Health & care incubator BioVille strengthens its position with additional 2,000m² wing
BioVille - the health & care incubator on the university campus in Diepenbeek - officially opens its third wing today. With this 2,000 m² expansion, BioVille reinforces its position as a frontrunner in BioTech, MedTech and Digital Health. The new wing focuses specifically on scale-ups and is a logical next step in turning BioVille into a dynamic business district within the broader context of the Health Campus. It involves a total investment of 4,319,500 euros, coming from the ERDF, the Province of Limburg and BioVille with its shareholders LRM, Hasselt University and POM Limburg. invoX Respiratory Innovation Centre
(until recently known as Softhale), the pharmaceutical company that was acquired by an international company in March 2021, will move in in a few weeks. The Belgian Rejuvenate Biomed will also move into the brand new wing this spring. LRM, POM Limburg and Hasselt University, together with Jo Brouns, Flemish Minister of Economy and Innovation, are already enthusiastic about this new milestone.
With the opening of its new wing, BioVille is further facilitating the acceleration of innovative care and additional developments in BioTech, MedTech and Digital Health. The health & care incubator is attracting growth companies in need of additional office space, lab space and meeting facilities while strengthening its market leadership position. An extra asset that gives BioVille the wind in its sails is the connection with imec and the academic world such as Hasselt University. Moreover, the location within the Euregion and the network lead to many other opportunities for cooperation and cross-fertilization.
Tom Vanham, general manager LRM: “In the future, there will be further expansions at BioVille to bring not only start-ups and scale-ups, but also larger health & care companies to the Diepenbeek site. This ambition has already been warmly welcomed. The pharmaceutical company invoX Belgium (also called the invoX Respiratory Innovation Centre), owned by one of the top 50 pharmaceutical companies, will be the first to move into the new wing of BioVille. The independent Belgian biomedical company Rejuvenate, which focuses on the link between fundamental aging mechanisms and chronic diseases, is also moving into our new wing. In short, BioVille is the place of choice for companies focusing on BioTech, MedTech and Digital Health, working on the healthcare of tomorrow."
Co-shareholder Hasselt University is also delighted with the new wing. Prof. Dr. Piet Stinissen, Director Limburg Clinical Research Center: "As a university, we attach great importance to a strong connection with business and the healthcare sector. BioVille facilitates this in a fantastic way, both with the existing infrastructure and the new wing. Embedding BioVille in the Diepenbeek Health Campus creates additional opportunities for collaboration with our research and education."
Flemish Minister of Economy and Innovation Jo Brouns: "At Bioville, we are working on the healthcare of the future. With 1.3 million ERDF funds, I am happy to support the further growth of this place where companies and researchers convert their innovative ideas into products and services that can be used by everyone. Together we will ensure better healthcare for our citizens. Limburg is with this project, where many partners find each other, again an example for Flanders."
"An innovative campus flourishes thanks to an incubator. BioVille, the nestor of incubators in Limburg, therefore plays a key role in the further expansion of the Health Campus. Thanks to previous investments, BioVille is already a vibrant center for innovation and digitalization today, but the addition of a third wing will offer even more start-ups and growing companies new growth opportunities. With support from Europe (1.3 million euros) and the Province of Limburg (500,000 euros), BioVille expands the Health Campus ecosystem. With this, Limburg once again confirms its pioneering role in improving the quality of healthcare," says Tom Vandeput, deputy for Economy and chairman of POM Limburg.
The total investment of this new wing amounts to 4,319,503.59 euros and is part of the ERDF project of the further expansion of BioVille. In addition to European support, the project is being realized with funds from BioVille (with its shareholders LRM, Hasselt University and POM Limburg) and the Province of Limburg.