In his role as the CEO of Brussels South Charleroi Biopark (BSCB), Bertrand Alexandre spoke to Michèle Paque, healthcare and life science specialist at PwC Belgium about the ambitions for this Charleroi-based life science park.
Mr Alexandre believes the BSCB has the potential to become Europe’s largest centre for the development of advanced cell and gene therapies.
The leading site for biotech companies and startups
Originally founded by the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) through a unique combination of political, scientific and social factors, BSCB is now an ecosystem of scientific, clinical and business expertise, creating the perfect environment for drug research and development.
According to Mr Alexandre the biopark is the one-stop shop for the biotech industry in Wallonia. It’s one of the few scientific parks in Europe that is really focused on biotech, including medtech and greentech. In addition, startups are the DNA of the park.
Ambitions for growth
Today, the biopark employs more than 3,200 people and there are more than 80 companies ranging from innovative startups, service providers and production companies to research and drug development companies. Mr Alexandre expects to see this number grow in the coming years. “Our plan is to become the biggest scientific park in Europe for advanced therapies,” he states clearly.
Training and education are key to achieve this goal, which is why there is a project underway to create a training centre dedicated to bringing more people into the biotech industry.
International training programmes will be held in the park, sponsored by the EU and the region of Wallonia.
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