CLIC: Berlin's New Launchpad for Advanced Therapy Startups

The Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH) has partnered with innovation lab platform BioLabs to launch the BIH Clinical Incubator (CLIC), a fully-equipped facility designed to help biomedical researchers translate their discoveries into advanced therapies for patients.

According to information from the BIH press release, CLIC will provide office and laboratory space, expertise, and collaborative opportunities specifically for scientists and entrepreneurs developing Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) and personalized medical solutions.

"CLIC serves as a launchpad for life science entrepreneurs and researchers aiming to translate groundbreaking therapies from concept to clinic," said Dr. Garima Bhardwaj, Head of the Clinical Incubator. "Berlin offers a unique environment to build an entrepreneurial community that bridges cutting-edge science with real-world applications."

The incubator, strategically located on the campus of Charité – one of Europe's largest university hospitals – offers comprehensive support including state-of-the-art facilities, business development services, operational funding, mentorship, and access to venture capital.

BioLabs brings significant experience to the partnership, having supported over 55 startups in Europe in just their first year of operation and helping biotech companies raise more than €6.5 billion since its founding.

Professor Georg Duda, Director of the Julius Wolff Institute and Speaker of the BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies, emphasized that CLIC addresses key bottlenecks in bringing advanced therapies to patients by providing "a clinical de-risking environment."

The CLIC program is already accepting applications and will begin operations on July 15 this year. The initiative represents a significant addition to Berlin's biomedical ecosystem and aims to strengthen collaborations with other national and international translation hubs.