Hollandbio connects, represents and supports the Dutch life science sector. We are very proud that we already represent 260 companies: from start-ups, small and medium-sized companies to large companies, active in health, food or biobased economy. Today we are happy to introduce QBE as a new member! This Australian insurer, which Dutch branch opened in 2023, provides insurance to mid-market businesses and large corporates, with solutions that cover D&O, Professional Indemnity, Cyber, Liability, Property and Construction. Last year, QBE Netherlands completed its product range with pharma life science insurance, a sector in which it already has over 15 years of experience in other countries. “Insurance coverage enables innovation in life sciences and for us, joining hollandbio is a way to cooperate more closely with the sector.”

A few more words from QBE:  

Who is QBE? 

“QBE is an international insurer and reinsurer with a local presence in 27 countries.  Leveraging our deep expertise and insights, QBE offers commercial and specialty insurance and risk management solutions to help businesses manage risks, build strength and embrace change to their advantage. Our purpose is to enable a more resilient future.”  

What is the importance of the Netherlands to QBE?  

“QBE’s European team provides Property, Casualty, Financial and Specialty Lines solutions to brokers and clients across Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK. Our Netherlands branch, which opened two years ago, is growing fast, with an expanding team and an expanding product line. Launched in 2024, our pharma life science insurance offers protection for companies with products or services that help diagnose, prevent or treat diseases. The life science sector is growing twice as fast as the Dutch economy, and we’re excited to be able to support innovation in this domain. Our senior pharma / life science underwriter Selma Kemper, who is based in Amsterdam, has 25 years of experience and works closely with our international team of experts.” 

Why are you joining hollandbio?  

“We can offer insurance to businesses that operate in the life science sector, from biotechnology to medical innovation (implants, medical devices, surgical equipment) to pharmaceuticals (R&D, production, distribution),For instance, we provide national and international solutions for product liability risks and risks surrounding clinical trials. What sets us apart is how we combine our market knowledge with expertise, both in underwriting risks and in handling claims. For us, joining hollandbio is a natural component of our approach, which values expertise and cooperation.” 

Don’t Miss the Exclusive Pharma Life Science Event (in Dutch) by QBE Netherlands on March 18, 2025!

Sinds vorige week versterkt Hanna Los het team van hollandbio als stagiaire. Ze zal vijf maanden stagelopen als onderdeel van de laatste fase van haar master Science and Business Management aan de Universiteit Utrecht. Hanna heeft eerder de bachelor Biologie afgerond, waarbij haar interesse in de biotech ontstond door de enorme kansen die deze sector biedt. In de master heeft ze de mogelijkheid om zowel de academische als de zakelijke kant van het vak te verkennen, waardoor ze haar passie voor biologie kan combineren met maatschappelijke impact. Bij hollandbio krijgt ze de kans om deze ambitie verder vorm te geven en daadwerkelijk bij te dragen aan de sector.

Stageonderzoek neemt vestigingsklimaat onder de loep 

Nederland heeft veel potentieel voor het opzetten van succesvolle biotech-startups, maar helaas zijn er ook toenemende signalen van bedrijven die zich na verloop van tijd vestigen in het buitenland. Hanna gaat zich richten op de vraag waarom bedrijven deze keuze maken en hoe ons vestigingsklimaat zich verhoudt tot andere landen. Door hier meer inzicht in te krijgen, kan hollandbio zich hard maken voor een beter vestigingsklimaat en het versterken van de voedingsbodem voor Nederlandse bedrijven. 

Hanna: “Ik kijk ernaar uit om meer te leren over de biotech sector, zowel in Nederland als internationaal. Daarnaast ben ik enorm enthousiast om de impactvolle organisatie hollandbio beter te leren kennen en veel kennis op te doen van mijn nieuwe collega’s.” 

Kennismaken of meedenken? Hanna is te bereiken via hanna.los@hollandbio.nl of via LinkedIn.

Hollandbio welcomes  Yxion as our newest member! Yxion is a consultancy firm for the Pharma, Biotech, Food, and Medical Devices industries. The team consists of driven professionals committed to improving people’s health and well-being. 

As part of their introduction, Yxion would like to share a short story with you: 

“It must be the humidity…”

At this very moment, a production planner in a biotech facility is pulling his hair out. A critical batch of cell cultures has developed the same mysterious deviation for the third time. Which is disrupting timelines and threatening to cause costly delays. Maintenance has checked everything from temperature, pH levels, growth media and equipment calibration. Everything appears to be within specs.

So what would you do?

“Impossible,” the operator insists. “It has to be the culture medium,” he says. “No,” the engineer counters, “it must be the bioreactor sensors.” Meanwhile, the quality manager points to contamination risks.

Three specialists with three completely different answers

But what if they’re all looking at it the wrong way?

Sometimes the answer isn’t in what you see—it’s in what you haven’t seen yet. Small deviations can signal much bigger issues hidden beneath the surface.

That’s where Yxion comes in

End-to-end consultancy across your entire project lifecycle

• Feasibility study to commissioning: addressing risks early on.
• Documentation, validation, and interpretation: compliant, efficient, and comprehensive.
• Maintenance and optimization: ongoing support for GMP processes.

One consultant brings the ingenuity of 80

Whether you’re setting up new production lines or optimizing ongoing operations, success depends on precise process execution and thorough validation of equipment.

Working with a consultant gives you access to the collective expertise of 80 specialists. Each a subject matter expert in their field.

Accessing specialized knowledge that meets regulatory scrutiny and withstands market demands ensures you’re not stuck in endless troubleshooting but progressing toward a compliant and reliable outcome.

Want to know how this story ends – or just want to have a chat?

Yxion                    info@yxion.nl                  +31 (0)20 751 2015

Last Thursday, we hosted the Maastricht edition of our Hollandbio komt naar je toer event series, organized throughout 2024 and early 2025 to celebrate our 10-year anniversary at biotech hubs around the country. Approximately 60 biotech professionals gathered at Bar Bistro Saam for drinks and bites, in collaboration with the Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus. In between many great conversations and valuable networking opportunities, Wieteke Wouters (hollandbio), Yvo Graus (Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus) and Mark Post (Mosa Meat & Qorium) shared their insights on how their organizations contribute to strengthening the biotech ecosystem on both regional and (inter)national levels. 

We want to thank everyone who attended for contributing to another successful gathering of the Dutch biotech network!