First Life Science and Biotech Meetup launched in Mainz

On Thursday, January 9, 2022, some 30 entrepreneurs, founders, researchers and representatives from the city and state met up for the first Life Science and Biotech Meetup. The aim of this networking event for Mainz’s life science and biotechnology community is to regularly inform stakeholders about developments in the region and offer them a forum for networking. The event at Caponniere, a café on the banks of the Rhine River, was organized and conducted by the biotechnology team from Zentrale Beteiligungsgesellschaft der Stadt Mainz mbH (ZBM) in collaboration with TechnologieZentrum Mainz GmbH (TZM).

“Mainz is a life science and biotechnology hub with a diversified and powerful ecosystem, boasting strong players. Collaboration is a crucial element for continuing to develop Mainz and the neighboring regions into an internationally recognized cluster for life sciences and biotechnology. First, we approached companies that had already expressed an interest in such a format. Now we intend to open up the invitation to other stakeholders. We would like to use the Life Science and Biotech Meetup as a regular event for bringing together stakeholders and allowing them to network and exchange ideas with each other. The aim is for them to get to know each other better and be part of a forum for the exchange of experiences and the initiation of new partnerships,” said Felix Wälder, authorized signatory of ZBM.

“This is precisely the type of event that is needed in Mainz to give the stakeholders an opportunity for better networking and collaboration. In addition, such meetups enable sustained better visibility of biotech and pharmaceutical companies, which have been growing steadily in the Mainz area for years but have always been hidden behind the global players,” said Dr. Sven-Ernö Bikar, CEO of StarSEQ GmbH in Mainz and one of the business leaders participating in yesterday’s event.

Feedback from participants at this inaugural event was positive across the board. They unanimously expressed the wish for these events to continue and for more companies to take part. ZBM will see to this next year by holding quarterly meetups. Individuals and businesses interested in joining future events can write to jan.uphoff@biomindz.com for more information.