Biotop-report 2011

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Since spring 2008, BioTOP Berlin-Brandenburg arranges “BB LIFE” – 

events which provide information on a wide range of regulatory 

themes. To date, the “BB LIFE” team has welcomed more than 

1,500 participants to these events.

BB LIFE is designed for SME in the sectors pharmaceuticals, bio-

technology, medical products / medical engineering and in vitro 

diagnostics. The seminars provide extensive information about 

the preconditions and recommended procedures for the develop-

ment, testing, manufacturing, approval and marketing of prod-

ucts and for the provision of services for these product groups. 

In addition to some “classics”, new themes are continuously 

researched based on the information needs of participants to 

ensure that all current developments in the regulatory field are 

addressed optimally. In the seminars participants heard talks 

from 215 speakers to date, the majority of whom work in regional 

companies and research establishments.

The “SchülerBIONNALE” is a real runner. In 2010 it had 600 par-

ticipants, and in 2011 some 1400 school students have already 

completed the programme and explored the many career options 

in the biosciences.

From Basics to Very Special Things

One big plus of Berlin-Brandenburg as a biotech region is its very broad range of education 

programmes in the life sciences. It extends from nursery schools to postgraduate colleges 

and  specialised  further  education  programmes  in  the  regulatory  field.  On  our  website, 

BioTOP provides extensive information about the available degree courses and further 

education events in the region.

Comprehensive training programs

Berlin-Brandenburg offers an extremely broad range of academic programmes of study. The guide 

“Studium Gesundheit in Berlin und Brandenburg” compiled by the cluster presents around 140 

different health-related course programmes at the universities. And our training atlas presents 

more than 60 health sector professions for which people can train in the region. 

See: www.atlas-studium.de and www.atlas-ausbildung.de

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Since September 2010, Berlin has a new attraction: the “Hum-

boldt Bayer Mobil”. It provides science on wheels: A 14 metre 

truck converted into a mobile science laboratory offers school 

students the option of experimenting and conducting research 

like real scientists outside the classroom. The project is the result 

of a joint initiative of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and the 

Bayer Science & Education Foundation as well as Stiftung Hum-

boldt-Universität.

The “Humboldt Bayer Mobil” visits around 20 primary and sec-

ondary schools in Berlin and Brandenburg every year. School stu-

dents between the ages of eleven and 15 can acquire hands-on 

experience of the sciences at 15 different workstations inside 

the truck. For example, they may measure their physical endur-

ance with an ECG, analyse the environmental conditions in their 

neighbourhood, plan a polar expedition, analyse fingerprints or 

engage  in  a  wide  range  of  other  exciting  scientific  endeavours. 

The “Humboldt Bayer Mobil” is equipped with state-of-the-art 

research equipment and measuring devices that make all this 

possible.

Dr. Ralf Schweitzer

Project Manager

BB LIFE

High need for further education on regulatory 

themes

»

The excellent response has shown that our selection of 

topics and our highly qualified speakers meet the needs 

of our audience very well. Detailed knowledge of the regu-

latory environment and of the options for implementing 

regulatory requirements in practice is of central importance 

to entrepreneurial success and to the sustainability of newly 

founded companies as well as companies that locate in the 

region.

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Excellent Corporate Locating and Project 

Development Services

Berlin-Brandenburg is Germany’s leading life science center and one of Europe’s main 

health industry locations. Due to its high concentration of science and research establish-

ments, the region offers outstanding potentials for technological development and coop-

eration. The joint Life Science Team of the economic promotion agency Berlin Partner and 

the Brandenburg Economic Development Board (ZAB) supports the life science industry 

with a full range of services, including marketing activities at national and international 

exhibitions.

The Life Science Screening Package Berlin-Brandenburg is tailored 

to the needs of the biotech sector. This program supports com-

panies looking for cooperation partners, networks, service provid-

ers and research institutions. All segments of the health industry 

are present in the region. The high concentration of international 

excellence facilitates interdisciplinary exchange and makes new 

landmark developments easier to achieve – this is what makes 

Berlin-Brandenburg so interesting and attractive for the life sci-

ences. At the same time, however, the sheer number of players 

can  make  it  difficult  to  find  the  right  partner.  Our  staff  and  the 

colleagues at BioTOP have been in direct contact with virtually all 

companies and scientific institutions in the region for many years 

and can therefore provide immediate access to the right contacts. 

The other services of Berlin Partner include the Business Welcome, 

Business Financing, Business Locating and Business Recruiting 

Package. They help our clients test Berlin as a location, procure 

support and funding and identify suitable commercial real estate 

or professional staff. The Business Location Center (BLC) presents all 

relevant economic data and a 3D model online and in its show-

room. Its comprehensive information service covers sector data, 

regional information, area maps, geographic data, the available 

funding programs, a commercial real estate database as well as 

labor market and infrastructure data. A new offer was launched 

last year: the Investor Services. This service supports companies in 

the region in all aspects of corporate expansion and strategy in 

cooperation with the Berlin Senate Administration for Economic 

Development, Technology and Women, the twelve Berlin precincts 

and other service partners. 

The performance range of the one-stop agency ZAB includes cor-

porate strategy, innovation, technology and foreign trade services, 

support for technology transfer and for the establishment of cor-

porate networks. Under its „Big Directive“, the state of Branden-

burg now also sponsors innovative cooperation projects between 

research institutes and companies. Here, landmark initiatives 

include the Tele-Diagnostics cooperation project (with funding of 

app € 10 million) and TERA-Sens (€ 15 million). The participating 

partners include the Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineer-

ing, the University of Potsdam, the Leibniz Institute for Innovative 

Microelectronics (IHP) and the companies B.R.A.H.M.S AG (Thermo 

Fisher Scientific), MEYTEC GmbH and LIMETEC Biotechnologies GmbH. 

In 2010 the Life Science Team supported expansion projects and 

provided  locating  services  to  28  companies,  including  Pfizer 

Deutschland GmbH which is transferring further divisions to Berlin 

with some 200 new jobs, and mdc GmbH which opened a subsid-

iary in Berlin-Adlershof.

The Berlin-Brandenburg Night, 

hosted by Bayer HealthCare, is one 

of the attractions around the annual 

BIO International Convention.  

In 2011 it will take place on June 

27th, 9 pm, at Washington DC’s 

famed W Hotel terrace.

Carolin Clement

Head of Business Unit Life Sciences

Berlin Partner GmbH

Dr. Ute Hartmann

Head of Business Unit Life Sciences

Brandenburg Economic Development Board

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