Fostering the Italian Biotechnology Industry

1. Fostering the Italian Biotechnology Industry

2. Methodology • Analysis of market potential • Definition of a strategy for Italy • Identification of market imperfections • Existing programs and institutions in Italy • Recommendations • Implementation

3. Analysis of market potential • Concentrations of potential entrepreneurs are localised in Milano and Roma • An in-depth study on specialisation of researchers in the Milano and Roma areas is needed • Laws and regulations should be analysed and redefined in order to create an appropriate environment for the Biotech industry • A Biotech incubator shouldn’t be considered a regional development tool, but it should be localised where the success possibilities are highest • Even if the number of researchers doesn’t seem to be important in other geographical areas in Italy, the specialisation of universities in other Italian towns should be analysed (we could find out that a minor university is to be considered a best practice in a particular specialisation area, in this case the possibility of creating an incubator next by this university should be considered • The pharma industry traditionally plays an important role ion the Italian economy

4. Definition of a strategy for Italy • The pharma and food industries always played an important role in the Italian economy. These two sectors are gradually losing their competitiveness, the Biotech can be an opportunity to try to keep them competitive. • The growth rate in terms of new companies should reach 15%/year (Europe 16%, USA 8%) • The growth rate in terms of employees should reach 15%/year (Europe 6%, USA 7%) • The Government should play a key role for the development of the sector (also as a response to other EU initiatives)

5. Market imperfections • Potential entrepreneurs have a high risk aversion (also as a consequence of the specificity of the Italian labour market which is less flexible compared to other EU countries) • Lack of human resources with both scientific and management education • Lack of available seed capital • The existing support measures are not well known and are considered too difficult and time consuming to deal with from an administrative/bureaucracy point of view • R&D and innovation in relevant sectors is low • The law 297 leaves the universities free to chose their own policy for the exploitation of ideas developed by professors (the policies are not clear yet)

6. Institutions and existing programmes • The law 297 and the Startech programme are horizontal. They do not foresee any specific measure for the biotech industry which has different needs compared to other traditional sectors • Biopolo: its main target is composed by the researchers of the Bicocca university. Biopolo scarcely succeeds in creating new companies because of the low entrepreneurial attitude of the university researchers and for a lack of seed capital. The creation of a common infrastructure (incubator) is foreseen, but it is not operative yet • The creation of a Biotech incubator in Catania is foreseen

7. Recommendations 1 • To create 3 incubators specialised in Biotech (Roma, Milano, Firenze/Pisa) • The incubator should be a private structure co-financed by the Government • To limit the operatively of the incubator to 8/10 years • To define success indicators (continuous monitoring) • To carry out an analysis of Biotech incubators in USA, France, Germany, and to analyse the bidding dossier prepared in Israel

8. Recommendations • The incubator should: • make a screening of the projects • provide seed capital, directly or through existing measures (1 MEURO according to the projects) • spread entrepreneurial culture • provide management assistance • provide business development assistance • maintain direct contacts with VCs • provide common infrastructure (evaluating the possibility of exploiting pre-existing infrastructure • support clustering • maintain direct contacts with consultants (IPR, etc.)

9. implementation • A steering committee aimed at making uniform policies at a national level, at identifying best practices and at quickly proposing necessary changes should be created • The incubators should work independently (selection process, equity position, business development, etc.) • Each incubator should host an average of 8 projects • Professional management should include business development managers