Bio Science Archives - Key Region Leiden

Effective February 1, 2026, Els Frankhuijzen started in the combination position of Program Manager / Strategic Advisor Knowledge and Innovation at the Leiden Bio Science Park and Key Region Leiden. This strengthens both organizations’ clout at the intersection of strategy, program development and collaboration within the regional knowledge and innovation system. Her arrival ensures coherence, pace and realization power.

Knowledge-intensive environments

Her natural science background (Environmental Health and Toxicology, Wageningen University), complemented by an education in Business Administration (Haagse Hogeschool), together with extensive experience in various sectors (including Life Sciences, Engineering, Chemical Industry, and Oil & Gas) forms a strong basis for building and directing complex projects and programs. As a natural connector, she established successful partnerships between companies, knowledge institutions and governments, focused on common goals and innovation.

Efficiency, synergy and continuous innovation run as a thread through her career. In thirty years, she moved smoothly between strategy, tactics and execution. In doing so, she frequently worked in and with knowledge-intensive environments including Leiden Bio Science Park itself.

Momentum for growth and development

Els’ start coincides with an important momentum for the Leiden Bio Science Park and Key Region Leiden. Both are explicitly mentioned in Peter Wennink’s advisory report The Route to Future Prosperity (December 2025). The report emphasizes that the Netherlands must strengthen its future earning power in a number of high-tech fields. Life Sciences & Biotechnology is among the four strategic key areas essential for broad prosperity, international competitiveness and geopolitical relevance.

The Key Region Leiden plays an important role in this, with a strong and internationally recognized ecosystem in terms of knowledge, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Powerful ecosystem

“The recognition of the Leiden Bio Science Park and Key Region Leiden in report Wennink underlines the strength of this ecosystem. In this position I can turn this into concrete impact for the innovation campuses, for education and business,” Els says enthusiastically. “Very nice also that I can now contribute to the region where I have lived for thirty years.”

Business development

“With her experience, connecting ability and strategic outlook, I am very pleased that Els is starting with us. She quickly recognizes opportunities in the Leiden Bio Science Park and translates them into concrete plans and programs in the field of knowledge and innovation. By bringing the ecosystem together in a focused way, she stimulates new collaborations from which companies in the park directly benefit. In addition to business development, it is about seizing opportunities in regional and (inter)national networks, so that funding lands in our region,” says Esther Peters (director Leiden Bio Science Park).

Everyone benefits

“There is a lot of work ahead that requires a concrete approach, precisely at the scale of the region. That is why we are looking forward enormously to working with Els. She helps our innovation region move forward by connecting the knowledge-intensive and local economy. In this way, as a triple helix cooperation, we are building a strong, future-proof region from which everyone benefits,” adds Leonie Hussaarts (director Key Region Leiden).

Want to meet or collaborate? Feel free to connect with Els on LinkedIn.

With the report The route to future prosperity former ASML top executive Peter Wennink sounded the alarm about Dutch earning capacity. According to Wennink, it is “two minutes to midnight”: without large-scale investments and better framework conditions, the Netherlands is at risk of losing its economic and technological lead. The report received wide attention in national media and serves as a reference point in the debate about innovation, investment climate and strategic sectors. Leiden, and in particular the Life Sciences and Biotech sector in our region, receives due attention. Important task for the new cabinet. We list it again.

Biotech Nexus

Both Wennink himself and various opinion makers and industry organizations point to Leiden as a core cluster within the national biotech strategy, including through the Biotech Nexus program. This emphatically puts the Leiden ecosystem in the picture as a potential growth engine for the economy, healthcare and innovation and as a region where national ambitions and local preconditions converge.

Investment and preconditions

Biotech and Life Sciences are crucial to the affordability of healthcare and food security, according to Wennink. The investment potential is €37.9 billion. According to top advisor Wennink, a future cabinet should focus on four lines of investment, including life sciences and biotechnology.

The report lists needed investments of 151 to 187 billion, which must come mainly from the private sector. In addition, the government must provide the right framework conditions within five years. Consider:

simplified rules and faster permits
sufficient talent,
affordable and reliable energy
strong physical infrastructure.

