New hub for science and knowledge sharing opened in Leiden
R&D business centre Plus Ultra Leiden forms central meeting point for life sciences and health at Leiden Bio Science Park
Leiden, 17 May 2022 – Plus Ultra Leiden, the new R&D business centre at Leiden Bio Science Park, is up and running after a successful opening. On Thursday 12 May 2022, Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport, Ernst Kuipers, turned the first key. He did so in the presence of Michel Leemhuis (CEO, Kadans Science Partner), Ida Haisma (Director, Leiden Bio Science Park Foundation) and Henri Lenferink (Mayor of Leiden Municipality). The opening of Plus Ultra Leiden marks another milestone in the further development of the Leiden Bio Science Park.
The R&D business centre represents over 17,000 square metres of flexibly divisible business space specifically for parties within life sciences and health. “I think it is enormously important what is brought together here across the entire science cluster,” says Ernst Kuipers, Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport. “It gives different partners the opportunity to meet, and a building like this invites them to actually meet.”
Ground for important innovations
Plus Ultra Leiden is a development by Kadans Science Partner and offers companies, such as scale-ups, the chance to grow at the Leiden Bio Science Park. The R&D business centre brings together a large group of entrepreneurial companies, start-ups and knowledge organisations. “We were convinced from the first moment that we could fill a building like this. That’s why we started the development without a single signed lease,” says Michel Leemhuis, CEO of Kadans Science Partner. “Our decision back then has certainly paid off with a current occupancy rate of 80 per cent.”
Plus Ultra Leiden is also part of Kadans’ international network, which already connects 24 science parks and campuses in Europe. This further encourages cooperation between innovative companies, knowledge and educational institutions to work together for a better future.
Jeroen Rovers, Chief Medical Officer at Immunicum: “We were looking for a suitable space to expand, and to have our own facilities behind one door. That’s why we came to the fantastic opportunity to move here. So far, it’s been a great experience.” Plus Ultra Leiden’s tenants also include LeydenJar, Fibriant and Thermofisher.
The mayor of Leiden also looks back proudly at the opening of the new R&D business centre at Leiden Bio Science Park. “Science is in the DNA of this city,” says Henri Lenferink, Mayor of Leiden. “As a city, we are extremely happy with this building. It meets the demand of start-ups, scale-ups and others for space for their important ventures. Now finally someone has taken the risk to realise a building that contributes to this.”