Startup bioeconomy Fribourg
Fribourg, The place to grow
Bioeconomy start-ups
A specific ecosystem
You are a start-up active in the bioeconomy sector with growth prospects and ambitions. You are naturally faced with many challenges and are looking for an environment conducive to your development.
Join the canton of Fribourg's "one-stop-shop" ecosystem for start-ups in the bioeconomy, and give yourself every chance of success.
Especially for the bioeconomy
One-Stop-Shop
A "one-stop-shop" to support bioeconomy start-ups at every stage of their development.
Yann Steulet, Director of Fri Up
Pre-industrialization infrastructures
Access to pre-industrialization facilities in the chemical sector (ChemTech Institute pilot hall)
Bioprocess development infrastructures
Access BSL-2 laboratories to develop your biotech processes in non-classified cleanrooms.
Business support
Benefit from the support of experienced business coaches (business plans, introductions, fund-raising support, etc.).
Financing
Take advantage of our financing solutions for the pre-seed and seed phases.
Hosting
Set up your start-up in premises that meet the needs of bioeconomy start-ups.
Start-up network
Join a network of start-ups, experts, partners and investors.
ChemTech Institute
Access to scale-up chemistry infrastructures
An invaluable tool for bioeconomy start-ups looking to move into the pre-industrialization phase.
From laboratory to industrial process
The ChemTech Institute (HEIA-FR) stands out for its unique ability to transform laboratory concepts into industrial processes, thanks to its sophisticated pilot plant. This facility is designed to facilitate the transition of chemical innovations from the laboratory scale to pre-industrial production.
Biofactory Competence Center (HEIA-Fr)
Access to biotechnology infrastructures
Skills and laboratories available to start-ups for bioprocess development.
Bioprocess engineering
The Biofactory Competence Center (BCC) is your partner for research, innovation and education in bioprocess engineering. The infrastructure available at the BCC, comprising unclassified cleanrooms, is ideal for developing and implementing biotech manufacturing processes that can be easily transferred to a GMP environment for subsequent production of clinical-grade products.
Fri Up
Support from startup experts
"An innovation only has value if it finds adoption in the marketplace."
Business support
Fri Up is the support organization for start-ups in the canton of Fribourg. Our coaches and experts are there to support you in your business thinking, to work with you to put in place strategies to confirm the market adoption of your technology, and to put you in touch with the right people, including potential strategic partners or investors active in your field.
Financing
Financing tools available
The canton of Fribourg has a number of support and financing tools to help your start-up get off the ground and grow. They are often involved upstream or in parallel with fund-raising from business angels or venture capitalists.
Seed Capital Fribourg
The Seed Capital Fribourg Foundation offers seed loans of up to CHF 100,000 for start-ups in the final stages of development and market testing.
Capital Risque Fribourg
Capital Risque Fribourg offers equity stakes of up to CHF 800,000 in confirmed start-ups.
Economic development agency
The canton of Fribourg's economic development agency offers financial assistance to start-ups wishing to expand in the canton.
Hosting
Sites conducive to innovation
The Bluefactory site is an ideal place to start the adventure. The site has a large capacity and you'll be close to Fri Up for business support. Subsequently, the canton of Fribourg also boasts other sites that are ideal for the development of start-ups in their growth phase.
Bluefactory
Located in the center of Fribourg, the bluefactory site is home to over 1,000 people, including start-up Bcomp, and caters for a wide range of needs and uses within a constellation that fosters synergies and the development of innovations.
Marly Innovation Center
The Marly site is home to 170 companies and offers 7,000 m2 of laboratory space, as well as the possibility of renting laboratories for the day. Flagship start-ups such as Seprify and Bloom have decided to locate here to develop their growth.
Agrico
The site, dedicated to agri-food and biomass, offers in addition to the campus 100 hectares of agricultural land for large-scale trials. Several start-ups are based on the site, including Cormo, Alver, Algaltek, PlasmaSeed and Lowimpact Food.
The start-up ecosystem
Peer-to-peer and networking
Fribourg's start-up scene is booming. Take advantage of this dynamic ecosystem to boost your start-up.
Bioeconomy Forum
October 10, 2024 in Freiburg - An event dedicated to the bioeconomy, covering advances in research and highlighting projects aimed at adding value to organic matter and developing high value-added biobased molecules and products.
Start-up workshops and events
Thematic workshops and numerous networking events are organized to encourage exchange between start-ups, but also to share expertise within the canton of Fribourg's innovation ecosystem, which includes experts, the University of Fribourg's tech-transfer, engineering school, competence centers and research institutes.