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Hollandbio welcomes Tzu Cancer Therapeutics as a new member

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 the biobased economy. Today, we are happy to introduce Tzu Cancer Therapeutics as a new member! This biotech start-up operates from its headquarters at the Amsterdam Science Park (Matrix I) and was founded by biotech entrepreneurs Ronald Plasterk, René Beukema, and Ronald Brus. The company aims at developing innovative technology to isolate and characterize circulating tumour cells (CTCs) from the blood of cancer patients and use molecular profiling of CTCs as a starting point for novel cancer therapy.

Tzu

The name of the company is derived from the Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu, who wrote 2500 years ago in his book ‘The art of war’: “Know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never be defeated.” Cancer patients ultimately die from metastatic disease, which is a result of the spread of cancer cells via the blood. Deep molecular knowledge of the cancer cells that have the capacity to metastasise is key to developing new cancer therapies.

First steps

Over the last months, Tzu Cancer Therapeutics has built up a team of 8 professionals (and growing)  with backgrounds in genomics, molecular biology, data science, and bioinformatics. The company has established a laboratory setup to handle cancer cells from patient samples and to generate DNA and RNA sequencing from those cells. Since for each single cancer that is characterised, enormous amounts of data are generated, there is a strong emphasis on bioinformatics processing of the data. Therefore, Tzu has built computational infrastructure to develop tools for the analysis of cancer sequencing data and sift through that data to identify cancer drug targets

Personalized Cancer Therapy

The ultimate goal of Tzu is to transform the vast amount of genetic data of circulating tumour cells into novel therapies. Since cancer cells highly differ from patient to patient, we focus on personalized therapy development, which is tailored to the individual characteristics of a patient’s tumour.

Tzu Cancer Therapeutics is excited to join HollandBio and connect to other companies in the biotech space.

For more information about Tzu Cancer Therapeutics, please visit their website: www.tzu.nl

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“An investors nightmare is missing out on a successful product!” – Empowering Biotech Leaders: Navigating Finance Event, A Recap 

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Last week, hollandbio had the pleasure of welcoming 50 biotech founders and C-level executives to our first-ever exclusive financing event: Empowering Biotech Leaders: Navigating Finance. The event was organized in response to requests from our members, who – despite working in diverse fields within biotech – often face similar challenges: high-risk ventures, substantial funding needs, and long timelines to market. Ultimately, everyone is looking for the right funding to bring their innovation to the people who need it most. 

In her opening speech, hollandbio’s Wieteke Wouters pointed to the growing Valley of Death, where more and more, the winner takes it all. To help our members beat the odds, we invited three seasoned biotech leaders to share their hard-earned lessons: Sjoerd van Gorp (Citryll), Paul van der Horst (Agomab), and biotech veteran André Hoekema. 

Their engaging presentations covered key topics like how to close a deal, create FOMO among investors, and build long-term value. Some standout takeaways: 

  • Be bold and diversify your pipeline 
  • Perfect your pitch – what message do you want to leave behind with an investor? 
  • Believe in your product and your data 
  • Celebrate the small wins – and don’t forget to enjoy the ride 

Following the presentations, a lively discussion ensued, touching on topics like entering the U.S. market and choosing the right partners. The afternoon continued with 1-on-1 partnering sessions, where participants met directly with peers and experts of their choice to exchange insights and advice. The networking lasted well into the end of the afternoon over drinks and bites. 

We’d like to thank all participants for making this event a success. We hope to have sparked just enough FOMO for a future session with even more members 😉 

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Visioen van een betere wereld met de slimme oplossingen van biotech 

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Nederland wil tot de wereldwijde kopgroep behoren in onderzoek, ontwikkeling en toepassing van biotech, aldus de Rijksbrede visie biotechnologie die het kabinet vrijdag publiceerde. Maar liefst zeven bewindspersonen zetten hun handtekening onder de nationale ambitie om biotech te benutten voor méér gezondheidswinst, een circulaire economie en onze voedselzekerheid. Hollandbio is blij met deze gezamenlijke stip aan de horizon. De visie geeft wat ons betreft het startschot om te doen wat de sector nodig heeft: samen de schouders eronder om onnodige drempels weg te nemen.

Nederland is een land van aanpakkers. We zien een probleem, bedenken slimme oplossingen en doen het. Daarom zijn we ook goed in biotech. Niet omdat het vanzelf ging, maar omdat we al jaren bouwen op een stevig fundament van kennis, lef en samenwerking. Die positie hebben we niet cadeau gekregen. We hebben deze verdiend door slimme investeringen en durf. Maar terwijl andere landen de volgende stap zetten, blokkeren wij onszelf. Innovaties lopen vast in regels en vergunningen, talent vertrekt en doorbraken waarvoor wij de basis legden worden in het buitenland verzilverd. Zo raken we niet alleen onze koppositie kwijt, maar ook de dingen waar we allemaal beter van worden: nieuwe medicijnen, voeding en materialen die slimmer en schoner worden gemaakt, en een economie die blijft draaien. Willen we een ijzersterk innovatieklimaat, dan is het essentieel om biotech nu de ruimte te geven om te floreren. 

