On behalf of the Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises, the research team is investigating reasons for low start-up dynamics in the biotech sector in the Berlin-Brandenburg region. Secondary analyses, moderated workshops and interviews with experts will be used to analyze how this can be changed. "Berlin has developed into one of the start-up strongholds in Europe in recent years. At the same time, the capital region is a leading location in the life sciences, health economy, and health care," explains Prof. Dr. Hannes Rothe, a scholar from Digital Entrepreneurship Hub at Freie Universität Berlin. Biomedicine is particularly far ahead, he said: of the approximately 255 biotechnology companies with about 6,200 employees, almost 80 percent work in this field.

"However, despite the supposedly good general conditions, the start-up motor in biotechnology is limping: Only an average of slightly more than five start-ups have been established here in recent years, according to the business development agency Berlin Partner," says Hannes Rothe. This is too few in relation to other sectors and considering scientific potentials, particular in the life sciences - around 40 scientific institutions with over 5,000 researchers.

According to Hannes Rothe, one factor for the low start-up dynamics is probably the lack of laboratory capacities for start-ups and young companies. However, this will change in the next few years: construction measures in the Potsdam Science Park, the BiotechPark Berlin-Buch and the FUBIC technology and start-up center in Dahlem will more than double the available laboratory space. "With new laboratory space, new opportunities are likely to arise. However, we need to understand the drivers for biotech startups well in order to fill these spaces with innovative young companies as well," says Hannes Rothe.