Industry & International Collaborations

Through our regional, international, and thematic networks, we connect entrepreneurs, researchers, industry partners, and innovation organizations to foster collaboration and accelerate impactful ideas.

By engaging with these networks, founders and innovators gain access to expertise, partnerships, and opportunities that support the development and growth of entrepreneurial projects. Our goal is to help build bridges between academia, industry, and global innovation communities.

Whether you are looking for collaborators, industry partners, or access to international innovation ecosystems, these networks help connect you to the right people and resources.

The Basel region is one of Europe’s leading innovation hubs, particularly in life sciences, biotechnology, and emerging technologies. Through strong regional collaborations across Switzerland, France, and Germany, innovators benefit from a dynamic cross-border ecosystem that fosters knowledge transfer, startup creation, and industry partnerships.

BioCampus is a collaborative initiative that connects startups, investors, corporates, and public stakeholders in the life sciences and healthtech sectors. By bringing together actors from Switzerland, France, and Germany, BioCampus promotes cross-border collaboration and supports the development and scaling of high-impact innovations in the Upper Rhine region.

KTUR – Knowledge Transfer Upper Rhine is a trinational initiative that connects universities and research institutions across the Upper Rhine region. The network strengthens knowledge transfer between academia and industry, helping translate scientific discoveries into market-ready innovations and fostering collaboration across borders.

Innovation and entrepreneurship increasingly operate on a global scale. Through international collaborations, we connect startups and researchers with global innovation ecosystems, enabling partnerships, knowledge exchange, and international growth opportunities.

Superpella is an international program supporting excellent life science startups from selected countries that want to explore the Basel innovation ecosystem. The program focuses on building research and development collaborations with scientists and clinicians in Basel and across Switzerland, enabling international startups to engage with one of the world’s leading life sciences hubs.

Participants gain access to the local startup ecosystem, receive guidance on venture strategy, intellectual property, market access in Switzerland and Europe, and business development, and connect with potential research and industry partners. By fostering collaboration with leading scientists and companies, Superpella helps startups establish long-term partnerships and unlock new business opportunities.

The Swiss Leading House Africa is an initiative mandated by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) and led by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute in collaboration with the University of Basel and partner institutions. The initiative aims to strengthen scientific collaboration, innovation, and entrepreneurship between Switzerland and countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Through funding instruments, mobility programs, and collaborative initiatives, the program supports research partnerships, training programs, and innovation collaborations between Swiss and African institutions. By connecting researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry partners across both regions, the initiative helps develop new solutions to global challenges while fostering long-term international partnerships.

In addition to geographic networks, we support collaborations around key innovation themes addressing global challenges and emerging technologies.

FoodHealth
This program connects stakeholders across agritech, foodtech, and health innovation to advance sustainable and health-promoting solutions along the entire food value chain - from soil to gut. Financed by the Cantons of Basel-Stadt and Aargau, we implement the program together with Basel Area Business & Innovation and the Hightech Zentrum Aargau to strengthen the ecosystem and network among universities, research institutions, startups, and industry leaders, foster collaborations between science and industry, and support the development of market-ready ventures that benefit both human and planetary health.

Tech & Quantum
The digital and ICT sector is one of the most dynamic industries in the Basel region, and the University of Basel is one of its core strengths. Together with BaselTech, a joint initiative of the Canton of Basel-Stadt, the University of Basel, and FHNW, we work to make the tech ecosystem more visible, better connected, and more founder-friendly. We foster collaboration between researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry partners, and support tech startups and spin-offs in translating scientific discoveries into real-world impact. The quantum strand focuses specifically on quantum computing, sensing, and communication technologies.

Circular Economy
This field of activity promotes new projects and innovations with circular business models and sustainable impact. In collaboration with Basel Circular, we offer educational programs and bring together students, researchers, startups, SMEs, and industry leaders to develop and scale solutions that reduce waste, optimize resource use, and accelerate the transition toward a more sustainable and regenerative economy. Together, we foster a connected innovation ecosystem that supports entrepreneurship, knowledge exchange, and impactful circular economy initiatives in the Basel region.