For 30 years, the Innovation and Start-up Center for Biotechnology (IZB) has been a thriving hub for visionary start-ups, cutting-edge research, and entrepreneurial networks. In this interview, Christian Gnam, Managing Director for just over a year, talks about the unique atmosphere on the Martinsried campus, key milestones, and current developments in biotechnology. He also reveals what guests can expect at the 30th-anniversary celebration on May 22 – and why beer is more fitting for the occasion than a glass of champagne.

Mr. Gnam, 30 years of IZB – congratulations! You have been in your role for just over a year now. How did you first experience this place?
I actually knew the IZB even before I started working here. The campus has always been a special place for me. Science and entrepreneurship come together here in a very tangible, very physical way. The IZB is right in the middle of a vibrant cluster with a variety of players: institutes, start-ups, world-class research institutions. At the same time, it’s not an industrial area; you’re surrounded by nature. For me, it’s this mix of tranquillity and dynamism that gives the IZB its unique appeal.

Speaking of dynamism: a lot has happened over the past three decades. You have probably delved a little into the history of the campus – were there any milestones that stood out to you?
There certainly were. Of course, the founding in 1995 was a major milestone. But I found the year 2002 particularly exciting: that’s when our second site in Weihenstephan was opened, and the West 1 building was constructed—a space designed for larger start-ups, or scale-ups. That same year, we also opened the campus kindergarten, which is open to children of IZB tenants and Max Planck employees. This is a truly unique selling point that shows we are not only focused on economic growth here but also on quality of life and work-life balance.

Beyond that, what is special about this place? What do founders find here that they cannot easily find elsewhere?
The IZB is embedded in a mature ecosystem. A true biotech ‘biotope’ has developed here – a local community of start-ups, the BioM network organisation, research institutes such as the Max Planck Institute (MPI), LMU Munich and Großhadern Hospital, and many more. Distances are short, people know each other, and communication is open and straightforward. At the same time, the campus is anything but provincial. Quite the opposite: the community here is very international, and we even have our own hotel on-site. You benefit from the personal and manageable size of a smaller location and, at the same time, from the proximity to the city of Munich – an economic centre with global reach. This is what makes this location so special: you have a ‘global biotech village’ with a unique mix of proximity, openness and a global perspective.

What is currently the most exciting aspect of your job?
Without a doubt, the variety. You learn something new every day, simply through contact with the many interesting companies here, each working on different technologies and solutions – ranging from therapies and industrial biotechnology to food tech. But our tasks are just as diverse: besides supporting the start-ups, we also take care of our hotel, our catering services, event management and cooperation with municipal partners. There is no real routine here; every day brings new ideas and challenges – and that is what makes this job so incredibly exciting.

Looking at the current biotech landscape, are there any trends you think we should be paying close attention to?
One overarching trend is certainly the increasing use of AI and digitalisation. These technologies offer enormous opportunities, particularly for drug discovery, but also for accelerating other innovation processes. Beyond that, it’s hard to pinpoint any specific trend – the range of innovative companies at IZB is simply too broad. Some of our start-ups are successful in highly specialised but extremely relevant niches that you won’t find on any trend radar. For example, they develop biotechnological solutions for other industries, such as dust suppression in mining. We’ll just have to wait and see what comes out on top. But it’s precisely this variety that defines our industry. And I truly believe that everyone in the industry stands to benefit from digital progress.

You have brought a breeze of fresh air. Are there things you would like to change or develop further at the IZB?
The IZB is very well positioned structurally. Nevertheless, it is important to keep up with the times and provide new impetus. So, I am less focused on radical change and more on targeted improvements. Strengthening exchange and collaboration is a key priority for me – both between the companies at the IZB and with other players on site. We already have good interactions with scientific institutions such as MPI and LMU, but we could cooperate even more closely when it comes to founding new start-ups. Many researchers do not yet see starting a business as a real option; we have some catching up to do in Germany in this respect. I would like to change that by highlighting even more clearly the opportunities that can arise here, especially in biotechnology.

What would you wish for the next 30 years of IZB?
A major wish from the past will become reality in the near future: the metro is finally being built. This will make the campus even more attractive for employees, guests and the entire region, and give it a tremendous boost. Beyond that, I would like to see us continue to expand our premises. Demand remains strong, but we are constantly reaching our capacity limits. If we want to promote and support more start-ups in the future, as mentioned earlier, we will of course need the infrastructure to do so. I see a lot of potential for development here, both in terms of space and structure.

And finally: What can guests expect at the anniversary celebration – more of a formal champagne reception with speeches or a bit of a start-up party vibe?
I would say: a good mix! But instead of champagne, we’ll mostly be serving our own specially brewed anniversary beer, ‘IZBier’. Not only is it perfect for the occasion, but it also fits the theme nicely – after all, biotechnology and beer have a long history together. And with Weihenstephan, we have a location with one of the oldest brewing traditions in the world. We wanted to deliberately highlight this aspect on such a special day.

Of course, there will also be speeches – after 30 years of IZB, that is more than appropriate. We want to honour the development and also give a voice to those who have helped shape this journey. But afterwards, we will celebrate – in a relaxed atmosphere with a certain start-up vibe. I am sure it will be a wonderful, atmospheric evening.