BOM launches venture builder for startups in drug development
Anyone starting a startup in drug development is choosing a long and challenging path. The risks are high, the development process is costly, and the market is heavily regulated. But the reward? It’s immense. Because if you succeed, you’re not only building a thriving business, but also contributing to better health and quality of life for countless people. It’s precisely for these pioneers that the Brabant Development Agency (BOM) is launching a new venture building program this September.
Imagine this: you have an idea for a drug that could drastically improve the lives of thousands of people with Alzheimer’s or epilepsy. You believe in it. So does your team. But before you can help even a single patient, there are fifteen years of development and over a billion euros in investments between dream and reality. The chance of success? Around four percent.
Still, there are entrepreneurs who choose exactly that path. Because they understand what’s at stake. They are the pioneers of drug development. “They operate in a heavily regulated market,” says Britta Driessen, venture developer at BOM. “And rightly so: you must prove that your drug is safe and works better than what already exists. That requires vision, patience, and a great deal of perseverance.”
As a venture developer, Driessen supports startups in building their business: from strategy and team building to product development and investment readiness. You can think of it as a sort of entrepreneurial guide, helping turn ideas into viable companies.
Targeted support for driven entrepreneurs
Driessen is involved in the Drug Discovery & Development Venture Building Program on behalf of BOM, which will kick off on September 10. BOM is developing this program in collaboration with the Province of North Brabant and consultancy firms 3D-PharmXchange and Odgers.
The program helps startups become investment-ready. “They need to be strategically, financially, and operationally at a point where private investors have confidence and are willing to invest,” says Driessen.
That’s not always happening yet. Around 60 percent of startups stall during the growth phase due to team-related issues, according to Sebijn Bunt, leadership practice consultant at Odgers. “That’s why early investment in founder and management team development is so crucial. It’s essential for sustained growth and solid returns.” As a leadership consultancy, Odgers contributes to this program with its expertise in team development and leadership enhancement.
More than just medicine
So are there no existing programs for the target group of the Drug Discovery & Development Venture Building Program? “We do offer venture development at BOM, but this is a very specific market and target group with a unique development trajectory,” says Driessen. “That requires a tailor-made program. And that’s what we’re now offering.”
Moreover, the program builds on existing initiatives like the Venture Challenge by the Dutch Research Council (NWO). “We take over where such programs leave off,” Driessen adds.
The initiative doesn’t focus solely on drug developers, but also on entrepreneurs developing technologies that can accelerate the introduction of new medicines. “For example, R&D-accelerating innovations that help demonstrate drug efficacy faster or more accurately,” Driessen explains. “Artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly important role in that.”
From validation to funding
The official launch of the program is on September 10 at the JADS Chapel in Den Bosch. Over a four-year period, BOM and its partners aim to guide at least eighteen startups toward funding.
We support entrepreneurs through a phased program. The trajectory covers everything from innovation and clinical application validation to the development and implementation of an integrated development plan, including a financing strategy.
The goal? To develop medicines that truly help and increase startups' chances of success. We do this through a sector-specific approach and close collaboration with investors and experts.
Throughout the program, we aim to connect startups with experienced entrepreneurs who’ve already walked the growth path. “We’re currently working on establishing a mentor network to make this possible. Talking to someone who has already been through it all gives you insights that can truly help,” says Driessen. “It makes a world of difference.”
vision, determination and courage
Such a mentor also knows: entrepreneurship in drug development isn’t for everyone. It requires vision, determination, and a healthy dose of courage. But for those who accept the challenge, there’s a unique opportunity to make a societal impact and build a strong company.
With the Drug Discovery & Development Venture Building Program, BOM offers you as an entrepreneur support, expertise, and a network. You don’t have to walk the path alone. Sign up and take the first step toward a breakthrough that changes lives.
Want to learn more about the program? Register here for the official launch on September 10. Or contact Britta Driessen, at the bottom of this page.
That Dutch entrepreneurs can be successful in drug development is proven by Allard Kaptein and Tjeerd Barf. They developed a drug to treat a specific type of blood cancer. In 2015, AstraZeneca acquired their company, Acerta Pharma, for $6.5 billion. Today, the drug is used to treat tens of thousands of patients worldwide.
Watch a short documentary about Acerta Pharma below.
