International action

Cooperation and sharing expertise between clusters

Genopole has grown its partner biocluster network, notably toward Eastern Europe, a region renowned for its capacities in computational genomics and biotherapies. In that way, the biocluster progressively develops Europe-wide cooperation advantageous for the growth of its strategic sectors. Such cooperation is illustrated well by GEN.ERA, an alliance of entities acting as one pan-European cluster.

GEN.ERA: two years to construct a European strategy for internationalization

Launched in 2020, GEN.ERA (diGital gENomic alliance to Explore new maRket for Acceleration) associates Genopole, the project coordinator, with four other clusters.

The consortium successfully completed the first two steps in its shared strategy for growth in the international genomics market: the identification of the five most-promising markets (USA, Singapore, Japan, China, Australia) and the completion of analyses of those markets, transmitted thereafter to the partner clusters’ businesses. Simultaneously, contacts were established with access-easing intermediary structures such as the Japan External Trade Organization or the Genome Institute of Singapore.

Cooperation and sharing expertise between clusters

ApogeeBio extends its allocations to foreign researchers

The European Commission retained the research allocations program ApogeeBio submitted by Genopole and its partners: Genethon, the University of Évry, Paris-Saclay University, Télécom SudParis, the Institut Mines-Télécom Business School and their supervisory bodies. The program will thus take on a new dimension. It will double the number of yearly allocations, propose a multidisciplinary research offer and become available to researchers from around the globe. Accordingly, ApogeeBio will contribute to enriching the biocluster’s international network.

"With five years of new European projects to come, ApogeeBio brings a new and durable dynamic to the site."

Roxane Brachet, Academic Partnerships Manager at Genopole

Visa4Biotech heads to East Asia and the British Isles

Year 2021 saw Visa4biotech events focused on Japan and the United Kingdom. A 29 March Visa4biotech held with Medicen set a path for closer relations with the Japanese cluster Kawasaki, which, like Genopole, accommodates innovative companies in health and the bioeconomy. After a presentation of the two ecosystems, B2B meetings were held in the presence of the Japanese pharmaceutical company Astellas and the University of Tokyo. Six French and seven Japanese companies had the opportunity to present their know-how. That event was followed up by a webinar held in November with 40 people in attendance. It opened the microphones for three Genopole companies, Hybrigenics Services, Abolis and Eukarys and three Japanese entities, the Gene Therapy Research Institution, Knowledge Palette and the Japanese affiliate of Elixirgen Scientific.

Another Visa4biotech in March was held in cooperation with the French Embassy and Business France in the United Kingdom. That conference gave Genopole companies an opportunity to build relations with British entrepreneurs and investors.