Totals
- Total revenue
- $6,496,323
- Total expenses
- $6,292,382
- Contributions and grants received
- $150,002
- Grants paid
- $0
- Program service revenue
- $6,326,667
- Investment income
- $19,654
- Other revenue
- $0
- Total assets, end of year
- $1,716,033
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $1,284,936
- Net assets or fund balances, end of year
- $431,097
- Program services expenses (Part IX)
- $5,270,580
- Management and general expenses
- $1,021,802
- Fundraising expenses
- $0
- Program service expenses (Part III)
- $5,270,580
Program services were 83.8% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.
Line items
Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.
Revenue
Part VIII, the statement of revenue.
-
1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants
$150,002
-
2a · Program service revenue: PROGRAM FEES
total $5,755,687 · related or exempt $5,755,687 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
-
2b · Program service revenue: SPONSOR REVENUE
total $570,980 · related or exempt $570,980 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
-
2f · All other program service revenue
total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
-
3 · Investment income
total $19,654 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $19,654
-
6c · Rental income or loss
real property $0 · personal property $0
-
7c · Gain or loss
securities $0 · other assets $0
-
11d · All other revenue
total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
-
11e · Other revenue, total
$0
Functional expenses
Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.
-
4 · Benefits paid to or for members
total $0 · program services $0
-
7 · Other salaries and wages
total $875,540 · program services $700,432 · management and general $175,108 · fundraising $0
-
8 · Pension plan contributions
total $4,290 · program services $3,432 · management and general $858 · fundraising $0
-
9 · Other employee benefits
total $12,952 · program services $10,362 · management and general $2,590 · fundraising $0
-
10 · Payroll taxes
total $292,393 · program services $233,914 · management and general $58,479 · fundraising $0
-
11b · Fees: legal
total $60,164 · program services $0 · management and general $60,164 · fundraising $0
-
11c · Fees: accounting
total $112,361 · program services $0 · management and general $112,361 · fundraising $0
-
11g · Fees: other
total $892,446 · program services $891,039 · management and general $1,407 · fundraising $0
-
13 · Office expenses
total $116,413 · program services $91,684 · management and general $24,729 · fundraising $0
-
14 · Information technology
total $126,896 · program services $101,517 · management and general $25,379 · fundraising $0
-
16 · Occupancy
total $350,386 · program services $0 · management and general $350,386 · fundraising $0
-
17 · Travel
total $376,051 · program services $334,610 · management and general $41,441 · fundraising $0
-
24a · Other expenses: JAMBOREE EVENT EXPENSES
total $2,903,590 · program services $2,903,590
-
24b · Other expenses: ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES
total $151,342 · management and general $151,342
-
24c · Other expenses: DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
total $17,558 · management and general $17,558
-
24e · All other expenses
total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
Balance sheet
Part X, book values.
-
1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing
beginning of year $86,901 · end of year $300,735
-
2 · Savings and temporary cash investments
beginning of year $732,860 · end of year $1,034,247
-
4 · Accounts receivable
beginning of year $221,500 · end of year $38,000
-
5 · Loans and receivables from officers and key people
end of year $0
-
6 · Loans and receivables from disqualified persons
end of year $0
-
9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges
beginning of year $550 · end of year $0
-
10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis
$0
-
10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation
$0
-
10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net
end of year $0
-
11 · Investments: publicly traded securities
beginning of year $0
-
12 · Investments: other securities
beginning of year $0 · end of year $6,990
-
13 · Investments: program-related
beginning of year $0
-
15 · Other assets
beginning of year $6,990 · end of year $336,061
-
17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses
beginning of year $492,248 · end of year $1,244,936
-
19 · Deferred revenue
beginning of year $1,900 · end of year $40,000
-
22 · Loans and payables to officers and key people
beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
-
25 · Other liabilities
beginning of year $327,497 · end of year $0
-
27 · Net assets without donor restrictions
beginning of year $227,156 · end of year $431,097
-
28 · Net assets with donor restrictions
beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
Mission and programs · 2024
Mission
THE INTERNATIONAL GENETICALLY ENGINEERED MACHINE (IGEM) FOUNDATION IS DEDICATED TO EDUCATION AND COMPETITION, ADVANCEMENT OF SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF OPEN COMMUNITY AND COLLABORATION. THE IGEM FOUNDATION FOSTERS SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATION THROUGH ORGANIZING AND OPERATING THE IGEM COMPETITION, THE PREMIER STUDENT SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY COMPETITION. IT ALSO FOSTERS SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATION BY ESTABLISHING AND OPERATING THE REGISTRY OF STANDARD BIOLOGICAL PARTS, A COMMUNITY COLLECTION OF BIOLOGICAL COMPONENTS. THE ORGANIZATION PROMOTES THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND EDUCATION BY DEVELOPING AN OPEN COMMUNITY OF STUDENTS AND PRACTITIONERS IN SCHOOLS, LABORATORIES, RESEARCH INSTITUTES, AND INDUSTRY. THE IGEM COMMUNITY HAS A LONG HISTORY OF INVOLVING STUDENTS AND THE PUBLIC IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW FIELD OF SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY.
