From Lab to Life: How the NL–BE–CH Triangle Is Shaping Global Biotech

Each country plays a distinct, but interconnected, role in this ecosystem. And while the triangle is home to hundreds of ambitious ventures, here are just a few examples of players shaping the landscape:

• The Netherlands has become a hub for vaccine production, biologics, and AI-enhanced bioprocessing. Companies like Sirius Medical (surgical navigation, €10M funding in 2025) and Onera Health (AI-enabled sleep diagnostics, €55M raised to date) show how Dutch innovations are scaling from national research to global application.
  
  
• Belgium combines world-class R&D with proximity to EU regulators. BioLizard, a Ghent-based bioinformatics partner, recently secured a Eurostars grant to advance safer, faster gene editing through AI. In digital health, Koios Care raised €1M to expand its AI-driven Parkinson’s monitoring platform, underlining the country’s mix of data-led biotech and patient-focused MedTech innovation.
  
  
• Switzerland anchors the triangle with global pharma HQs and biotech clusters. Giants like Novartis and Roche are headquartered in Basel, while Lonza in Visp is a global leader in biologics and advanced manufacturing. Alongside these anchors, startups such as Comphya are pioneering electroceuticals — a reminder that Switzerland’s strength lies not only in scale, but also in its ability to nurture bold therapeutic innovation.

Together, these examples highlight how the NL–BE–CH corridor combines science, scale, and strategy into an ecosystem that is both diverse and globally influential.

Innovation in biotech is no longer confined to the lab. Across the NL–BE–CH triangle, the integration of artificial intelligence and MedTech is ensuring that breakthroughs don’t just stay as discoveries - they scale into clinical reality.

• Data-driven discovery: In Belgium, BioLizard uses AI platforms like Bio|Verse® to accelerate molecular screening and genomic interpretation, cutting months off traditional R&D. Dutch startup Autoscriber applies AI to automate clinical documentation, strengthening efficiency and compliance across development pipelines.

• Diagnostics and monitoring: In the Netherlands, Onera Health is redefining sleep studies with wearable PSG patches that generate clinical-grade data from home. Similarly, Usono is reshaping ultrasound with hands-free probes, creating continuous data streams that support both trials and clinical decision-making.

• Therapy delivery: In Switzerland, Comphya is pioneering electroceuticals for conditions with limited therapeutic options, expanding the reach of innovation into new therapeutic frontiers.

What makes this triangle unique is not the presence of AI or MedTech in isolation - it’s the way they intersect to form a feedback loop. AI accelerates discovery. MedTech translates those discoveries into patient-ready solutions. And together, they ensure that Europe’s biotech power base moves seamlessly from lab to life.

The science is advancing. The technology is evolving. But without the right people, nothing scales, here are some areas to keep an eye on.

The Demand Is Growing and the Supply Isn’t Keeping Up

• Across Europe, job openings in biotech surged 17% year-over-year in 2024, while candidate availability has barely shifted. The result: a widening talent gap that is slowing projects and intensifying competition between employers.

• Critical roles such as regulatory affairs specialists, bioprocess & CMC experts, and clinical bioinformatics professionals are among the hardest to fill - yet they are precisely the roles required to move therapies from early research to commercial scale.

Life Science Roles Are Evolving and In Demand

• Salaries tell the story: from 2023 to 2024, average pay in European life sciences rose by 9%, more than four times the previous year’s growth. Employers are paying a premium to secure professionals with scarce, cross-disciplinary skills.

• The most frequently advertised roles in early 2025 include clinical research leads, regulatory strategy experts, AI/ML specialists, and real-world evidence (RWE) professionals, reflecting how multidimensional expertise is no longer optional; it’s essential.

Regional Hubs That Hum with Opportunity

• Leiden and Amsterdam: Thriving with biotech scale-ups and AI-driven manufacturing, these hubs are magnets for bioprocess engineers and automation-savvy scientists.

• Ghent and Brussels: Combining biotech R&D with regulatory proximity, these cities are where regulatory affairs and clinical trial professionals are most in demand.

• Basel and Zurich: With pharma giants Roche, Novartis, and Lonza driving global pipelines, the Swiss hubs require talent that can operate at the highest standards of innovation, compliance, and scale.

The Netherlands, Belgium, and Switzerland are not just centres of innovation. Together, they form Europe’s most strategic biotech corridor where AI, MedTech, and talent converge to turn research into reality and discovery into delivery.

• For employers: Competing in this market means moving at the speed of science. Precision hiring is the difference between leading and lagging. Panda helps by mapping niche talent pools across Europe, understanding the regulatory and cultural nuances of each hub, and delivering the right people at the right time so your projects don’t just start, they scale.

• For candidates: This ecosystem is more than a career move - it’s an opportunity to stand at the frontier of healthcare, where your expertise drives therapies from concept to patient impact. The team here at Panda helps by opening doors to roles in pioneering Biotech, MedTech, and Pharma companies, providing guidance through complex hiring processes, and ensuring your skills are matched with missions that matter.

From lab to life, the NL–BE–CH triangle is where breakthroughs turn into real-world impact. Panda supports both sides of this ecosystem: helping companies find the specialist talent they need to scale projects, and helping professionals step into roles where their skills make a real difference. Whether it’s building teams for innovation or guiding candidates toward the right opportunities, our team is here to make those connections happen.

Get in touch today to learn how Panda can support your growth.