For some, relocating a biotech company to a another country may seem daunting, especially considering things such as the cost of relocation, the need and expense for high-tech and specialized testing facilities, access to good talent and scientists, and the requirement for visa and government support. For the particular biotech company featured in this podcast, Bavaria was a natural choice.
Globig’s partner Invest In Bavaria – US recently interviewed Alexandra Barton-Sweeney, CEO of Razzberry, as part of their series on North American entrepreneurs who have decided to start, settle, or build companies in Bavaria. They talked with Ms. Barton-Sweeney about why she selected Munich as the place for her subsidiary, with Razzberry headquarters based in the US. She was looking for a place to do R&D for her biotech company, and after attending the OktoberINVESTfest conference that takes place every October in New York, she knew that Bavaria was a great fit.
In this podcast, James Mister of Invest In Bavaria talks with Ms. Barton-Sweeney about Razzberry’s growth and success in Bavaria. Barton-Sweeney offers that Bavaria is a strategic location for your biotech SME and can offer a number of benefits including:
– Affordable access to the best talent and resources. Costs were much lower in Bavaria than in Berkeley (where they are headquartered) for living, resources, and scientists
– An enthusiastic and affordable pool of highly skilled and capable talent that were very excited to work with Razzberry as an American company entering a new frontier with their work in chemical sensing
– A lot of research Razzberry was following was coming out of Europe, and Bavaria is the chemical center of Europe
– While the US is the largest market for wearables, Europe is the second-largest market, and Bavaria offers access to that market from a central location
– Access to partners for clinical trials and distribution channels
– The costs of conducting clinical trials and pilot studies are much lower than in the US on many factors
– Access to the right people at potential partner companies through support from Bio-M (part of the “Bavarian Cluster Initiative” and a biotech cluster development organization) and Invest in Bavaria
– Great partnership between the public and private sectors for life sciences in Europe, Germany, and especially Bavaria – it’s a great time for life sciences companies to consider Bavaria for not just sales and marketing, but for operations and for finding first clients in the EMEA region
– Assistance with legal setup, visas, downsizing questions, and flexibility that can be got in the US can also be got in Bavaria
– There are people with German, European, and US legal expertise
– Companies who are bringing highly skilled talent are supported by the German government
– Getting set up was relatively quick and easy and the high tech lab space was considerably less expensive than what could have been had in Berkeley
– Government support exists for smaller companies so they can validate their idea without having problems if they decide to pivot
– Bavaria is centrally located so companies can easily work with other European large centers of commerce, investors, and clients
– There are many incubators and clusters to help advance the likelihood of a SME’s success
– The great quality of life available in Bavaria
This podcast spells out some of Germany’s, and specifically Bavaria’s, advantages for Razzberry and other SME’s in the biotech space.
As the Business Promotion Agency of the State of Bavaria, Globig’s partner Invest in Bavaria supports companies from Germany and abroad, and from a wide range of sectors, in finding the ideal location in Bavaria to establish business. Their goal is to help companies be successful right from the moment they settle in Bavaria. Invest In Bavaria has launched a podcast series to add to all of their other resources. If you are considering starting and/or growing your business in Germany, Invest In Bavaria is ready to help you succeed.
Alexandra Barton-Sweeney leads Razzberry, a biotechnology company based in the US and Bavaria that functions as a biosensing platform. It is revolutionizing the way we diagnosis and manage health.
Resources:
Invest In Bavaria Podcast Series
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