Hollandbio is dan ook maar wat blij met de gezamenlijke stip aan de horizon die de overheid met de publicatie van de visie biotech zet. De overheid onderstreept de waarde van de sector voor ons verdienvermogen, voor het realiseren van belangrijke maatschappelijke doelstellingen op het vlak van gezondheid, klimaat en voedselzekerheid en geeft een beeld van knel- en verbeterpunten die het succes van de sector in de weg staan. Bovendien onderschrijft ze met de gezamenlijke visie dat een integrale aanpak – tussen de departementen onderling en met de sector – van cruciaal belang is om een plek in de wereldwijde kopgroep te verzilveren, een punt dat hollandbio meermaals naar voren bracht.  

Als het om biotech gaat, staat de overheid dikwijls op het gaspedaal en de rem tegelijk, met – bewust of onbewust – stilstand als resultaat. Alleen een integrale, gezamenlijke aanpak maakt het mogelijk om ministerie-overstijgende problematiek te signaleren, te doorbreken en als het even kan, te voorkomen, zodat biotech koplopers niet meer voortdurend nodeloos tegen muren aanlopen. Er is nog een wereld te winnen, maar alleen al door de gezamenlijke opdracht om tot een integrale visie te komen, wisten de verschillende departementen elkaar beter te vinden, en ervoeren ze hoe een betere samenwerking kan leiden tot meer samenhangend beleid dat iedereen verder helpt. Een structurele inbedding van deze samenwerking is volgens hollandbio cruciaal om de volgende stap te zetten: actie. Want eerlijk is eerlijk: met een gezamenlijke visie alleen gaan we die kopgroep niet halen.  

Gelukkig is Nederland groot geworden door te doen, niet door af te wachten. Dit is dan ook het moment om vooruitgang te blijven omarmen: investeren in slimme oplossingen, bouwen op onze kracht en ruimte geven aan knappe koppen. Door nu de juiste keuzes te maken, houden we zelf de regie over onze toekomst. Het moge duidelijk zijn dat hollandbio graag bijdraagt aan wat komen gaat: het uit de weg ruimen van de talloze hordes die onze biotech koplopers onnodig doen struikelen op hun lange weg van uitvinding naar patiënt of supermarktschap. Wij hebben er alvast zin in! 

Stippen en stappen van de overheidsvisie voor biotech 
Nederlandse overheid komt gezamenlijk met route naar een integrale visie op biotechnologie 
Volop steun voor integrale visie op biotech
Trendanalyse biotechnologie slaat spijker op zijn kop
Stippen en stappen van de overheidsvisie voor biotech 
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Hollandbio welcomes NovoSere

Hollandbio connects, represents and supports the Dutch biotech sector. We are very proud to represent more than 270 companies: from start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises, to large companies, active in health, nutrition or biobased economy. Today we welcome our newest member, NovoSere. NovoSere is a consultancy firm, specialized in pharmaceutical Chemistry, Manufacturing and Control (CMC). NovoSere was founded by a team of four experts with complementary scientific backgrounds and a great synergy in their way of working. A few words from NovoSere itself:

About our name
A ‘sere’ is the sequence of species that transform bare ground into a thriving ecosystem. Each sere stage brings new life forms, paving the way for the next, until reaching a stable climax. We form a seral community with our clients, transforming their concepts to medicinal products, thus helping them progress from one stage to the next.

Why we join hollandbio

Both hollandbio and NovoSere share the ambition to enable the growth and maturation of biotechnological innovation. We are part of the same ecosystem. The vision of hollandbio to contribute to the success of the Biotech sector through connection, support, and by providing clear routes from lab to market resonates perfectly with ours.


What we deliver

CMC in pharmaceuticals is a multifaceted discipline that integrates the science of chemistry with the complexities of manufacturing and stringent regulatory controls. It includes various aspects such as defining the formulation, setting up the manufacturing process, implementing analytics, and incorporating robust quality control measures. In simpler words, it is a term to describe everything related to making sufficient medicinal products of the right, proven quality to provide people with a product that is safe and effective.


NovoSeres scalable, integrated team of CMC experts provides strategic and operational support, expert guidance for selection and management of contract development and manufacturing organizations, and solutions to address our clients’ needs related to both capacity and capability issues. We are committed to streamlining development from discovery to market, helping our partners accelerate clinical milestones and maximize the value of their assets.

