BioTech Station

Technology and Knowledge Transfer: Promoting Innovation Capacity and Competitiveness in Slovenia and Italy

Global trends show us that along with the high growth rate of the sector the rich array of emerging biological drugs is changing the biopharmaceutical industry and consequently the red biotechnology sector. There is a great need for new technologies that enable more intensive production processes to reduce the cost, scale and overload of the environment. In addition, personal medicine guidelines are increasingly leading to the convergence of technology platforms that enable the rapid transition of innovation to standard care. Innovation, however, is increasingly being created and developed in so-called “Ecosystems” that allow the exchange of discoveries and access to expertise throughout the value chain from scientific discovery to treatment outcomes.

In Friuli-Venezia Giulia region (Italy) and Slovenia, the biotechnological sector additionally faces many challenges. Through individual interviews and desk research we identified several needs of companies in the industry e.g. market access, networking opportunities, technological expertise (staff), financing options and access to digital resources / big data / bioinformatics. To address these needs, we devised a concept of a cross-border platform which will foster collaboration between stakeholders, promote new technologies and improve knowledge excellence thereby enhancing innovation capabilities of the region.

The BioTech Station will become a regional integrated ecosystem for the promotion of innovations primarily in the red biotechnology and bioinformatics. The station will connect the biotech companies of red biotechnology, academic institutions (universities, faculties, institutes), biotechnology centers, associations and service providers in this industry. Primarily, it will support start-ups as well as small and medium-large companies. It will also encourage the economy and political environment to invest in biotechnology. Stakeholders will assist in formation of an innovation-friendly environment by sharing knowledge and creating synergies. The long-term goal of the platform is to become the central connecting, information and supporting institution in the FVG and Slovenia region.

The BioTech Station was developed in the framework of project TRAIN, Interreg Italia-Slovenija. The project aimed to interconnect interdisciplinary research activities and new technologies to stimulate biotechnological innovations. The project confronted the challenges identified in the Europe 2020 Strategy and the Interreg Italy-Slovenia programme. Its main focus was sparking synergies between research institutions and companies, to strengthen the technology transfer process and encourage innovation development.

The BioTech Station action plan can be accessed here.