade war with the U.S. Government signaling recently that it has no intentions to "thaw" the trade relations with China [8] and the biotechnology industry is no exception. For instance, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) expressed in 2019 concerns about Chinese companies dealing with critical technologies and sensitive data, especially personally identifiable information, both of which are areas common to biopharma companies. The US also fears foreign companies buying control in a US direct competitor to steal intellectual property or to neglect the company to the benefit of its rival [9]. The most recent crisis over Taiwan is expected to worsen the U.S.-China relationship even further [10]. It is within this context that Bio-Helix is exploring a variety of ways to improve this image, mostly by considering several options in the shape of collaborations with U.S. firms, organizations, research institutes, and non-governmental organizations. One way to identify such collaborations is to follow the value chain for Bio-Helix, the sequence of processes or activities by which the company adds value to a product. For the sake of the simplicity, however, we are going to consider three main, sequentially ordered pieces of the value chain: R&D/innovation -> Manufacturing/operations -> Marketing, sales, logistics, technical support. Each of the three groups analyzing Bio-Helix will address one of these specific areas. However, all three groups are required to complete PART I of the questions below