Biopôle announces StartLab, Tailor-made incubator for life science entrepreneurs

• Plug and play incubator in brand new building ready Q1 2018


• Fully equipped laboratories and shared offices to welcome 10-12 startups


• Pay as you play model reduces risk for entrepreneurs and investors


• Applications now open for aspiring business creators


• Leading Swiss life sciences community, home to over 50 companies, 25 institutions and world-leading research groups

Lausanne, Switzerland, 8 June 2017 – Biopôle SA, a leading Swiss life sciences park, today announced the creation of StartLab, the first incubator dedicated to life sciences located in the Canton of Vaud. StartLab will offer 700 m2 of fully equipped laboratories and 300 m2 of shared offices, as a new home for 10-12 startup companies of 35-40 persons in total. It will be part of the new 9,000 m2 building developed by Retraites Populaires, a company specialized in life and occupational pensions. Biopôle has a clear strategy to be one of the best life sciences hubs in Europe, where industry and academia benefit from a vibrant community of exceptional talents, stimulating collaborations, added value services and an unrivalled quality of life. Nasri Nahas, Chief Executive Officer of Biopôle, stated: “StartLab fulfils a clear need in our region to provide a tailor-made incubator for life sciences entrepreneurs. Our research shows that startups place a high value on ready to use equipped laboratories, shared offices, and an innovative pay-as you play model with less funds needed to start which reduces risk for entrepreneurs and investors. StartLab also offers young aspiring business creators a network of experts with whom they can learn new skills, together with the dynamic Biopôle ecosystem of multinationals, SMEs, and research groups that will accompany them as they transform their ideas into a valuable reality.” Professor Nouria Hernandez, Rector of the University of Lausanne, and Board member of Biopôle, commented: “The transition from the academic world to industry is crucial and often difficult. 95 percent of students will go into the non-academic world and as a leading academic institution it is our responsibility to help our students succeed. StartLab will enable researchers to take the bold step of moving out of the academic environment into an incubator designed to optimize their chances of creating a successful startup. They will develop an entrepreneurial mind-set and experience the realities of the business world, while benefiting from the Biopôle life science community where ideas cross boundaries, generations and disciplines.” Applications are now open for aspiring life science entrepreneurs to join StartLab. Their projects will be screened by an Advisory Board of successful leaders from business, science and academia. It is planned for the first selected members to move into the StartLab facilities in Q1 2018.

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