-
IGEM FOUNDATION FOSTERS SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATION THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION OF THE IGEM COMPETITION, THE WORLD'S PREMIER STUDENT SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY COMPETITION. IN 2024, IGEM ENGAGED MORE THAN 400 STUDENT TEAMS AND INSTITUTIONS GLOBALLY AND OVER 10,000 PARTICIPANTS FROM 45 COUNTRIES-THE HIGHEST PARTICIPATION IN ITS HISTORY. THE ANNUAL IGEM GRAND JAMBOREE IS THE CULMINATING EVENT OF THE COMPETITION, WHERE TEAMS PRESENT THEIR WORK AND COMPETE FOR AWARDS. IT BROUGHT TOGETHER 4300 STUDENTS, RESEARCHERS, AND INDUSTRY LEADERS, PROMOTING GLOBAL COLLABORATION IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING. IGEM ALSO OPERATES THE REGISTRY OF STANDARD BIOLOGICAL PARTS, A COMMUNITY RESOURCE THAT NOW INCLUDES MORE THAN 74,000 CONTRIBUTIONS. THROUGH ITS INITIATIVES, IGEM PROMOTES EDUCATION, BIOSAFETY, RESPONSIBLE INNOVATION, SUPPORTING THE NEXT GENERATION OF SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY LEADERS IN SCHOOLS, LABORATORIES, RESEARCH INSTITUTES, AND INDUSTRY.
Expenses $5,270,580 · Revenue $6,326,667
As filed on the 2024 return.
Listed in Part VII
-
Randall RettbergRANDALL RETTBERG
PRESIDENT (THRU 7/16/24)/DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $183,600
- From this org
- $0
- From related orgs
- $183,600
- Other
- $0
- Hours/week
- 20 + 20 related
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $0 + $183,600 related
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $0
- Nontaxable benefits
- $0
- Filer's total
- $0 + $183,600 related
-
Thomas KnightTHOMAS KNIGHT
TREASURER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Ariel LindnerARIEL LINDNER
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Drew EndyDREW ENDY
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
John CumbersJOHN CUMBERS
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
King ChowKING CHOW
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Megan PalmerMEGAN PALMER
DIRECTOR (THRU 11/18/24)
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Pam SilverPAM SILVER
DIRECTOR (THRU 3/24/24)
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Richard JohnsonRICHARD JOHNSON
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Nan ZhangNAN ZHANG
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT (AS OF 10/27/24)
- Total calculated
- $98,120
- From this org
- $0
- From related orgs
- $98,120
- Other
- $0
- Hours/week
- 5 + 35 related
-
Nemanja StijepovicNEMANJA STIJEPOVIC
PRESIDENT & CEO (AS OF 7/17/24) (EVP/COO THRU 7/16/24)
- Total calculated
- $121,442
- From this org
- $0
- From related orgs
- $121,442
- Other
- $0
- Hours/week
- 20 + 20 related
Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.
Schedule J
Answered yes
None.
Answered no
- 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
- 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
- 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
- 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
- 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
- 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
- 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
- 7 · Other non-fixed payments
- 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception
The filer's explanations (Part III)
- Schedule J, Part III
- THE TOP MANAGEMENT OFFICIAL OF THE ORGANIZATION RECEIVED COMPENSATION FROM IGEM EUROPE, A RELATED TAXABLE CORPORATION. THE METHODS USED TO ESTABLISH COMPENSATION INCLUDED COMPENSATION COMMITTEE AND APPROVAL BY THE BOARD OR COMPENSATION COMMITTEE.
Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.
Grants on this return
No itemized grants to organizations on this return.
Taxable family on this return
Schedule R Parts I, III and IV, as filed. These record ownership and control, not shared board members or money moved.
Related corporations and trusts
Part IV: related organizations taxable as a corporation or trust.
-
IGEM EUROPE
C Corporation · FOSTERING SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATION · FR · 100% owned · share of income $3,013,474 · share of assets $815,687 · controlled entity
Directly controlled by IGEM FOUNDATION INC
Provenance
- Return type
- form_990
- Tax year
- 2024
- Filed
- 17 November 2025
- IRS schema version
- 2024v5.1
- Source object
- 202533219349322143
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