Biotech Embrace IT Knowledge
— We have succeeded in bringing more IT knowledge to the Biotech world, says Project Manager of PERMIDES D.B.R.K. Gupta Udatha.
Merging IT and Biotech
Together with five European clusters, Oslo Cancer Cluster have been managing a Horizon 2020 EU project “PERMIDES”. The cluster-to-cluster projects main goal was to stimulate collaboration between biotech companies and IT companies, in the end to create more innovative and personalized cancer treatments.
The total volume of what the project has managed to achieve makes it a success, Gupta Udatha believes.
— The IT sector is developing fast. We now have tools like Big Data, Machine Learning, Blockchain and more. All this can be amazingly helpful for a Biotech company if they get help understanding the technology. This is what PERMIDES has provided! On a more basic level we have freed Bio-businesses from the clutching grasp of excel sheets and presented more effective computer solutions.
Results and Speed
And the program has provided an abundance of results.
- PERMIDES supported 88 Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of the bio-pharmaceutical sector from 18 European countries
- 119 grant applications have been submitted for innovation projects
- 51 are funded for a total of € 2.65 M.
Furthermore, biopharma SMEs in need of consultancy services could apply for consultancy vouchers, each amounting to a maximum of 5,000 Euros. From a total of 91 applications, 41 are now financially supported by consultancy vouchers with a total funding volume of 261,000 Euros.
Another successful part of PERMIDES is how effective it has been
— Speed is a key factor of PERMIDES, which funds innovation projects for a maximum of half a year. The success of PERMIDES is further supported by the comparatively short review process of a maximum of three months between application submission and funding commitment, says Gupta Udatha.
Full Overview
If you want to take a closer look at what the PERMIDES project has achieved, check their brand new database.
— There you will not only find extensive information about the projects, but also about the project partners. Take a look at this information source and see for yourself the innovative solutions of European SMEs. Currently the projects of the first cut-off date are available. In the next few weeks, we will also add the projects of the second cut-off date and publish the Consultancy Voucher projects, says Gupta Udatha.
For funded bio-pharmaceutical companies, there is still the possibility until mid of 2018 to receive a follow-up coaching by the PERMIDES team. The coaching includes, for example, information about further funding opportunities, support in applying for additional funding or further networking with companies and research institutions from the IT industry.
