Innovative medical products on their way to the clinic – GeneNovate successfully promotes entrepreneurial thinking in cutting-edge German research

After a pilot in 2025 last year, GeneNovate, Germany's first national entrepreneurship program for gene and cell therapies, took place for the second time. The joint closing event took place in Berlin on June 26, where the program participants presented a total of 23 research projects to a top-class jury of business angels, venture capital investors (VCs) and experienced entrepreneurs.

GeneNovate was created through the collaboration of various locations throughout Germany and is, among other things, a measure within the framework of the National Strategy for Gene and Cell Therapies (GCT). The program aims to promote entrepreneurship and technology transfer in the biotech sector with a special focus on the specifics of gene and cell therapies. The focus is on young scientists and physicians who receive expertise on the most important topics in entrepreneurship through GeneNovate.

One of the program's strengths is its training program, which takes place in parallel at various locations in Germany.

After the program was run in parallel in Berlin, Mainz and Munich in the first year, the national cooperation doubled to six regions with additional renowned partner institutions in 2025:

• Berlin region: Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH)

• Heidelberg region: German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Heidelberg University with its University Hospital, bioRN, Helmholtz H3 Health Hub, Health + Life Science Alliance Heidelberg Mannheim

• Northern region: Hannover Medical School (MHH)

• Munich region: TUM Venture Labs Healthcare, UnternehmerTUM Munich Technical University of Munich (TUM), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) and their university hospitals in the Munich region

• Rhine-Main region: Johannes Gutenberg University, University Medical Center Mainz, Life Science Center Mainz. This year, the cooperation was expanded to include Goethe University Frankfurt and Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences.

• SaxoCell region: TUD Dresden University of Technology, Leipzig University, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI)

The plan for 2026 is to further strengthen the North region and expand the program to the North Rhine-Westphalia and South-West regions. There are also plans to expand the program at European level.

Four winning teams from four regions

The scientists and doctors from the six regions worked intensively with experts and mentors from the local start-up scene in monthly workshops over a period of six months to outline and implement their projects. At the joint closing event on June 26 in Berlin, the teams presented their 23 projects to an audience of investors, political representatives and entrepreneurs.

The winning teams 2025 come from Dresden/Leipzig, Hanover, Heidelberg and Berlin: Team iGuard from Hanover is working on an RNA inhalation spray to treat pulmonary fibrosis. The Heat Therapeutics team from Heidelberg is researching an immune molecule that promotes inflammation in tumors and thus combats them. In Dresden/Leipzig, the EliaCell team is developing a scalable macrophage-based cell therapy for solid tumors.Berlin-based cure4ME is researching a small-molecule substance that is intended to inhibit the growth of stage 4 metastases in all types of cancer. The winning teams received several months of individualized coaching as well as an invitation to participate in the GeneNovate Investors' Day 2026.

The jury consisted of Vanessa Luzkat (Bayern Kapital), Dr. Andreas Schmidt (Springboard Health Angels), Prof. Dr. Markus Gerhard (TUM - TUM Venture Labs), Martin Giese - Startup Investor & Mentor, former XPRENEURS MD and Dr. Ingo Schroeter (GeneNovate Project Coordinator - former Corporate Ventures & Investor). The experts gave the young scientists and doctors valuable feedback and shared their experiences.

"The insights and experiences that the start-ups shared with the participants were extremely inspiring. Many would have liked to have received the prior knowledge imparted by GeneNovate before their start-up phase. A timely exchange not only saves valuable time and resources, but also accelerates the spin-off process," says Dr. Elke Luger, Head of the GCT Germany network office and Co-Head of GeneNovate Germany.

"I am particularly pleased that many scientists and doctors report that the program has inspired them to translate their research into concrete products for patients with the help of start-ups. This is precisely the central goal of the GeneNovate program. Another goal is to overcome local individual interests and jointly support start-ups with the best ecosystem. GeneNovate is not a program from Munich, Berlin, Heidelberg or any other region. It thrives on the cooperation of many powerful regions and organizations. We will continue to expand this cooperative approach - throughout Germany and, from next year, as part of a European network," says Dr. Ingo Schroeter, Co-Head of GeneNovate Germany.

"GeneNovate impressively demonstrates how the networking of excellent research locations throughout Germany can produce a joint project that successfully translates research results into therapies for the benefit of patients. It is a pioneering approach to sustainably anchoring entrepreneurial thinking in the academic world," says Prof. Dr. Christopher Baum, spokesperson for the National Strategy for Gene- and Cell-Based Therapies and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH).

"Innovative entrepreneurship is the key to a strong German and European economy. If we do not act decisively, we risk falling further behind the USA and China in global competition. We at UnternehmerTUM and the TUM Venture Labs are proud to have supported GeneNovate since the beginning. This initiative shows how together we can translate more research into marketable biotech innovations - and thus actively shape healthcare in Europe," says Prof. Dr. Helmut Schönenberger, CEO UnternehmerTUM, Vice President Entrepreneurship TUM.

"The GeneNovate program is a valuable program that provides researchers from science and medicine in the field of cellular therapies with the necessary steps for the translation and transfer of innovations into application in theory and practice. GeneNovate pursues the approach of networking strong innovation hubs throughout Germany and creating new treatment options and innovative cell therapy solutions for patients," says Dr. Rainer Wessel, Chief Innovation Officer of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ). "Through the early exchange with experts from industry and entrepreneurship, the participating scientists gain important complementary industry knowledge, which should drive successful spin-offs in this field."

"This year's GeneNovate event once again impressively demonstrated how excellent research in cell and gene therapy is being put into practice in Germany. In addition to the exciting start-up pitches, the presentations by politicians also give us hope that the ever-increasing funding gap in this field will soon be closed," says Prof. Dr. Markus Gerhard, Academic Director, TUM Venture Labs.

Press contact:

Eva Holzhäuser
National Network Office for Gene and Cell Therapy
0049 30 450 543053
gct-news @bih-charite.de

About the Network Office GCT Germany

The Network Office GCT Germany is the central platform for gene and cell therapies in Germany. Founded as part of the National Strategy for Gene and Cell Therapies, it networks national stakeholders from science, industry, politics and society. The aim is to establish Germany as a leading location for gene and cell therapies and to provide patients with rapid access to these innovative therapies. With the GCT Atlas, the GeneNovate entrepreneurship program and comprehensive support services for science, patients and industry, the network office actively contributes to shaping patient-oriented healthcare.

About GeneNovate

GeneNovate is the first national entrepreneurship program in the field of gene and cell therapies. Over a period of six months, participants are supported by experienced mentors in areas such as start-ups, founding, patent prosecution and regulation. The aim is to develop products and therapies from research ideas that can be implemented in clinics and make gene and cell therapy treatments available to patients.