Biotop-report 2014

13

BioTOPics 47 | May 2014 

BioTOP-Report

 Biotechnology 

cal-pharmaceutical industries for making production processes 

more chiral, meaning to convert substances with spatially complex 

designs into water-based processes. The catalyst is not modified 

before re-use. With this resource-conserving reaction process 

control, customers – drug and fragrance manufacturers – benefit 

from more cost-efficient, environmentally friendly production pro-

cesses. 

GlycoUniverse is a technology spin-off  of  the Max Planck 

Institute of  Colloids and Interfaces. The company specializes in 

the automated development and synthetic production of  complex 

sugars. With GlycoUniverse’s state-of-the-art oligosaccharide 

synthesizer GLYCONEER

®

, the process of  synthesizing complex 

carbohydrates that formerly took months or years can be complet-

ed in a matter of  days or even hours.

The high number of  start-ups is the result of  a critical mass of  

players, activities and initiatives in the start-up area, its well-

developed infrastructure and excellent location factors as 

well. These include the seven biotechnology parks that make 

affordable laboratories and technical infrastructure available, 

and the many scientific institutes that produce highly skilled 

specialists. The universities join in with comprehensive spin-off  

support programs, some of  which are triggered by the federal 

government’s “EXIST-Gründungskultur - Die Gründerhochschule” 

competition. Pharmaceuticals giant Bayer Healthcare has 

also discovered the region’s potential, providing the technical 

infrastructure, professional support and expertise of  an 

established pharmaceuticals company to young companies via 

its CoLaborator, opened in May. Another important element is the 

many business plan competitions in which founders receive initial 

feedback for their business concepts. With 140 events, a network 

of  over 200 consultants and over 500 business plan submissions 

per year, the Berlin-Brandenburg Business Plan Competition is 

one of  the largest competitions of  this type in Germany.

The momentum in the Berlin-Brandenburg region is powerful – 

especially at the interface of  IT and the life sciences. There are 

a variety of  names for this new area, including eHealth, itHealth, 

dHealth and mHealth. What they all designate is the successful fu-

sion of  the two fields, facilitated by web-based applications in the 

medical sector. This development is still young, but with its unique 

density of  IT and life sciences players, the Berlin-Brandenburg 

location is particularly suitable for generating new companies. 

The first companies have already been founded; take 

Caterna, an 

online school for visual exercises, or 

NeuroNation, the new digital 

brain-jogging platform for example. There are many new compa-

nies in this new field, and in XL Health, it even has a financially 

strong investor specialized in digital health.

Financing and Added Value

VC Fonds Technologie Berlin was set up as a joint initiative of Investitionsbank 

Berlin (IBB) and the State of Berlin. It is co-financed by the European Regional  

Development Fund (ERDF). 

Venture Capital

for companies in Berlin

IBB Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH offers equity financ-

ing for high tech companies in Berlin. For our fund  

VC Fonds 

Technologie

 Berlin

 (€52m) we are looking 

for investment opportunities in the biotechnology and 

medical technology sector. 

Our investment approach is based on hands-on invol-

vement and active management support for each 

portfolio company, delivered by our highly expe-

rienced investment team. 

VC Fonds 

Technologie

 Berlin

 

not only provides capital, but also helps execute the 

business plan. 

Are you interested? Please do not hesitate to contact us.

IBB Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH

Mrs. Ute Mercker / Mr. Christian Seegers

Bundesallee 210

10719 Berlin / Germany

Phone: [phone]

www.ibb-bet.de

Selected portfolio companies:

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14

BioTOPics 47 | May 2014 

BioTOP-Report

 Pharma 

Pharma

Attractive Location

The capital region has developed into one of  Germany’s most important, attractive centers for the medical and 

healthcare industries. Based on the significant growth of  the pharmaceuticals industry in Berlin, these sectors are 

the growth engine of  the regional industry. Currently, the sectors employ approx. 10,000 people in the German 

capital region. This means that pharmaceuticals companies account for around one in every 10 jobs in the regional 

industry – and every 11th employee in the pharmaceuticals sector in German works in Berlin.

Globally active corporations are located along the Spree River: 

Bayer Healthcare, Berlin-Chemie, Pfizer Deutschland, Sanofi 

Deutschland and since 2011, Takeda. The capital region is also 

home to over 20 medium-sized pharmaceuticals companies, in-

cluding several world market leaders. 

Above all, the sectors benefit from the capital region’s excellent 

scientific environment and clinical research landscape, the prox-

imity to decision-makers in the healthcare system and the ready 

availability of  well-educated skilled specialists. A steadily growing 

number of  global players and medium-sized companies are set-

ting up business here or moving their corporate headquarters to 

Berlin and the capital region, to take advantage of  these location 

assets. With over 220 companies, Berlin is also a leading global 

location in the biotechnology sector and the pharmaceuticals in-

dustry has created a close, innovative network with these partners. 

The Berlin-Brandenburg region has an outstanding position in sev-

eral sectors that the experts certify as having a strong growth 

outlook due to their excellence in innovation. 

The pharmaceuticals sector's innovative excellence pays doubly 

for Berlin-Brandenburg, which is also one of  the country's lead-

ing research locations. The partnership between pharmaceuticals 

companies, clinics and hospitals and scientific institutions guar-

antees ultra modern patient healthcare of  a uniquely high quality, 

and the innovations of  the pharmaceuticals companies are creat-

ing and securing the jobs of  the future for the region. 

The current investment and activities of  the local pharmaceuti-

cals sector are proof  of  Berlin's appeal and bear witness to the 

companies' commitment to the capital region. 

Bayer has paid 

billions to conclude the takeover of  Norwegian cancer treatment 

specialists Algeta. Bayer made the move to strengthen its position 

in the tumor medication area. The company is also increasing its 

commitment to young, innovative technology companies. In May 

2014, it launched the CoLaborator incubator program. An incu-

bator model for biotechnology start-ups, CoLaborator was tested 

in San Francisco (Mission Bay) two years ago. In the specially 

equipped research building, up to 10 innovative biotechnology 

companies can now get to work – thanks to Bayer.

Within the next two years, 

Berlin-Chemie will invest €40 million in 

the expansion of  its location, continuing to develop its position as 

one of  the sector's leading employers.

In Berlin, we find an excellent scientific and commercial envi-

ronment. This is an important basis for further investments and 

the expansion of  our location in the south-east of  the city. In 

addition required extensions are planned, among others a new 

building for the quality control, a new staff  canteen, an exten-

sion of  the office capacity for the administrative area and the 

resulting infrastructural measures in the form of  new roads, 

paths and parking facilities for our employees.

Dr. Rainer Uppenkamp

CEO Berlin-Chemie AG

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