Johnson & Johnson Innovation has announced to become a leading partner of Sitem Startup Club in Bern (Switzerland). Within this partnership, we scout from a priority position for early-stage partnerships across numerous medical fields related to medical devices and MedTech.
sitem-insel was founded as the Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine in 2014, Operations started in 2017 and the opening of the building was held in 2019. The Institute is based at the Insel Campus Bern, where the largest medical school and the biggest University hospital in Switzerland are located. As the hub for translational research, it is teamed up with leading private companies, the University of Bern, the University Hospital of Bern (Inselspital), and a number of high-potential start-ups. The facilities provide the scientific and entrepreneurial ecosystem a unique space that thrives in an open innovation culture.
The institute comprises sitem+minds, the sitem-insel School in partnership with the Medical Faculty of the University of Bern delivering continuing education and research that connects the best minds in translational science. sitem+impact is their business, the facility itself, a medical and research building designed to encourage innovation and cooperation between all partners and stakeholders. Enriched by sitem+insight, sitem-insel enables expert access to Regulatory Affairs, strategies and state-of-the-art modeling for evidence-based stories and value propositions that link ideas to commercial success.
As quite a few startups are already integrated in sitem-insel, and the building has been used to its capacity practically from the beginning, expanding efforts to promote startups was the next logical step to take. In November 2020, the Sitem StartUp Club was founded as an independent association, affiliated to sitem-insel, and located within 10 minutes of walking distance at the Insel Campus Bern.
With its vision to establish Bern as a leading hub for startups in the MedTech field, the Sitem Startup Club offers startups in the MedTech sector access to consulting, coaching, potential investors and to affordable workspace in the newly emerging “Sitem MedTech Hub” at the Insel Campus Bern.
Johnson & Johnson Innovation in collaboration with the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies in Switzerland accepted the Leading Partnership as representative of Medical Devices, its related software but also combination products with the device as well as combined products.
Imran Hamid MD MRCS, Senior Director, New Ventures & Transactions at Innovation Center (IC) in London, UK comments “Incubators and accelerators are central to the global healthcare startup ecosystem. We have seen that Switzerland maintains an outstanding leadership position in innovation across many industries with a strong representation of Medical Devices, life sciences and health technologies”.
Beat Lechmann in his role as head external innovation at DePuy Synthes Trauma, Extremities, CMF and Animal Care TECA and delegate for early-stage partnerships at JJI adds “We are excited to partner with the Sitem Startup Club and its embedded innovation hub. Science teams through all medical areas elaborated forward thinking solutions over the past decades. The new forum focus’ on enabling the translation into viable and performing product for the benefit of the patients”.
Johnson & Johnson Innovation seeks to positively impact human health through innovation. They help entrepreneurs to realize their dreams of creating healthcare solutions that improve peoples’ lives around the world. The global network of Johnson & Johnson Innovation is focused on accelerating all stages of innovation by forming collaborations between external partners and the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies.
The Innovation Centre in London acts as a gateway into Europe. They work alongside JJDC (the strategic venture capital arm of Johnson & Johnson Innovation) as well as JLABS (incubator facilities). On top of that, Johnson & Johnson Innovation has formed a range of incubator strategic partnerships and is happy to add the Sitem Startup Club as a new addition.