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Dutch life sciences well represented at BIO-Europe Spring 2025 in Milan 

Last week, biotech professionals from all over the world gathered in Milan for BIO-Europe Spring, Europe’s premier springtime partnering event. Among the 3700+ attendees, a strong Dutch delegation of 140 was present, showcasing the innovative strength of our life sciences ecosystem. Together with Health~Holland, hollandbio hosted a bright orange Dutch pavilion, which served as a welcoming home base for Dutch participants and an ideal spot for international visitors to learn more about the Netherlands as a biotech hotspot.

The Dutch networking reception on Monday evening was once again a great success, attracting a lively crowd. The highlight of the evening? The traditional Dutch bike raffle, proudly sponsored by Loyens & Loeff. This year’s lucky winner was Maurice van Rotterdam from Sciential—congratulations! 

Looking ahead, we’ll be back at the BIO International Convention in Boston on June 16-19  and later this year at BIO-Europe in Vienna. Keep a lookout for the hollandbio member discounts for these events.  A big thank you to Health~Holland for the continued collaboration, and we look forward to seeing you all at the next big biotech gathering! 

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Hollandbio welcomes QPS as a new member 

Hollandbio connects, represents and supports the Dutch biotech sector. We are very proud to represent more than 270 companies: from start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises to large companies, active in health, nutrition or biobased economy. Today we welcome our newest member, QPS Holdings, LLC (QPS), a global, full-service Clinical Research Organization (CRO) with extensive facilities in Groningen. The company headquarters is in Newark, Delaware, USA, and it operates facilities across the USA, Europe, Taiwan, Australia, and India.   

QPS is an award-winning global CRO providing discovery, bioanalysis, preclinical and clinical drug development services since 1995. Its mission is to accelerate pharmaceutical breakthroughs across the globe by delivering custom-built research services in Toxicology, Pharmacology, DMPK, Bioanalysis, Translational Medicine, Clinical Trial Units and Clinical Research Services, about which QPS shared the following with us: 

  • Toxicology: Over the past two decades, QPS has performed thousands of GLP studies for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, covering many different disease areas. This vast experience attests to our ability to effectively deliver high-quality toxicology data solutions at our preclinical site in Asia. 
  • Pharmacology: QPS offers an array of predictive disease models, as well as unparalleled experience with validated in vitro and in vivo models covering the majority of pharmacological targets for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), psoriasis and wound healing.Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK): With immediate access to a team of senior scientists with decades of pharmaceutical and biotech experience, QPS guides you through the appropriate preclinical studies across a broad range of compound structures and therapeutic targets. 
  • Bioanalysis: QPS is built on a worldwide network of resources in bioanalysis for small molecules and biologics, with state-of-the-art facilities in the USA, Europe and Asia. Find out how a strategic outsourcing alliance with QPS can provide you with world-class operational and service excellence. 
  • Translational Medicine: QPS offers specialized biomarker assay capabilities that support the development of targeted therapies and personalized medicines. Our CLIA-certified and GLP-compliant laboratories are ready to fast-track your RT-qPCR/QPCR and serological assays and vaccine development programs.  
  • Clinical Development: At QPS, we have built a world-class clinical operations services model. We offer industry-leading full-service Phase I–IV clinical trial capabilities, including multiple Phase I clinics, medical and regulatory affairs, project & data management, clinical pharmacology, trial monitoring, and more. 

For more information about the extensive range of services offered by QPS, please visit their website.  

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Dutch Life Sciences Trend Analysis 2025 shows a two-faced trend 

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The Dutch life sciences sector sees a sharp decline in new biotech company foundation, and an increase in the level of funding amounts raised by companies previously established. This two-faced trend came to light through the Trend Analysis Report 2025 from Biotechgate, the leading global biotech database. The annual report provides an in-depth look at funding patterns, company formation, and international benchmarks. 

National Trends and Broader Global Patterns 

After signs of recovery in 2023, Dutch biotech venture financing continued to grow in 2024, showing a 10% increase compared to the previous year. Several companies, including Citryll, iOnctura, Cradle.bio, and VICO Therapeutics, secured substantial investments, each exceeding $50 million. However, despite this financial growth, the number of newly founded biotech companies has been declining since 2018: from 48 in 2018 to just 12 in 2024. This alarming downward trend is not unique to the Netherlands but reflects a broader global pattern.   

Looking at the numbers of the Dutch biotech ecosystem, the growth in funding originates from fewer companies that raise similar or even higher amounts. This reinforces the idea that capital is increasingly concentrated among a small group of winners. This “winner-takes-all”-effect is not only occurring in early-stage rounds, as hollandbio previously showed, but across the broader funding landscape.  

Overall, venture financing saw a 10% growth in 2024, similar to last year’s growth rate.   However, the second half of the year shows a decline in both the number of funding rounds as well as financing value, for reasons open to speculation.  

