Hello Ms. Martens. You are the investment team’s project manager for the life sciences industry. Life sciences – that almost sounds like a buzzword. What significance does this industry have for Thuringia?
We define life sciences as a field that encompasses medical technology, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals. And we have a truly long tradition to build on. By that, I’m referring to developments such as the industrial production of microscopes and X-ray tubes – or penicillin, which in continental Europe was first produced at an industrial scale right here in Jena. Today, we have more than 600 companies and 30,000 employees in this sector. Thuringian companies are innovation leaders in microscopy, laser technology, and ophthalmology. Thuringia has also become home to biotechnology companies developing lab-on-a-chip and organ-on-a-chip systems. At the same time, Thuringia is attracting cutting-edge research in the diagnosis and treatment of infections, including sepsis and antimicrobial resistance. Just to cite one example, the federal government is providing more than 120 million euros in funding for the Leibniz Center for Photonics in Infection Research.
What do you tell an investor or company interested in Thuringia? Where do you see the state’s unique selling points?
I am convinced that Thuringia’s deep expertise in optics and photonics – which is key to new processes, therapies, and innovations in the life sciences – is a strong USP for us. Today, this field is known as “biophotonics.” We also boast excellent research infrastructure, many highly innovative SMEs, and major players such as ZEISS, Abbott, and Bauerfeind. And because Thuringia is a small state, everything is close together, making collaboration easier and keeping lines of communication short. It’s what people now call an “innovation ecosystem”. In Thuringia, this approach really works and is supported by dedicated industry clusters such as medways, the InfectoGnostics Research Campus, and OptoNet.
And what are your biggest challenges?
In addition to the life sciences industry, I am also responsible for investors from Western Europe, so I travel abroad a lot. That means I know how intense the competition is, both abroad and here in Germany. One of my major challenges, therefore, is location marketing – putting Thuringia on the map for potential investors. Thuringia does have genuine strengths that set it apart – but we still need to showcase them more actively and confidently. In addition, life sciences rarely involves major greenfield investments. Instead, many projects emerge from spin-offs or from existing companies, which means you really need staying power. But that also means we need to keep working to provide and develop attractive laboratory and production space for companies. Another significant challenge is the still-difficult financing environment, especially for scale-ups – in other words, when companies work through often lengthy approval processes and bring products to market.
So what specific services do you offer companies?
As I mentioned, we look for suitable sites, advise on government funding, and support companies in their search for financing options. But we also see ourselves as a gateway to partners in industry and research in Thuringia. That is why we developed LiST – the Life Sciences Portal Thuringia (www.lifesciences-thueringen.de/en). We invite you to take a look.
