Will Fribourg soon be better known for its biotechnology and green chemistry expertise than for its chocolate and cheese fondue? If the latest developments coming out of the canton’s life sciences sector are anything to go by, this might just happen. Contrary to what some might think, the agrifood and life sciences sectors are closely aligned. Jerry Krattiger, Director of the Fribourg Development Agency, explains why.
How do you define life sciences, the focus of this edition of Fribourg Network Freiburg?
The life sciences encompass a wide range of disciplines that are involved in the study of living organisms and life processes. While biotechnology uses biological systems and living organisms to develop products and technologies, the pharmaceutical sector specializes in the development and marketing of medicines that benefit human health. The medical devices field focus on appliances like scanners, prostheses and hearing aids, which are designed and manufactured by specialized researchers and engineers. The diagnostics field develops tests to screen for and detect diseases and, last but by no means least, there are consulting services and digital health innovations.
How do you explain the life sciences boom in the canton of Fribourg?
Ciba had been a major economic player in the region since the 1960s. But after it merged with Sandoz in 1996 to become Novartis, the group quickly relocated its operations. In the intervening years, though, the canton of Fribourg has seen the arrival of pharmaceutical companies such as Vifor and UCB Farchim, closely followed by businesses working in the diagnostics or medical devices fields like Bio-Rad, Alcon, Sonova and Medion Grifols. Fribourg has evolved into an attractive location for life sciences firms and a dynamic presence in this sector.
It seems that the boom is particularly pronounced in Western Switzerland’s Health Valley?
Absolutely. The strengths of the canton of Fribourg extend beyond its borders. From Solothurn to Geneva, Western Switzerland’s Health Valley has a high concentration of incubators, technology parks and cutting-edge companies, which is further enhanced by the high production capacity of its biotech businesses. Fribourg fits perfectly into this thriving ecosystem and actively contributes to its development and greater international reach.
What are Fribourg’s strengths in terms of innovation?
We have unique infrastructures such as the Biofactory Competence Center for training and biomanufacturing, the ChemTech Institute for green chemistry and the iPrint Institute for biomedical printing. The Adolphe Merkle Institute (AMI) also stands out for its nanotechnology expertise, which includes its work on the encapsulation of vaccines on a very small scale. These centers of excellence work closely with business and industry, which drives research forward and facilitates the transfer of the technologies they develop and refine to the market.
Has Fribourg attracted life sciences firms from outside Switzerland?
Attracting foreign groups is always a challenge, but we’ve recently won over companies like the Brazilian CT Group, which has decided to relocate its central purchasing office here. They source their medical devices from Switzerland and Europe and then ship them to Brazil. Other players, such as OM Pharma and Verfora, have chosen Fribourg as the headquarters for their sales operations in Switzerland. These successes confirm the attractiveness of our location in the heart of Switzerland and Europe, which is further boosted by the availability of land in our canton and the quality of our infrastructure.
Did Fribourg’s agrifood tradition play a key role in these positive developments?
There is a throughline between our agrifood tradition and the progressive growth of the life sciences sector in our canton. The longstanding and powerful presence of the agrifood industry has enabled us to build up a solid knowledge base and skills in chemistry and biology. This expertise has naturally evolved towards more advanced applications, notably in biotechnologies. Today, these fields are mutually reinforcing, demonstrating our ability to adapt and anticipate global trends, while capitalizing on our proven strengths.
How do you see the future?
I’m convinced that the life sciences sector has extremely high potential. It already accounts for more than 15% of our exports and generates added value well above the cantonal average, as confirmed by the study we commissioned. The dynamism of the sector and the highly skilled workforce underpinning it represent a massive opportunity for our canton’s economy in the years to come.
