Eindhoven june 10 – Last week, we had the honour of welcoming a high-level delegation from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism of Baden-Württemberg, led by State Secretary Dr. Patrick Rapp. The visit to SBMC was part of a broader mission through Flanders and North Brabant, focused on innovation and cross-border collaboration in life sciences and medical technology.
The delegation included 30 representatives from government, academia, and industry, who visited key innovation hubs such as Pivot Park, Demcon, imec, and BIO-INX in Belgium — a valued member of the SBMC consortium pioneering 3D bioprinting materials.
A highlight of the visit was the official signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at SBMC by Dr. Rapp and Martijn van Gruijthuijsen, Vice-Governor for Economy of the Province of Noord-Brabant. The agreement confirms the commitment of both regions to work together on smart industry, health, the energy transition, security and defence, and sustainable mobility.
During their time at SBMC, the delegation explored how regional ecosystems like those in Baden-Württemberg and North Brabant — with their strong industrial bases and triple helix collaboration models — are shaping the future of biotechnology and healthcare.
SBMC thanks BOM and the Province of Noord-Brabant for their support in organising the visit and looks forward to continued collaboration with one of Europe’s most innovative regions.
