Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BIOCONNECT (BIOCONNECT: Developing the Action Plan to Foster Baltic Region Innovation Ecosystem in Biotechnology and Synthetic Biology)
Reporting period: 2023-12-01 to 2025-01-31
To realize its full potential, biotechnology requires robust innovation ecosystems: the right mix of talent, infrastructure (both physical and digital), funding, and political support - all parts of an integrated network with strong nodes and equally strong linkages. In this light, the primary challenge acknowledged by virtually every stakeholder is the fragmentation of the EU biotech innovation ecosystem. This overarching issue manifests on multiple levels, including significant regional disparities in innovation ecosystem effectiveness and maturity levels; limited access to capital for biotech startups on every stage; weakly integrated pool of crucial resources and relatively low mobility across country borders; and fragmented legal environment which impedes the process of translating academic research into new startups (university spin-outs) and complicates the scale-up phase, driving many companies to consider the more integrated US market first. The above problems are especially pertinent in smaller countries which are still catching up in terms of innovation performance, including the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Biotechnology and bioeconomy are among the national smart specialisation priorities in each of the three countries. However, disjoint initiatives, fragmented practices, and lack of local cooperation hinder the emergence of a thriving and integrated regional biotech/synbio innovation ecosystem that would achieve the “critical mass” of actors and links unavailable at individual country level. The BIOCONNECT project aims to address these challenges by developing a comprehensive innovation action plan for a more interconnected Baltic biotechnology ecosystem, facilitating new intra-regional links through initiatives targeting students, researchers, startups, industry, capital, and policymakers. The consortium has been designed to involve diverse quadruple helix actors, while tapping into the best practices of innovation leaders represented by Finland. The overarching goal is to set the stage for an integrated Baltic-Nordic biotechnology cluster.
In order to establish a data-driven understanding of the current state of the Baltic biotech innovation ecosystem as well as common goals across stakeholders and countries, BIOCONNECT has carried out a systematic ecosystem mapping and analysis, collecting over 2,500 data points on 220+ organizations, providing an unprecedented overview of the Baltic biotech landscape. The project engaged stakeholders across academia, startups, industry, and policymakers, conducting 40+ in-depth interviews to identify key challenges and opportunities. The core deliverable, the Baltic Biotech Action Plan, was developed through an iterative, evidence-based approach. It outlines 15 strategic action items to strengthen the ecosystem, covering:
- Talent development, including harmonized biotech education, mobility programs, and industry-aligned training.
- Infrastructure improvements, ensuring better access to labs, pilot facilities, and scale-up resources.
- Increased funding availability, facilitating biotech-focused investment instruments and grant mechanisms.
- Stronger industry-academia collaboration, promoting applied research and commercialization pathways.
- Public engagement and policy alignment, boosting awareness and participation in EU innovation initiatives.
Implementation groundwork was initiated via the creation of the Baltic Biotech Hub, a collaborative platform for regional biotech players to sustain long-term cooperation and ecosystem growth.
- Talent development, including harmonized biotech education, mobility programs, and industry-aligned training.
- Infrastructure improvements, ensuring better access to labs, pilot facilities, and scale-up resources.
- Increased funding availability, facilitating biotech-focused investment instruments and grant mechanisms.
- Stronger industry-academia collaboration, promoting applied research and commercialization pathways.
- Public engagement and policy alignment, boosting awareness and participation in EU innovation initiatives.
Implementation groundwork was initiated via the creation of the Baltic Biotech Hub, a collaborative platform for regional biotech players to sustain long-term cooperation and ecosystem growth.
BIOCONNECT has provided the first comprehensive roadmap for an integrated Baltic biotech ecosystem, establishing a foundation for long-term cooperation and investment attraction. The project’s data-driven approach enables stakeholders to make informed decisions, optimizing policy and funding strategies. Key advances include:
- A vision for a harmonized biotech education framework to reduce talent gaps and improve cross-border mobility.
- Practical proposals for commercialization pathways to bridge research and industry, enabling more biotech spinouts and startups.
- Enhanced biotech financing mechanisms, including biotech-specific venture capital instruments.
- A structured approach to ecosystem integration, aligning the Baltic region with Nordic and EU biotech clusters.
- Strategic policy recommendations to create a more favorable biotech regulatory and investment climate.
Further adoption and success will require:
- Follow-up investment in implementation, including pilot programs and regional funding alignment.
- Increased industry participation, especially in startup acceleration and translational research.
- Regulatory support for biotech commercialization, ensuring streamlined pathways for product development.
By reducing fragmentation and strengthening innovation linkages, BIOCONNECT sets a new benchmark for biotech ecosystem development in emerging EU regions.
- A vision for a harmonized biotech education framework to reduce talent gaps and improve cross-border mobility.
- Practical proposals for commercialization pathways to bridge research and industry, enabling more biotech spinouts and startups.
- Enhanced biotech financing mechanisms, including biotech-specific venture capital instruments.
- A structured approach to ecosystem integration, aligning the Baltic region with Nordic and EU biotech clusters.
- Strategic policy recommendations to create a more favorable biotech regulatory and investment climate.
Further adoption and success will require:
- Follow-up investment in implementation, including pilot programs and regional funding alignment.
- Increased industry participation, especially in startup acceleration and translational research.
- Regulatory support for biotech commercialization, ensuring streamlined pathways for product development.
By reducing fragmentation and strengthening innovation linkages, BIOCONNECT sets a new benchmark for biotech ecosystem development in emerging EU regions.