HKSTP and Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund Launch Co-Incubation Programme to Fast-track R&D in Infectious Diseases and Immunology

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) is partnering global research-driven biopharmaceutical leader, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund Limited (BIVF) in a strategic co-incubation collaboration to promote and nurture startups on research and development for infectious diseases and immunology.

HKSTP is dedicated to collaborating with sector leaders in building the strongest I&T eco-system to help startups via business development, mentorship and investment initiatives. In the last five years, the number of biotech companies at HKSTP have tripled from 50 to over 150, which has also synched with the Government’s strategic focus on biomedical technology with allocation of HK$10 billion to develop life and health technology as a key future growth sector for Hong Kong.

This partnership between HKSTP and BIVF marks a key milestone to drive the Hong Kong’s biomedical technology development. Both local and global qualified startups in infectious diseases and immunology can apply to the incubation programme to access the full capabilities of the HKSTP ecosystem and BIVF’s extensive biotech funding network. Incubatees can access one-on-one coaching and assessment to track key research milestones, while receiving expert guidance from HKSTP on commercialisation, manufacturing, scaling-up and marketing strategy to ensure successful innovation, plus vital funding opportunities and investment insight from BI.

Mr. Albert Wong, CEO of HKSTP, said: “Hong Kong is now Asia’s largest and the world’s second largest fundraising hub for biotech. As HKSTP marks our 20^th year of propelling success and innovation, our mission is to drive the growth of biotech to another level with world class leaders like BIVF. We will maximise the GBA growth opportunities for high-potential tech talents and early-stage startups to ensure the region emerges as a global I&T powerhouse.”

Dr. Grace Lau, Head of Institute for Translational Research of HKSTP, said: “Our partnership with BIVF, provides early-stage startups and promising university spinoffs with vital support at the most critical stage of their long and challenging biotech innovation journey. Incubatees will have access to our Incu-Bio Programme, with total incubatees doubling up in the last five years. The startups can also access funding support of up to HK$6 million, with financial subsidies and upfront grants to cover regulatory activities such as clinical trials.”

“The world has faced growing public health challenges in recent years. As Boehringer Ingelheim’s strategic investment arm, BIVF focuses on the development of new science in areas with huge unmet medical needs such infectious diseases and immunology,” said Dr. Frank Kalkbrenner, Global Head of the BIVF. “The co-incubation program jointly initiated by HKSTP and BIVF will enable us to identify more breakthrough technologies in the early stage of development. With the funding and infrastructure support offered by HKSTP and BI‘s expertise and experiences in the successful development of breakthrough mediactions for patients, we foster the startup companies and bridge the gap between science and industry for the local ecosystem. We look forward to developing together with HKSTP next-generation therapies in the fields of infectious diseases and immunology with long term partnerships.”

“The innovation competency of biopharmaceuticals in Asia is rising quickly. To grab the opportunities in this market, Boehringer Ingelheim has set up the External Innovation Hub in China which brings our Research Beyond Borders, Business Development & Licensing and Venture Fund groups under one umbrella. Now we’re thrilled to see that the biopharmaceutical industry is picking up rapidly in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macau Greater Bay Area, it’s a great opportunity for us to partner with HKSTP to develop the local ecosystem, and further enhance China’s dual-circulation scheme. We hope to offer our continuous support to more home-grown innovations to be recognized on the global market and eventually benefit the patients worldwide.” said Mr. Felix Gutsche, President & CEO, Boehringer Ingelheim China.

Programme incubatees will also benefit from HKSTP’s rapidly-growing biotech R&D capabilities including the HKSTP Institute for Translational Research (ITR), enabling biomedical startups to turn their innovative biomedical technologies to life-changing impact for patients and society. Also available to startups is HKSTP’s Incu-Bio program providing dedicated biotech mentorship, business matching, entrepreneur-in-residence, and access to R&D facilities and the Science Parks’ diverse talent pool.

About Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) has for 20 continuous years committed to building up Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology hub to propel success for local and global pioneers today and tomorrow. HKSTP has established a thriving I&T ecosystem that is home to three unicorns and Hong Kong’s leading R&D hub with over 11,000 research professionals and over 1,000 technology companies focused on healthtech, AI and robotics, fintech and smart city technologies.

Established in 2001, we attract and nurture talent, accelerate and commercialise innovation and technology for entrepreneurs on their journey of growth in Hong Kong, to the Greater Bay Area, Asia and beyond. Our growing innovation ecosystem is built around our key locations of the Hong Kong Science Park in Shatin, InnoCentre in Kowloon Tong and three modern INNOPARKs in Tai Po, Tseung Kwan O and Yuen Long. The three INNOPARKs are realizing a vision of re-industrialisation for Hong Kong. The goal is sectors like advanced manufacturing, electronics and biotechnology are being reimagined for a new generation of industry.

Through our infrastructure, services, expertise and network of partnerships, HKSTP will help establish innovation and technology as a pillar of growth for Hong Kong, while reinforcing Hong Kong’s international I&T hub status as a launchpad for global growth at the heart of the GBA innovation powerhouse.

More information about HKSTP is available at www.hkstp.org.

About BIVF

Created in 2010, the Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund GmbH (BIVF) invests in groundbreaking therapeutics-focused biotechnology companies to drive innovation in biomedical research. BIVF is

searching for significant enhancements in patient care through pioneering science and its clinical translation by building long-term relationships with scientists and entrepreneurs. BIVF’s focus is to target unprecedented therapeutic concepts addressing high medical needs in immuno-oncology, regenerative medicine, infectious diseases and digital health. These may include novel platform technologies to address so far undruggable targets, new generation vaccines and/or new biological entities, such as oncolytic virotherapy. For more information, please visit : www.boehringer-ingelheim-venture.com.

About Boehringer Ingelheim External Innovation Hub China

Established in 2020, Boehringer Ingelheim External Innovation Hub China unites three external innovation functions including Research Beyond Borders (RBB), Business Development & Licensing (BD&L) and the Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund (BIVF). Through this innovative business model, Boehringer Ingelheim External Innovation Hub China is committed to providing one-stop solutions for biomedical innovators in China and. It is also dedicated to enriching the company's global R&D pipeline through external innovation collaborations so as to benefit more patients worldwide.

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Contact information

For media enquiries:

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation
Karmen Cheung
Tel: (852) 2629 2339
Email: karmen.cheung@hkstp.org

Edelman Public Relations
Vicky Lo
Tel: (852) 2837 4786 / 9886 0423
Email:vicky.lo@edelman.com/ Edelmanhkstppr@edelman.com

Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund
Reinhard Malin (CET time zone)
Boehringer Ingelheim
Innovation Unit/Bio Comms, Corp. Affairs
Tel: 49 6132 77-90815
Email: reinhard.malin@boehringer-ingelheim.com