International Benchmark 

On a European level, the Netherlands is doing well on biotech in Europe when looking at the amounts of companies and amount of funding raised on a per capita level. When looking at venture financing, France and Denmark experienced a sharp decline in biotech funding, while Germany saw an explosive growth of over 300%. The US remains a whole different ballgame when it comes to funding, raising over $22 billion in biotech venture financing, which is more than four times the total amount raised across all of Europe, which just exceeded $5 billion. A worrying trend is the company formation timeline, showing a decline in biotech company formation in all benchmarked countries.  

“We must take the decline in new company formation seriously. We need new companies to emerge constantly to realize the full potential of biotech. Tomorrow’s gamechangers are often today’s start-ups. At hollandbio, we are committed to creating the best possible ecosystem for biotech companies to make life better.”

Annemiek Verkamman, Managing Director at hollandbio
Netherlands Trend Analysis Report 2025 finalDownloaden
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Hollandbio welcomes Planet B.io 

Hollandbio welcomes Planet B.io as its newest member! Hollandbio represents and supports over 270 companies, ranging from startups, and small and medium-sized enterprises to large companies, all contributing to the Dutch biotech sector. Planet B.io, the open innovation hub located at Biotech Campus Delft, is a valuable addition to this dynamic network. By empowering businesses to develop impactful biotech solutions at scale, Planet B.io aims to accelerate the transition towards a sustainable society. 

 Planet B.io fosters innovation by providing companies with the know-how, infrastructure, and networks needed to develop and scale sustainable biotech solutions. Its mission to drive impactful innovation aligns seamlessly with hollandbio’s efforts to remove barriers and create opportunities for Dutch biotech entrepreneurs.

Cindy Gerhardt, Managing Director of Planet B.io, reflects on the membership: 
“We’ve worked closely with hollandbio for many years. The Netherlands has several key network organizations in the biotech sector, each with its own focus. Together, we create a unique playing field that strengthens the sector as a whole. Formalizing our partnership by becoming a hollandbio member was a natural next step for us. Planet B.io stimulates entrepreneurship within our community, while hollandbio supports startups and scale-ups by addressing critical regulatory challenges. By combining our strengths, we can further enhance innovation and growth in the biotech sector.” 

Collaboration in action 
The collaboration between hollandbio and Planet B.io has already proven successful, with events such as Bridging Dutch Biotech from Bench to Business in 2022 and the Let’s Talk B.io Scale-up Event in 2024. We have also collaborated on hosting politicians and regulators at Planet B.io, enabling direct interaction with the most inspiring and innovative companies in our community. “These initiatives highlight our shared commitment to innovation, entrepreneurship, and the growth of the Dutch biotech sector. Building on this strong foundation, we are excited and fully dedicated to further extending our collaboration, and we look forward to organizing new and impactful initiatives together in 2025 and the years to come. Together with hollandbio, and all the great companies, research institutes, and network organisations in the Netherlands, I’m convinced that the Netherlands can take a leading position in biotech innovation in Europe,” Cindy concludes.  

Contact Planet B.io 

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Hollandbio welcomes QBE

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.” 

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

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Nieuwe hollandbio-video: ‘Hollandse biotech: mensen vóór vooruitgang’ 

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Nederland is al eeuwenlang een land van pioniers en innovatie. En ook voor de belangrijkste vragen van vandaag onderzoeken moedige mensen kerngezonde oplossingen. In deze nieuwe video laat hollandbio zien hoe knappe koppen met biotech blijven werken aan vooruitgang, het beste in de natuur naar boven halen én ons leven beter maken. 

Nederland staat als klein land bekend om grote daden. Sinds jaar en dag zijn we bezig met het bedenken van nieuwe oplossingen die ons leven beter maken. We zijn als land een koploper geweest in de tijd van de industriële revolutie, de digitale revolutie en nu biotech. En ook op het gebied van biotech lopen we weer voorop.  

Biotech heeft ons mooie dingen gebracht. Het geeft ons de mogelijkheid om patiënten met ongeneeslijke ziekten te genezen, materialen zoals plastic zonder fossiele grondstoffen te maken, dierproeven en intensieve veeteelt naar het verleden te verbannen en groenten en fruit op onbruikbare grond te telen.  

Als we samen de wereld mooi willen overdragen aan de volgende generatie, is biotech onderdeel van de oplossing. Alleen als we deze ontwikkeling samen doorzetten creëren we de juiste voedingsbodem voor biotech. Dus laten we biotech omarmen en samen de spelregels afspreken. Laten we samen de stap vooruitzetten om zo te zorgen dat we de ontwikkeling van een mooiere wereld voor de toekomstige generatie niet te vertragen. 

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Deel de video en help mee om biotech van eigen bodem verder op de kaart te zetten! 

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