9,000 additional square meters for life science and biotech start-ups in Copenhagen. That is the promise of a coming location in the Symbion network of start-up communities. The Copenhagen Science City partner recently announced that they plan to open a new site, building on the massive success of their COBIS start-up community which is located at the heart of the innovation district.

Hot on the heels of success

The announcement comes just five months after Symbions most recent expansion. In February 2021 Symbion took over 3,500 m2 on Tagensvej 22, which is next to their COBIS property on Ole Maaløes vej. The premises on Tagensvej became fully booked within weeks. Hence the new life science location – this time on the historic Novo property at the intersection of Hillerødgade and Nordre Fasanvej.

Comfortable cycling to excellence

The coming setting is about half way between the two innovation districts Copenhagen Science City and Frederiksberg Science City. This puts it at a comfortable cycling distance from Frederiksberg’s Copenhagen Business School (CBS) and the University of Copenhagen faculties SCIENCE and Health and Medical Sciences, the university hospital Rigshospitalet and the University College Copenhagen’s health- and care programmes.

With its location on the edge of inner Copenhagen, between Frederiksberg and Nørrebro, the new complex is fantastic. At the same time, it can act as a link between the many life science actors in Copenhagen Science City and the commercial development environment around CBS. We will initially take over 9000 m2, but have an option of an additional 4000 m2 if the market is ready for it”, Morten Mølgaard Jensen, CEO, COBIS.

A step on the road to greater ambition

Symbion has also started to uncover the opportunities for further growth in collaboration with BioInnovation Institute which is a Copenhagen Science City-based incubator and accelerator community located in COBIS. Today, almost 250 life science start-ups are associated with the two players at their locations in Universitetsparken, but it is expected that even more will want to join in the years to come.

High quality innovation ecosystem

Today, Denmark has a leading position in life science – a position that can become even stronger in the coming years. What characterizes the leading places in the world is the combination of research of the highest quality, the ability to translate this into new solutions in the clinic, access to office environments and laboratories as well as funding and proximity and density between the key players.

The area centred on University of Copenhagen’s Northern Campus can become one of the world’s leading innovation environments. It already houses a number of key players in the healthcare field, which together with the many life science companies and start-ups form a strong base for further development. There is actually room to fulfil an even greater ambition and vision “, Jens Nielsen, CEO, BioInnovation Instute.