With the second wave of its ‘Accelerate@Babraham’ life sciences bio-incubator programme well underway, the Babraham Research Campus has confirmed additional financial and mentoring support for the initiative from Mundipharma. This sponsorship, alongside additional funding from AstraZeneca and LifeArc, further enhances the ability of the Babraham Research Campus to nurture new life science ventures and lead innovation in early science within the Cambridge cluster.
This year’s Accelerate@Babraham start-up competition awarded five ventures a cash prize of £10,000 and access to laboratory and office facilities at the Babraham Research Campus in Cambridge. Additionally, the start-ups benefit from an in-depth programme of support, led by a hand-picked group of experienced academic and commercial life science experts.
The 2019 cohort chosen to be part of the programme are:
- CC Bio
- Reflection Therapeutics
- TropoFour Therapeutics
Derek Jones, CEO, Babraham Bioscience Technologies, which develops and manages the Babraham Research Campus commented: “The Babraham Research Campus isn’t a science park, it’s a Campus. It’s about community and connectivity. The Accelerate@Babraham initiative embodies this ethos, providing not only a non-dilutive cash prize and access to laboratory facilities but also very specific mentoring and support tailored to each start-up’s individual requirements. We open our networks to them and want them to build strong relationships here, to become part of what is a micro-cluster within the Cambridge Cluster. The support of organisations such as Mundipharma will enable us to continue to develop this initiative, supporting, attracting and developing life science concepts and ventures that will have an impact on future healthcare.”
Dr Daniel Ives, CEO and Founder, ShiftBioscience, one of the five 2019 Accelerate@Babraham start-up competition winners commented of the programme’s induction day: “We are so lucky to be on this programme with everyone coming together to help us out. It’s a rare opportunity and we are making the most of it and taking in all of the advice.”
“To hear from an entrepreneur specialising in healthcare and life sciences, such as Dr Andy Richards, and other speakers at the induction event was like gold dust; the top people talking about the top issues was eye-opening. It’s about making it happen collectively with intelligence and pace.”
Marco Cerato, Senior Vice President Business Development & Strategic Partnerships at Mundipharma commented: “We are delighted to be supporting the Babraham Research Campus in providing opportunities for start-up companies in the field of life science. This partnership aligns with our purpose To Move Medicine Forward. Initiatives such as ‘Accelerate@Babraham’ are vital to promote innovation within the industry and bring much-needed new scientific developments to answer current unmet needs from patients.”