FAQs

For us, biotech is not limited to labcoat-specific, deep scientific solutions. We use the core definition of biotech here: “basic molecular mechanisms of life, from microorganisms to plants and human beings”. Still not sure? Contact us.

If you are seeking early-stage funding with a personalized program and you need labs or greenhouses, and experts to help you along the road, biotope is the perfect program. 

We evaluate the investment based on three main criteria:

• Investor confidence: at the end of the basecamp, you pitch your venture to the Biotope Ventures investment committee. It is critical to convince these experts of your biotechnology and potential product, strength of IP, and business potential.
• Ability to benefit from the biotope ecosystem: what is our added value in helping you and your venture through biotope’s resources, including VIB scientific experts, state-of-the-art facilities, labs and greenhouse infrastructure?
• Motivation and fit with biotope: we assess if there is strong mutual fit between biotope and you, your team, and your venture. Do we believe we can bring you to the next funding round?

We differ from other accelerator initiatives by:

• clear stages: first our short basecamp, then our investment with bespoke support
• being intrinsically human-centric. Yes, your business idea and its development into a viable company is key, but we allow you as a team to grow with it, focusing on your strengths and capacities as well.
• biotech first: we do not only offer skills training bu also aim at technology maturation in a constant feedback loop with market and business input.
• early blended funding already after the basecamp: €350K convertible loan, with €250K cash and €100K in kind
• working with small cohorts: to guarantee a personal growth path by really knowing the team, the technology, the trajectory ahead, and the business opportunities and challenges.

The biotope bespoke support lasts 18 months.

After that, as a biotope alumnus, we still support you as much as possible in the continuation of your journey to success. Our network is your network, and you remain part of the biotope ecosystem and its events. Alumni also contribute to the community by serving as mentors to younger cohorts, paying forward the support they received.

Portfolio startups receive a convertible loan agreement of €350K: €250K in cash, milestone-based, and €100K in kind.

With a convertible loan, we do not artificially valuate your early startup (idea) at the beginning of the program. We are confident that the journey together will show its worth in a concrete valuation by seed stage investors at the end, showing our commitment to add value and support you as much as possible in your development track.

We require a team of at least 2 founders. However, we are always open to discussions with single founders who are trying to build their team and can assist in this process prior to the biotope application.

Remember: investors do not bet only on the horse but also on the jockey. This makes team and team dynamics a key component of the selection and development process. If you want to know more, just contact us.

It depends. Due to the focus on biotech, hardware support and the significant early-stage investment ticket, the personalized support is not built for fully digital startups. A biotech solution can definitely be complemented by a digital component but cannot solely consist of a digital solution.

This will depend on the focus and time commitment you will be able to make to biotope. Getting seed-stage ready with a tangible proof of concept in 18 months will not be a walk in the park, even with the cash, expertise, and support you get from us. Just inform us beforehand so we can discuss whether a combination would make sense or not.

Of course, you can. All entrepreneurs are welcome as long as they have a biotech-based technology they can demonstrate in a lab environment –preferably with early (pending) IP.

Definitely. Biotope is a starting point for biotech ventures, a fertile ecosystem which will allow your solution to grow and mature more quickly. The ecosystem will keep on supporting you, with its network of partners, corporates, and later stage investors.

We will also support you in obtaining non-dilutive grant funding during the journey, adding up to a total amount significantly higher than the convertible loan.

We’ll consider the best technologies, regardless of where they come from, but you will need a technical cofounder and to be able to show your idea in a lab environment.

Biotope is located in, and benefiting from, the dynamic, internationally renowned biotech ecosystem in Ghent, Belgium. Grown out of VIB, one of the world’s premier life science institutes, we cover multiple locations in Flanders.

No. Foreign startups can be accepted at biotope, as long as they can demonstrate to have a link with the region (i.e., set up your HQ or a daughter office locally or have a signed collaboration with a local research institute) or are committed to building one, if this makes sense.

Yes, this is possible. Please get in contact with us, to ensure you will be onboarded as lean as possible when reapplying.