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Bio-ExTRAKT I and II

FlandersBio initiated the Bio-ExTRAKT programme (Biotechnology Expansion Through Regional Awareness and Knowledge Transfer) in April 2009. After a successful completion, FlandersBio launced Bio-ExTRAKT II in 2010. One of the main objectives of the programme is to stimulate transnational R&D partner matching. Bio-ExTRAKT is an INNET project in collaboration with IWT.

Background information

Innovation is essential for the development of a vibrant regional economy. It is at the basis of the Lisbon Strategy setting - the strategic goal for the EU to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010. However, the innovation process has become more complex and interdisciplinary and as such requires more collaboration between scientists, engineers and end-users.

Indeed, international co-operation agreements have taken an increasingly important role in the R&D activities of biotech firms during recent decades. However, despite highly improved communication possibilities, the choice of R&D partners seems to privilege those that are geographically close. Therefore FlandersBio has initiated its Bio-ExTRAKT programme (Biotechnology Expansion Through Regional Awareness and Knowledge Transfer) for the benefit of R&D intensive biotechnology firms in Flanders and the regions surrounding it.

Partners

• TI Pharma, Top Institute Pharma, the Netherlands
• BMM, The BioMedical Materials program, the Netherlands
• ctmm, Center for Translational Molecular Medicine, the Netherlands
• Life Sciences Health, the Netherlands
• CLIB2021, Cluster for Industrial Biotechnology, Germany
• BioWIN, Walloon Cluster for Human Health, Belgium
• New partner in Bio-ExTRAKT II: Eurasanté, healthcare cluster, France

Objectives and scope of the Bio-ExTRAKT programme

FlandersBio’s Bio-ExTRAKT project aims to:

0. Support the further growth of the biotech industry by broadening their knowledge base on the business opportunities that exist within the perimeter of a half day travel from Brussels, thus defining the Bio-ExTRAKT region.
0. Enlarge the critical mass of scientific and business expertise within the biotech industry in Flanders and the surrounding regions and hence increase the impact of the specific interactions that take place during meetings, workshops and networking events on companies’ performance.
0. Ultimately leading to the prime success factors of Bio-ExTRAKT, i.e. an increase in the number of transnational R&D co-operations and/or business deals.

This will be achieved through a complementary set of focused actions in a well defined geographical context, limiting the scope of the project to the immediate surrounding regions of Flanders.

Bio-EXTRAKT II will perform a Life Sciences Cluster survey to assess the regions' complementarity.