The European Union (EU) has approved the establishment of a biotechnology consortium that will focus on strengthening biotechnology start-ups in Jerusalem. As part of the project, prepared by the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies, with the help of the Jerusalem Development Corporation, a chain of biotechnology incubators will be set up. The chain will include the Oxford Science Park in Britain, the Bio-M in Munich, Germany, the Genopole in Paris, Consortium 21 in Sardinia, Italy, and a biotechnology incubator in Jerusalem. Dan Kaufman of the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies announced the plan at the Hadassah College of Technology memorial conference for the late Prof. Yaacov Matzner , dean of the Hebrew University – Hadassah Medical School.
Kaufman said the consortium budget was $2.5 million, of which $500,000 was earmarked for the activity in Jerusalem.
As part of the cooperation agreement, the consortium companies will benefit from a variety of services from the different incubators, including exposure to financial sources, regulation and patent consultation, help from technology experts, and business development. This activity will enable start-ups to operate in the international arena in the earliest stages and gain a major competitive edge in the world market.
On the same occasion, Hadassah College of Technology president Dr. Nava Ben-Zvi announced the establishment of a joint biotechnology forum by the college and the Manufacturers Association of Israel. She expressed her hope that the Ministry of Industry and Trade would support the founding of a biotechnology incubator in Jerusalem.
At the conference, Kaufman reported the results of a survey conducted by the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies. The survey indicated that the biotechnology industry in Israel is centered around the leading Israeli universities in Jerusalem, Rehovot, Tel Aviv, and Haifa. The survey findings singled out Jerusalem as the place with the greatest potential to become a major international biotechnology center, in view of the fact that it houses the greatest number of students in the field and a large number of companies, as well as having some of the leading medical and research infrastructures in Israel.
Dr. Rafi Hofstein, managing director of Hadasit Medical Research Services and Develoment, Hadassah College of Technology’s applications company, cited the progress in the project for establishing a technology park in Ein Kerem in the Hadassah Medical Center compound, in cooperation with Teva and Yissum Research Development Company of the Hebrew University, which would be able to fill the planned government incubator.
Published by Israel's Business Arena on March 26, 2002