Biopôle SA will host the first branch of Superlab Suisse

Following the creation of StartLab in 2018, Biopôle has consolidated its offering to young start-ups, making the park the only site in Switzerland that caters for all the stages in the evolution of young life sciences companies.

Superlab Suisse’s Lab as a Service business concept includes innovatively designed laboratory facilities and state-of-the-art equipment as well as professional and concierge services and funding support for companies working in biotech, pharma and medtech. The serviced, ready-to-move-into laboratory allows companies to focus their investment on innovation rather than fitting out space, while the extended service and concierge offering will allow young entrepreneurs to save a significant amount of time and thus focus on their innovation. The concept was born of a deep sense of admiration for scientific researchers and their work, and reinvented the components that make up the laboratory environment with the aim of not only bolstering efficiency but also improving the researchers’ experience of their workplace, thus giving them their first taste of the labs of the future.

Biopôle SA confirms its dedication to supporting young life sciences companies by backing up the arrival of Superlab Suisse at its life sciences park, located at the heart of the Health Valley in the canton of Vaud. With this collaboration, the not-for-profit company wants to make sure that young entrepreneurs and start-ups get the support they need in the region.

Nasri Nahas, CEO of Biopôle SA, said: ‘Several public and private initiatives support the creation of life sciences start-ups in the region. StartLab already offers a place for high-potential young start-ups to experiment and grow and we wanted to develop a new concept where companies could go one step further in their growth at Biopôle. Some of the first companies to join the programme are now planning the next steps in their development, and thus our partnership with SuperLab is a very timely way to bring our new ideas to fruition. Superlab Suisse offers the perfect fit for early-stage start-ups that are scaling up and need a private, ready-to-go laboratory space – it is a key piece that was missing from the value chain between being hosted in an incubator and growing in a fully fledged private laboratory, which is something only established companies can afford.’

Superlab Suisse Lausanne is the first of many sites that the Zurich-based company is planning; its global expansion includes other sites in Switzerland and across Europe as well as in China. At Biopôle it will offer 1,320 m2 of laboratory and office space, including 15 private laboratories, five private offices and common facilities.

Zhang Xi, Founder and CEO of Superlab Suisse, said: ‘We are thrilled to launch our first branch at Biopôle Lausanne, the world’s best biotech campus. Our team worked in close collaboration with Biopôle SA to develop a new type of lab concept that ranges from organisation, functionality and shared equipment to selected services, offering innovations that perfectly fit the needs of early-stage life sciences companies.’

Since its creation in 2004, Biopôle has become a strategic site for research and development in the field of life sciences and a key location in Switzerland. With the growth of its ecosystem and network, Biopôle SA seeks to promote the convergence of leading ideas and projects across the life sciences to support innovation in the region. Thanks to new buildings scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024, adding around 51,000 m2 of additional space, Biopôle will be able to accommodate a large number of companies, organisations and projects that seek proximity with the innovation environment instilled by StartLab, Superlab Suisse and the unique ecosystem of companies and institutions on the campus.