| Industries and initiatives

Therapeutic and biotech Innovation

350
drugs in clinical development
700
life sciences companies
32,500
talents in life sciences
3
Billion $ raised by biotechs since 2017

Huge advances in our understanding of the biology of diseases coupled with breakthrough technologies have led to groundbreaking scientific discoveries fueling the development of novel medicines.

Developing tomorrow’s drugs creates many opportunities to create new biotech companies. BaseLaunch helps incubate and accelerate these new ventures by deeply embedding them within the Basel Area life sciences ecosystem and connecting them with the global biopharma community.

A hotspot for innovation

The Basel Area is a biotech hotspot. It is home to Roche and Novartis, two of the world’s top pharmaceutical companies, as well as Actelion, part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies, formerly Europe’s biggest biotechs. But it is not just about big pharma, one also finds biotech companies like Idorsia, Roivant Sciences, Galapagos, Anaveon, Basilea, BeiGene, Halozyme, Mirum Pharmaceuticals, NBE Therapeutics, Nouscom, Polyneuron, Santhera, Skyhawk Therapeutics and many others.

Additionally, world-class research institutions such as the D-BSSE branch of the ETH Zürich, the Biozentrum, the Department of Biomedicine of the University of Basel, the Friedrich Miescher Institute, the Life Sciences Branch of the University of Applied Sciences and more are based here.

This tightly interwoven academic and biopharma environment feeds the tremendous innovation power of the Basel Area, ensures a diverse talent base and provides access to financing from marque venture capitalists like the Novartis Venture Fund, Roche Venture Fund, Versant Ventures, BioMedPartners, MTIP, among others. This makes the Basel Area the ideal breeding ground for the creation of new biopharma ventures.

Supporting innovation

Network

Connect with a large network of experienced leaders, innovators, consultants, advisors, service providers, investors, biopharma professionals and much more. From consultation to team building to partnerships, you’ll find connections in the Basel Area and beyond to help your business succeed.

Events

A series of events and workshops connecting innovators, investors and leaders in the life sciences industry covering all relevant topics related to company building, biotech formation, IP, drug & business development, and more.

BaseLaunch

BaseLaunch incubates and accelerates therapeutic ventures in close collaboration with our partners that include leading pharma companies and venture funds. In addition to providing up to USD 500,000 in funding, BaseLaunch closely collaborates with the founders also bringing in relevant consultants, advisors and biopharma professionals, all to quickly get new companies off the ground.

BaseLaunch has supported the first companies in 2018, and our portfolio has raised more than USD 270 Million in financing to date.

Startup support

Basel Area Business & Innovation provides individual support for innovators and very early startup projects in one-on-one discussions, and expert meetings for the review and support of business ideas.

We offer promising biotech ventures the tools and knowledge needed to launch and grow a successful company.

Space

From startups to newcomers, ventures in the Basel Area can find space to follow their dreams and prove their ideas. Whether it’s our soft landing program, research labs, or co-working space at our innovation and technology parks, we help you find the facilities and infrastructure you need to succeed.

The Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area, which is managed by Basel Area Business & Innovation, houses its accelerators and has four locations that offer cutting-edge infrastructure from labs to meeting areas to offices, as well as a broad set of support services that help ideas become reality.

Team

Our team, rooted in science and business, has a proven track-record in nurturing biotech startups. Moreover, we have an extensive network of consultants, advisors, service providers, investors, biopharma professionals and much more.

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Success stories

Click on the logos below to read why they chose Basel

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Support for biotech and therapeutic startups

Stephan Emmerth, PhD

Director Therapeutic Innovation and BaseLaunch

Email Stephan