At BayOConnect 2025, the Netherlands took the spotlight as our official Partner Country – and made the most of it. With creativity, openness and strong strategic intent, the Dutch delegation didn’t just show up – they set an example for how countries and regions can successfully position itself as a key facilitator of European biotech collaboration.
Strategic Networking Kick-off in a Bavarian Setting
The Dutch delegation’s visit began the evening before the official conference, on June 30, with an informal yet highly productive networking event. Set in a traditional Bavarian beer garden, this pre-conference gathering brought together key stakeholders in regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and cell and gene therapy from Bavaria who were connecting over the evening with the delegation participants from the Netherlands. This relaxed setting provided the ideal atmosphere to begin discussions and form connections ahead of the formal program.
Strong Visibility with their Country Booth
Throughout the two days of BayOConnect, the Netherlands stood out as Partner Country with a highly visible, orange-themed booth and a delegation that actively participated in partnering meetings, expert panels, and innovation discussions. Dutch representatives showcased the strengths of their life sciences ecosystem – from translational research to public-private initiatives – while seeking new opportunities for European collaboration, particularly in strategic areas such as advanced therapies, biotech infrastructure, and health data integration.
Evening Impulse: From RegMed XB to Organ-on-a-Chip - How the Netherlands Enables Cross-Border Innovation
One of the highlights of the delegation’s presence was the Evening Impulse session on day 1 titled:
“From Regenerative Medicine to Organ-on-a-Chip and Beyond: Connect with the Netherlands – Europe’s Life Sciences & Health Metropolis”
This session featured three leading voices from the Dutch delegation:
- Sarah Jakob (Netherlands Innovation Network) gave a lively and insightful overview of the Dutch-German complementarities in biotech and presented the new Dutch Biotech Strategy, which includes a 1.3 billion Euro investment via the National Growth Fund, a focus on valorisation and consortia-building as well as regulatory tools like innovation sandboxes and regulation-free zones
- Bernard Mulder (RegMed XB) introduced the cross-border Dutch Belgian model for collaborative regenerative medicine research and reflected on how such a model could be expanded to include German and other European partners.
- Laura Windt (Health~Holland) presented the Netherlands' Organ-on-a-Chip (OoC) agenda. She emphasized the role of this technology in accelerating drug development and explained the ongoing national OoC initiative, which brings together academia, startups and engineers and is open for international public-private collaboration.
From Presence to Partnership: A Blueprint for Strategic Positioning as Country Partner
The Dutch delegation’s strategic presence at BayOConnect 2025 serves as a blueprint for other regions and nations looking to elevate their visibility and impact within Bavaria’s biotech community. Key success factors included:
- A clear thematic focus on regenerative medicine and Organ-on-a-Chip technologies, aligning scientific depth with future-oriented innovation
- Thought leadership through high-level speakers and delegation leads who provided strategic insights and actionable perspectives
- Strong visual and communicative identity - the orange color but more importantly the clear messages stood out well throughout the conference
- A strong visual and communicative identity, with the signature orange branding complemented by consistent, clear messaging that resonated throughout the conference
- Openness to cross-border collaboration and co-development, demonstrated through concrete initiatives, active funding calls, and real-world examples of partnership potential
We thank our colleagues from the Netherlands for their trust, contributions, and vision. Their participation demonstrated what it means to be not just a guest – but a partner shaping Europe’s life sciences future.
Interested in becoming a Partner Country or Region at the BayOConnect in 2026?
We would be delighted to explore this with you.
Please contact Ariane Doischer, doischer@bio-m.org.