Bayer expands global incubator network with Germany hub

Bayer said its Berlin, Germany-based Co.Lab “empowers” startups by providing mentorship, facilities, and a community where companies can take ideas and transform them into healthcare solutions. The incubator in Berlin is located on the firm’s global headquarters campus and houses fully equipped facilities to develop breakthroughs in the cell and gene therapy (CGT) space.

“Biotechnology plays an incredibly important role in the ongoing development of Berlin’s pharmaceutical and healthcare sector,” said Kai Wegner, governing mayor of Berlin. “The new Bayer Co.Lab facility in Berlin will enable us to bring science and business even closer together, propelling us towards our shared goal of developing pharmaceuticals and medical therapies faster than before.”

“The opening of the Co.Lab in Berlin is a meaningful step in our plan to make Berlin the nexus of an even greater healthcare industry here in Germany. I want to thank Bayer AG for this fruitful cooperation and for their confidence in Berlin as a center of science and innovation.”

Co.Lab Berlin consists of 55 square meter lab pods, furnished with up to six lab work benches and two cell culture hoods. Additionally, they are equipped with centrifuges, incubators, and other customizable equipment.

First resident

Bayer Co.Lab has a global network of incubators and operates in Kobe (Japan), Shanghai (China), and Cambridge (US). Though Co.Lab Berlin only recently opened, it already has its first resident: MyoPax, a Berlin-based start-up focused on muscle regeneration therapies.

"We are very excited to be the first resident company at Bayer Co.Lab Berlin," said Verena Schoewel-Wolf, CEO of MyoPax.

"The incubator will not only provide us with state-of-the-art laboratory space, but also access to Bayer's local and global expertise in R&D, manufacturing, regulatory, and other areas to further our mission of delivering effective muscle regeneration therapies with our proprietary muscle stem cell platform."

In June 2024, Bayer announced its plans to construct a CGT development center in Berlin. From 2028, this will be home to Bayer Co.Lab.