Regional Biotechnology (PWC):

http://ec.europa.eu/research/bioeconomy/pdf/regional-biotech-report.pdf

The Bavarian Government is committed to long term investments and encourages the
innovation and establishment/expansion of businesses in biotechnology via its business
promotion agency, “Invest-in-Bavaria”, at national and international levels; supports
overall development of science and business through its cluster initiative “Bayern
Innovative Alliance” and “Bavarian Research Alliance”; offers different biotech specific
research funding specially for SMEs (e.g. Gene and Biotech); combines scientists from
different universities in Bavaria to focus on functional genome research in collaboration
with industry with “Bavarian Genome Research Network”; fosters transition of
immunotherapeutic approaches into clinical application via “BaylmmuNet” network;
provides high risk capital to young biotech and medtech companies via “Bayern
Kapital”.

Renowned Universities (especially the ones focusing in biotechnology) and renowned

research Institutions (focusing on the specialised areas of the cluster itself) already
existing in the region long before the establishment of cluster are seen as a prerequisite
and are advantageous to cluster development. Especially the existence of University
hospitals together with their medical schools are considered to create the most
stimulating environment for creating or further developing red biotech in the region (e.g.
Munich, Cambridge)

Near Munich, the “IZB Innovation Centre for Biotechnology” was created in 1995 with
the support of Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Bavarian Ministry of Finance,
and played a very important role for start-ups as well as for growing companies to
accelerate the development in the region. Shortly after, critical mass of application-
oriented scientists attained and the incubator has been the birthplace for several world
renowned spin-off companies such as Mikrogen, Micromet, MorphoSys and MediGene.
Since its establishment, 100 Life-Science companies have been founded under the roof of
IZB and the IZB tenants have created more than 1,000 permanent jobs. These results
were obtained by the catalysing effect of the “BioRegio” competition in 1996;

Munich Biocluster, Germany: Cluster Organisation offers guidance on grant writing and
funding applications on national level. Recently, 50 grant proposals were supported by
the cluster organisation. Special services such as “Internet Portal” as a communication
platform for information exchange; “Pre-seed Programme”; “Munich Science Club”
aiming to benefit especially from the experience of retired scientists on operational level;
newsletter are also offered by cluster organisation;