251 286 - Biotech Bayern

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The Innovation and Start-up Center
IGZ BioMed/ZmK in Würzburg
With its focus on the themes of biotechnology/biomedicine,
medical technology, and information technology/ modern
communication, Würzburg's Innovation and Start-up Center
for Biotechnology and Biomedicine and Center for Modern
Communication Technologies (IGZ BioMed/ZmK) is the
largest enterpreneurship center in the administrative
district of Lower Franconia.
It was opened in December 2001 and since then has offered
technology-oriented business start-ups around 2,000 m2 of
laboratory space together with a suitable technical infrastructure
and 3,000 m2 of office space. Additional services
available are conference and seminar rooms, as well as
comprehensive consultancy services.
The start-up center is operated by IGZ Betriebsgesellschaft
mbH managed by Klaus Walther, head of the City's Business
Development Department (Congress / Tourism / Industry).
Partners in the IGZ Betriebsgesellschaft mbH are the City of
Würzburg, the County of Würzburg, the Main-Franconia
Savings Bank and the Würzburg-Schweinfurt Chamber of
Commerce.
In autumn 2005, IGZ BioMed/ZmK launched the “Life
Sciences in Würzburg” project aimed at to better utilizing
the high potential of the life sciences – especially at the
renowned Würzburg University. The purpose of the project
is to provide in-depth consultancy services and to promote
business start-ups, company recruitments and existing
companies at the location in cooperation with the Bavarian
The plan is to link up companies, service providers and investors with
universities and research institutes in nineteen key sectors and fields
of competence.
Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Julius Maximilian
University Würzburg and the Business Development
Department of the City of Würzburg. The initiative fits in
admirably with the Bavaria-wide efforts to improve technology
transfer from universities to companies. One outstanding
example is the “Cluster-Offensive Bayern” initiated
by the Bavarian State Government.
The plan is to link up companies, service providers and
investors with universities and research institutes in nineteen
key sectors and fields of competence. The IGZ BioMed/
ZmK is Lower Franconia's regional partner for BioM GmbH,
which has taken over cluster management in the field of
biotechnology throughout Bavaria.
In the field of medical engineering, the Bavarian cluster is
managed by the MedTech Pharma Forum from Nuremberg.
In this field, too, the IGZ BioMed/ZmK Innovation and Startup
Center is the partner for companies in the region of
Lower Franconia.
Current measures for creating an attractive start-up climate
in the Lower Franconia region are supported by the Federal
Government with funds from the promotion scheme
“Exist III – Existenzgründungen aus Hochschulen” (Business
start-ups from universities). The University of Würzburg, in
cooperation with IGZ BioMed/ZmK and netzwerk|nordbayern,
has developed a comprehensive programme of measures
for this purpose. The aim is to offer young academics highquality
lectures and seminars on business-administration
and sector-specific themes. In addition, it is planned to
have technology-scouts track down research results with
business potential at the region's universities and research
institutions. Once potential founders have been identified
and motivated, they receive individual in-depth advice
and support to help them on their way towards their own
company.