Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin opens the most modern innovation park in Switzerland

The main campus of the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area has opened on schedule, three years after first breaking ground. Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin and government members from the three supporting cantons of Basel-Landschaft (BL), Basel-Stadt (BS) and Jura (JU) were among more than 200 guests at the official opening ceremony in Allschwil. The new hub – Switzerland’s most modern innovation park – is already well occupied, with around 70 percent of the space rented to 38 companies and institutions, ranging from startups to large companies such as Johnson & Johnson and Basilea.

Federal Councillor Parmelin, Head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research, said in his speech at the official opening: “The Life Sciences Cluster in the Basel area is not only of great importance to the Swiss economy, but it will also occupy a leading position in Europe and around the world. I am sure that the main campus of the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area will further boost the reputation of the region.”

Around 200 business and political guests attended the opening ceremony in the Bachgraben area of Allschwil, on the outskirts of Basel. The three supporting cantons of the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area were represented by government councillors Thomas Weber (BL), Kaspar Sutter (BS) and Jacques Gerber (JU), who appeared together with Federal Councillor Parmelin for a panel discussion. Looking to the future, various dignitaries expressed their support for the main campus, including Raymond Cron, Managing Director of Switzerland Innovation, who added: “I hope that the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area establishes itself as an international beacon for ground-breaking projects in the fields of health and life sciences.” The new hub – with its four locations – is one of six innovation parks in the national network of the Switzerland Innovation Foundation.

The main campus was designed by the architects Herzog & de Meuron and built by Senn Resources AG. Around 70 percent of the roughly 50,000 m2 floor space has already been let to 38 companies and institutions, including the University of Basel, Johnson & Johnson, Basilea and numerous startups. A third of the campus is dedicated to laboratory space, with the remaining area intended for offices, conference and training rooms, and an auditorium. The campus will accommodate around 2,000 people when fully occupied. A continuous terrace on the inside and outside of the building – along with the green heart of the campus – will serve as a meeting space to promote the exchange of ideas and stimulate the innovation ecosystem. The main campus is in the middle of the life sciences mile in Bachgraben, and boasts neighbour companies and institutions such as the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Skan, Abbott and Idorsia.

Facts about the main campus:
– Owner and developer: Senn Resources AG
– Architects: Herzog & de Meuron
– Usable area: 50,000 m2
30-40 percent for laboratories
60-70 percent for offices, auditorium (300 m2), conference and training rooms (between 30-200 m2)
– Number of jobs: around 2,000
– Number of floors: 5
– Number of craftsmen involved in construction work: over 1,000
– Bike cellar: space for 600 bikes
– Investment costs: around CHF 250 million
– Broke ground: September 2019

Anchor tenants:
Johnson & Johnson
Basilea Pharmaceutica International Ltd.
University of Basel/Department of Biomedical Engineering

Other tenants:
Alentis Therapeutics AG
Alloy Therapeutics (Switzerland) AG
Alltimm GmbH
Alpha Anomeric SAS
Arcondis AG
Axxam SpA
Base Launch
Bio Bistro (Burgerspital Basel)
Blackway BioSciences AG
Bright Peak Therapeutics AG
Captor Therapeutics GmbH
Caresocius AG
Corlieve Therapeutics AG
Crystallise! Inc
CSEM – Center Suisse d’Electronique et de Microtechnique SA
Electron Diffraction Center Betriebs GmbH
Elaaj Bio Inc
Engimmune Therapeutics AG
Hamilton Bonaduz AG
In Cephalo AG
Init GmbH
Invasight Inc
MOD1 AG
NANDASI Pharma Advisors GmbH
Onena Medicines AG
PharmaBiome AG
Phialogics AG (in formation)
QCTP Services GmbH
T3 Pharmaceuticals AG
Tech Evolution GmbH
Tenpoint Therapeutics GmbH
University Hospital Basel (Spheroidals in formation)
Worg Pharmaceuticals Co.Ltd.
Yokogawa Innovation Switzerland GmbH
Yokogawa Europe Branches BV, Amersfoort, Swiss Branch Allschwil

About Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area
The Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area is part of Switzerland Innovation’s national innovation park and is split over four locations: Allschwil, Basel, Jura, and the Novartis Campus in Basel. Its focus is on the biotechnology, medical technology, digital health, health technology and industrial transformation sectors, and acts as a catalyst for innovation and progress. It is operated by Basel Area Business & Innovation and offers state-of-the-art infrastructure, as well as a wide range of services. The main campus of the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area officially opened in autumn 2022 at a new premises built by Herzog & de Meuron. Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area (maincampus.ch)