Healthcare and Biotech Cluster in Leipzig

Leipzig is committed to promoting an innovative and strong industrial sector: biotechnology. With its broad range of applications, biotech is advancing to become a key technology of the 21st century. It is helping make personalised medicine – in the form of gentle yet effective therapies – a reality. The fact that Leipzig and the wider Saxony region occupy a leading position in Germany in this area, is the result of a foresighted funding policy on the part of the Free State. “The foundations were laid back in the year 2000 with Saxony’s ‘biotechnology offensive’. The Free State invested some 200 million euros to expand the life science sector in Dresden and Leipzig,” explains André Hofmann from biosaxony, the association for biotechnology, medical engineering and the healthcare industry in Saxony. “In a way, that was the initial spark for the industry,” says Dr Ronny Schulz from the City of Leipzig Office for Economic Development, which is responsible for the Healthcare and Biotech Cluster. “Our approach was to support not only research, but also companies that would then bring the knowledge to market. That was a big advantage over other funding projects that only took the research side into account. It has given rise to many innovative products and technologies.” The offensive paid off: the industry is now flourishing. In 2021 there were more than 45,000 people working in the healthcare industry, which corresponds to growth of about 96 per cent compared to 2005.

In a central location in Germany, the centre of biotechnology in Saxony can be found in the south-east of the city of Leipzig: BIO CITY LEIPZIG. Since 2003, companies and research institutes in red biotechnology – the branch that deals with developing therapeutic and diagnostic procedures – as well as the life sciences and healthcare industry have been based here. On the former trade fair grounds at “Alte Messe”, an excellent infrastructure has been created in the form of the BioCity Campus, which facilitates fruitful synergies between the resident companies and research centres. Over a total of 20,000 square metres of space, this is where companies conduct research and work together with six biotech-oriented university chairs and non-university institutions. The buildings offer their tenants modern, individually equipped laboratory and office facilities. Particularly for start-ups and young companies from the life science sector, and their partners and investors, the location is highly attractive and is growing steadily, as also shown by the ground-breaking ceremony for the current project for a new laboratory building, the BioSquare Leipzig. Another plus point: Leipzig/Halle Airport is an international hub for air freight. Cargo planes are permitted to take off and land around the clock – a decisive factor for investors, for example when it comes to the rapid transport of highly sensitive cell therapeutics in Europe or between the US and Germany.

Leipzig’s success in the field of biotechnology is also reflected in its popularity as a place to hold conferences and congresses. The city is the venue for leading medical industry meetings. Among them this year is Europe’s largest partner conference in the life science sector and the biotech industry’s most important conference: BIO-Europe 2022. Around 4,500 international participants from more than 2,500 pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical engineering companies are expected in 2022. Leipzig is also the venue for the annual international LINC symposium for medical technologies and innovative medical systems, as well as OTWorld – the largest and leading international industry gathering for all manufacturers, distributors and service providers in the medical aids sector. In its unique combination of world congress and top international fair, OTWorld brings together experts and audiences from all five continents every two years. The Leipzig Veterinary Congress is the biggest continuing education event for veterinarians in German-speaking countries and one of the leading specialist platforms in Europe. MEDCARE, a congress and trade fair for clinical and non-clinical patient care, is the only event in Germany to offer a comprehensive range of continuing education courses in the fields of care management and treatment. The events taking place in 2022 include the Congress of the German Society for Pneumology and Respiratory Medicine, and the annual congresses of the German Society of Surgery (DGCH), the German Society for Epileptology (DGfE) and the German Society for Dermatosurgery.