The new Centre for Integrated Drug Research Dortmund (ZIW) will provide urgently needed biotechnology laboratory space. In an interview with VentureCapital Magazine, Dr Joanna Stachnik, Head of the Biomedicine Centre Dortmund, explains how founders, start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises will benefit from the new facilities in Dortmund. General planning: assmann gruppe / Visualisation: 3dpixel company / Daniel Britsch
Which target groups is your new offer aimed at?
The ZIW is being built on the Dortmund Science and Technology Campus and is part of the Biomedicine Centre Dortmund. It will provide start-ups and technology companies with highly specialised development and laboratory space on a rental basis for technology transfer in the field of biotechnology and, in particular, drug development. The first tenants are due to move in at the end of 2025.
Attractive framework conditions for start-ups
We not only offer high-quality laboratory space for S1 and S2 use as well as modern office space. We also provide our tenants with basic laboratory equipment and guarantee the supply of technical gases. Our tenants benefit from a pre-equipped IT infrastructure on each floor. They can also use modern seminar and meeting rooms of various sizes at the Biomedicine Centre Dortmund. These conditions are particularly attractive for start-ups.
In what way can founders, start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises also benefit from your new offer in Dortmund?
The ZIW provides an excellent infrastructure for technology transfer, i.e. for the commercial utilisation of scientific results from universities and research institutes. By establishing the ZIW, the City of Dortmund is creating future-proof jobs and improving the framework conditions for start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises at the location.
UComprehensive facility management
In addition to comprehensive facility management and 24-hour on-call service, we also offer young companies in particular support with start-up projects as well as assistance with business development and the acquisition of funding. We are also happy to put you in touch with suitable cooperation partners if required. In addition, all companies in the ZIW benefit from our powerful location network and regular information and networking events.
You want to support companies as flexibly and in line with their needs as possible. How do you realise this claim at ZIW?
We offer companies customised rental units that we can flexibly adapt to changing needs as required. Our facility management team not only looks after the building technology, but also provides our tenants with advice and assistance on technical issues and individual concerns.
Over the last 20 years, Dortmund has developed into an important centre of innovation in the field of biomedicine. What opportunities does this present for companies?
The ZIW, with a gross floor area of around 8,000 square metres, is being built in the immediate vicinity of the Biomedical Centre Dortmund, which offers a further 20,000 square metres of space. This means that the tenants of the ZIW will benefit from the direct proximity to the biotechnology companies in the Biomedical Centre Dortmund.
Development of innovative drugs
One example is the successful work of the Lead Discovery Centre GmbH at the site. The LDC transfers promising research projects from excellent basic research into the development of innovative drugs.
In addition, a direct exchange with important academic partners such as the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, the Technical University of Dortmund, Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts and the Leibniz Institute for Analytical Sciences (ISAS) is possible. In addition, over 300 companies with around 13,500 employees work on the campus. An ideal environment for realising new business ideas in the field of drug research and biotechnology in Dortmund.
Contact person for rental enquiries
The contact person for rental enquiries for the new Centre for Integrated Drug Research Dortmund is Dr Joanna Stachnik. She is head of the Biomedicine Centre Dortmund, the competence centre of the TechnologieZentrumDortmund for the fields of biomedicine and biotechnology. Tel. 0231 97 42-164, e-mail: stachnik@tzdo.de Photo: TZDO / Roland Kentrup
You can read the interview in the current e-paper edition of VentureCapital Magazin here.
