Climate change and scarcity of raw materials urgently require solutions. Biotechnology plays an important role in this. New production processes that are less or not dependent on fossil raw materials and that emit less or no greenhouse gases will have to be further developed. Our materials and products must be more recyclable or biodegradable to tackle the waste problem. Planet B.io on the Biotech Campus Delft supports companies that develop solutions and applications for this. The foundation behind the ecosystem for open innovation in industrial biotechnology has now been officially established and will soon welcome many new parties on campus.
Biotechnology has been practiced at the Biotech Campus Delft for more than 150 years. DSM, owner of the site, has several plans to renew the campus and modernize the site. One of these plans, opening up the campus to other companies and establishing an open innovation ecosystem for industrial biotechnology, is now becoming a reality. Such an open innovation campus where knowledge and skills are developed and shared, and where greening and sustainability are made possible, is also of great importance to the city, TU Delft and our region.
In September 2019, DSM, TU Delft, the Municipality of Delft, the Province of South Holland and InnovationQuarter established their intentions to jointly develop the Biotech Campus Delft into a renowned, innovative ecosystem for industrial biotechnology. Stimulating education, research, innovation and entrepreneurship was central to this. An empty building on campus was given a new purpose; office spaces and laboratories are being realized here where about 30 new companies or 150 new employees can establish themselves to realize their innovative solutions.
After signing the letter of intent, the five parties involved worked hard to concretize the collaboration. “On July 10th last. the partner agreement has been signed and the Planet B.io foundation, which will further develop the ecosystem, has been officially established, ”says Cindy Gerhardt, director of Planet B.io. “It has been worked out which contributions the cooperation partners make to Planet B.io,” she says. “All parties use their own expertise to further grow the ecosystem and the companies within it. For example, TU Delft can provide support with research and offer interns, and InnovationQuarter has a great deal of knowledge in the field of financing and investment funds. We are very grateful to them, because without their contributions we could never have been so ambitious. ”