Heidelberg Technology Park (HTP) CEO André Domin and David Baker, Executive Director of the University Technology Park at Illinois Institute of Technology this week unveiled a new partnering program designed to promote the success of bio-companies in their respective parks and clusters.
According to Domin, each park has agreed to provide up to one week of matchmaking support for companies that make the trip to the respective facilities to connect with potential customers, research collaborators, or strategic partners.
“We will strengthen the matchmaking process for company personnel through a close collaboration of UTP and HTP/International PartnerPort,“ says Domin. The week long program for people wishing to visit the Heidelberg and Chicago cluster includes a briefing by the park CEO, support for matchmaking with potential partners at the Park and their own working space in the park (desk, mail support, Internet connectivity, and secretarial support.” Companies would pay their own travel expenses.
“We have long promoted informal exchanges through our International Soft Landing Center of Chicago. But this formalizes the process through an exciting offer that provides real value to the companies” says Baker.
The announcement was made at HTP’s annual BIO Networking Breakfast at the Chicago Club on the occasion of the 2013 International Biotechnology Convention. The event was co-hosted by University Technology Park at IIT, located on the Main Campus on Chicago’s South Side. The event was attended by company, tech park, and economic development representatives from 12 countries.
Rita Athas, President of World Business Chicago, welcomed the group and keynoted the session with a description of the rapidly expanding life sciences cluster in the Chicago Region. “This event is symbolic of the truly international nature of innovation in biotech,” says Athas. “Chicago is a strong supporter of international collaborations and we look forward to welcoming companies from all over the world that want to establish their North American headquarters here.”
Ralph Kindervater, CEO of BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg & Baden-Württemberg International, also addressed the group on the growth of the region’s life sciences sector.
The breakfast concluded with networking sessions on cooperation among tech parks, industry and academic, open innovation and human resources.
About Heidelberg Technology Park:
An international high-tech park focused on medicine, pharma, organic electronics and environmental technologies, Heidelberg started operations in 1984. Today it is the center of the Rhine-Neckar Biotech Cluster, and a founding member of the International Association of Science Parks (IASP) and the Council of European BioRegions (CEBR). The Park is part of a worldwide Sisterpark Network.
About University Technology Park at IIT:
IIT opened the University Technology Park in 2006 to serve Chicago’s life sciences, clean tech, and IT sectors. Today, UTP is home to 28 companies.
About World Business Chicago (WBC):
World Business Chicago leads Chicago´s business retention, attraction, and expansion efforts and is committed to raising the City´s profile as a premier, global business destination.
About BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg & Baden-Württemberg International (BIOPRO):
This joint operation supports and internationalizes the research institutions and companies of the biotechnology- and life-sciences-sector. BIOPRO pursues targeted support of research institutions and companies of the biotechnology and life sciences sector. Special focus is placed upon translational research to innovate classic industry sectors by means of modern biotechnology.