Biotech-Cluster Rhine-Neckar (BioRN) leads InnoLife consortium to success in the competition Healthy Living and Active Ageing of the European Institute for Innovation and Technology (EIT)

BioRN is a member of the consortium InnoLife, which has won the call for the Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) Healthy Living and Active Ageing (EIT Health) of the European Institute for Innovation and Technology (EIT). With a grant volume of up to 700 million euros and a total project volume of more than 2 billion euros, this is one of the largest publicly funded initiatives in the health sector worldwide.

Among the 50 core partners and additional 90 associate organisations from nine EU countries are, among others, Roche Diagnostics in Mannheim, AbbVie in Ludwigshafen and the University of Heidelberg as representatives of the BioRN cluster as well as major institutions and companies from the BioRN partner regions Cambridge in the United Kingdom and Leuven in Belgium (Health Axis Europe Alliance). In the next seven years the consortium partners will cooperate as a Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) with the aim of delivering innovative products, services and concepts that will improve quality of life and contribute to the sustainability of healthcare across Europe. During the application phase the German partners of the consortium, including the BioRN cluster in Heidelberg as well as the top regions BioM in Munich, Medical Valley in Erlangen and BIO.NRW with its locations in Cologne and Aachen, had already agreed that the EIT Health projects would be coordinated from Heidelberg.

BioRN managing director Dr. Christian Tidona made the following statement on winning the KIC call: “The successful initiation of this worldwide unique large-scale project is the direct result of the investment of the German Federal Government, the State of Baden-Württemberg and the regional partners in our BioRN leading-edge cluster. This opportunity for internationalization and active participation from major local institutions and companies in the health sector will sustainably strengthen our Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region.”