Leaning on the strong concentration of research activities in the Region, the Brussels-Capital Region offers a very dynamic environment for the support of innovative and high-tech activities, especially in the biotech & pharma sectors.

The Brussels Regional Investment Agency, Business Angels Connect, the Participation Fund, the Warranty Fund, Venture Capital providers and business oriented banks offer different possibilities of funding start-ups and fast growing companies.

The Brussels Regional Authorities have created efficient financial mechanisms in order to support the scientific research and the technological development efforts of the companies in the Brussels area : subsidies or interest less loans can be obtained for R&D activities. Regional financial support can also be granted from the Foreign Trade Office for helping companies to export their products and services.

Incubation infrastructures have been created at the initiative of the Brussels-Capital Region in order to help start-ups and spinoffs. The existing Erasmus European Business and Innovation Centre (EEBIC) is housing and providing managerial support to many young entrepreneurs and companies in the biotech sector. Furthermore, the Brussels-Capital Region foresees an extension of biotechnology incubation capacity.

Another initiative of the Brussels Regional Authorities is the creation of the Brussels Enterprise Agency (BEA). Through its “Healthcare Business Unit”, the Agency develops different kinds of services for the Brussels Bio&Pharma cluster : technology and commercial partnership, strategic information, project validation, industry-university collaboration, participation to international events, a new dedicated “Biotech in Brussels” website (www.biotechinbrussels.com) which has been developed in 2005 to increase the visibility of the Region know-how, etc …

A Bio&Pharma tour in the Brussels-Capital Region will not be completed without underlying the presence of dedicated professional associations.

Brussels Support Organisations

Bio.be

The Belgian Association for the Biotechnology Industry, bio.be, was founded in January 2006 as a result of the merger of the Belgian Bioindustries Association (BBA) and BelgoBiotech.

Brussels Export

Brussels Export's objective is to promote foreign trade and assist Brussels companies.

Eurobiotec Brussels sa

Eurobiotec Brussels sa is a biotechnological incubator installed in a research park in Brussels surrounded by renowned academic centers (Belgium).

Erasmus European & Innovation Center (EEBIC)

EEBIC (Erasmus European & Innovation Centre), the Brussels Capital Region business and innovation centre was created in 1992. It has a comprehensive administrative infrastructure which enables you to start up your business under the best possible conditions.

Indutec

“InduTec” has been created on the initiative of the 4 Brussels Industrial Engineering Institutes to provide a common and complementary technology transfer office (interface) to Brussels businesses.

ISRIB (Institute for the encouragement of Scientific Research and Innovation of Brussels)

ISRIB, which was instituted by the Brussels decree of 26 June 2003, began its activities on 1st July 2004. The mission of the Institute is to promote, support and valorize scientific research and technological innovation in the Brussels-Capital Region.

Pharma.be

pharma.be is the General Association for the Medicine Industry.

Biotech Universities

ULB

The University has five teaching hospitals (Hôpital Erasme, CHU Saint-Pierre, CHU Brugmann, Hôpital des Enfants Reine Fabiola (HUDERF), and the Institut Jules Bordet). Alongside them, it also benefits from a vast hospital training network in Brussels, Brabant and Hainaut.

VUB

The Vrije Universtiteit Brussel is a dynamic and modern university with two parkland campusses in the Brussels-Capital Region: the main campus in Etterbeek with 8 faculties and the medical campus in Jette, located close to the University Hospital.

UCL

The Université catholique de Louvain (UCL) has a very high scientific potential in technologies related to the biotech, healthcare and pharma sectors.
Many research projects are performed both in Louvainla-Neuve and on its biomedical campus in Brussels.

Haute Ecole Lucia de Brouckère (HELDB)

The Haute Ecole Lucia de Brouckère (HELDB), delivers Master Industrial Engineers in Chemistry and Biochemistry grades.  The HELDB works out R&D programs with the industrial world in the fields of applied microbiology, food processing and bioprocesses, at Belgian and international level.