Current BioPark Financial Report 2017
The number of biotechnology companies (core Biotech definition according to CapGemini Consulting) has risen compared to last year to 33 companies (+ 3). The number of biotech employees has slightly fallen from 1,152 to 1,108 (- 4 %) due to company restructuring. Concurrently the number of employees in the remaining life sciences companies has increased slightly from 2,720 to 2,743 (+ 1 %). The total numbers of employees on the target date 31.12.2017 at 3,851 remained close to an unchanged level in comparison to last year at 3,851 employees (- 0,5 %) (see Graph 1). The total number of companies in the Regensburg Bioregion is stable at 51 (+1) (see Graph 2). The lease capacity at the BioPark was recently at a total of 96.5 %. Currently the Technology and Startup Center house in its three buildings with 18,000 m2 of gross floor space 34 leaseholders with a total of 616 employees. Amongst these are startup companies, universities and external university institutions, companies from Germany and abroad, as well as service providers including the Biopark’s own childcare facility.
"In the last two years we again had the pleasure of assisting startups at the BioPark” commented CEO Dr. Thomas Diefenthal on this development. However the number of employees remained almost constant as some companies in the process of restructuring led to a decrease in personnel. Overall though Diefenthal sees positive developments. “Established companies, who are already selling products on the market, are growing constantly at the Regensburg location and several innovative startup ideas are in the pipeline and will soon move into the BioPark premises.”
Also the newest project at BioPark Regensburg GmbH holds potential for growth. A location analysis in 2015 conducted by Capgemini Consulting demonstrated further opportunities for development in the field of healthcare. With this background within the framework of a project funded by the Bavarian Ministry of Finance the BioPark has produced a Regensburg Healthcare Masterplan. Over 100 regional stakeholders from healthcare, research and development participated in its production. The Masterplan denotes challenges, potentials and recommendations for action for Regensburg and the Region in particular in the field of “Digitalization and Health IT” by linking the local strengths in healthcare on the one hand and information technology on the other. Further specialties are the fields “Ageing Society and Demographic Change”, “Trained Professionals and Education” as well as “Location Marketing”.
Under the umbrella brand “Healthcare Regensburg” the BioPark is currently pooling the activities and sees further potential for startups and development. The initial recommendations for action are already being put into action. These include improvement and external representation of the healthcare location, expansion of the regional network, the production of a detailed stakeholders database as well as conducting initial events. “The healthcare industry is a technological interface field and integrates above all in the field of Health IT, developments and innovations from other fields”, highlighted Dieter Daminger, Consultant for Economics, Science and Finance to the City of Regensburg and Member of the BioPark Management. He sees an ideal opportunity here to link specialties of both municipal startup and technology centers BioPark and TechBase and to expand the economic progression in this field.
