BioM, the network organization for the biotechnology sector in Munich and Bavaria, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The agency, promoted by the Bavarian Ministry of Economics, has been developing and expanding Bavaria as a biotechnology center since 1997. Since then, a total of 3.8 billion Euros have been invested in the area from private capital. BioM supports five to ten start-ups each year. In 1997, 64 biotechnology companies were located in Munich; today, there are 188.
Over the past 20 years, BioM has advised and accompanied more than 200 companies. In the same period, the number of biotech employees has risen from 3,500 to 11,900. The dynamic growth of the young industry is based on the excellent research facilities in Munich. More than 90% of business start-ups originate from university and non-university research institutes in the fields of biology, chemistry, medicine, pharmacology and physics.
“The founders are the drivers of innovation in the sector. BioM provides a comprehensive and tailor-made offer for biotechnology start-ups. Over the past two decades, we have created ideal conditions and a vast network that offers our life sciences companies the chance to start out strong,” commented Prof. Dr. Horst Domdey, BioM founder and managing director.
With the anniversary, BioM has published the Bavarian Biotech Report 2016/17, which describes the dynamically growing sector. In 2016, 225 biotechnology companies were located in Bavaria. Together with pharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations and suppliers, there are 360 companies in the biopharmaceutical field. The sector employs a total of 32,000 people. This corresponds to an increase of 4% over the previous year. The number of start-ups rose from three in the previous year to ten in 2016.
The Bavarian biotechnology sector focuses on medical applications. Two-thirds of the small and medium-sized enterprises are developing new diagnostics and therapeutics, which take many years of research and testing. Eight drugs have already achieved market approval. This makes Munich the most successful biotechnology hub in Germany.
“Munich offers perfect conditions for the medicine of the future,” said Domdey. “Our expertise in personalized medicine, immuno-oncology and digital medicine – to name but a few – will shape the healthcare sector of tomorrow.”
BioM Biotech Cluster Development GmbH is a not-for-profit organization supporting the biotechnology sector in Bavaria and Munich since 1997. BioM has built up an extensive national and international network and promotes the interaction between small and medium-sized companies in Bavaria and external companies and investors, as well as other players. BioM offers a wide range of seminars and events for the biotech industry, especially for company founders.