Biotech Nexus as multiplier

Leiden Bio Science Park took a leading role for the entire red biotech sector in the Netherlands with Biotech Nexus. This sector can become a cornerstone of the Dutch economy if its recommendations are adopted. The project proposes a boost to the entire development chain of medical biotech which could provide a GDP boost of 1.2 percentage points with 20,000 new jobs. This should ultimately ensure faster access to innovations for patients. A lot of investment is needed, but this will also pay off. Indeed, the Leiden Bio Science Park states that, on average, each public euro of investment leads to 2.5 euros of private investment and almost 2 euros of additional economic contribution.

Other proposals of the Biotech Nexus plan include a nationwide system of regional command centers, aiming at better coordination and data sharing in the healthcare sector, bio- and process technology for new ingredients, and a new generation of image-guided therapies.

Young companies

Wennink mentioned Biotech Nexus by name during his presentation. In addition, Annemiek Verkamman, managing director of Hollandbio, mentioned that Biotech Nexus drives the growth of young companies. These include:

Improving access to growth capital,
strengthening the utilization of scientific knowledge,
Support of young companies by experienced entrepreneurs and investors.

Demo plants

Wennink’s opinion also emphasizes the role of biotech in the success of the agri-food and biobased sector. Among other things, he argues for:

investments in scale-up facilities and so-called First Of A Kind (FOAK) demo plants for new ingredients,
investment in new breeding techniques,
investeringen in kunstmatige intelligentie en
the further development and valorization of knowledge.

Capitalizing on opportunities

To further develop the opportunities for our innovation region, Els Frankhuijzen has started in the combination position of Program Manager / Strategic Advisor Knowledge and Innovation at Leiden Bio Science Park and Key Region Leiden. Keep following us to stay informed about her approach.

A few days after the presentation of the Wennink report, Minister Bruijn of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport received the report ‘The Netherlands in the vanguard: red biotech as key to global competitiveness; a growth strategy for economy, society and patient’ at the Leiden Bio Science Park, near Leiden University Medical Center. The minister received the report from Annemiek Verkamman (hollandbio) , Carla Vos (Verenging Innovatieve Geneesmiddelen), and Esther Peters (Leiden Bio Science Park) on behalf of the entire sector.

Red Biotech

The report came about at the request of Peter Wennink, as part of the national investment agenda, and represents the joint input of the Dutch red biotech sector. Leiden Bio Science Park was asked by Wennink to take the lead in developing the plan and did so together with hollandbio, in close cooperation with partners in Leiden as well as with the other Dutch science parks, including Campus Groningen, Health & Innovation District Amsterdam (HID), Utrecht Science Park, Pivot Park, Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus and the Vereniging Innovatieve Geneesmiddelen. The economic analysis and modeling underpinning the report were conducted with the involvement of KPMG. A number of onepagers were created as an appendix.

Joint choices

The Netherlands has strong clusters, high-quality infrastructure and internationally recognized knowledge institutions. Exploiting this potential requires joint choices:

better access to capital and talent,
secure and shared access to (bio)data,
faster and predictable procedures for licensing and clinical research, and
sufficient space for research, scale-up and production.

Minister Jan Anthonie Bruijn of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport said, “Biotechnology brings us drugs that are truly groundbreaking. The further development of this sector is therefore important for the Netherlands, not to mention the patient. I am actively committed to this and will, among other things, represent our interests in Europe to achieve good legislation through the European BioTech Act. I thank all those involved who have worked to produce this report. I am going to read it with great attention.”

Biotech Nexus

In the report, the industry proposes, among other things, the creation of a national, cross-policy and cross-ministry program: Biotech Nexus. This program should accelerate knowledge valorization, support companies in scaling up, and jointly work on better infrastructure and faster procedures.

“Red biotech makes it possible to recognize diseases earlier and treat patients more precisely and effectively,” said Esther Peters, director of Leiden Bio Science Park. “That means better care and better lives. We as Leiden and as a sector, together with the ministry, want to move now and use what is already possible today to bring innovations to patients faster. By working together as science parks, companies, knowledge institutions and government, we can make a difference. For care, for the patient and for the future prosperity of our country.”

Crossovers

As Key Region Leiden, we are proud to contribute to this national movement dedicated to strengthening the future earning capacity of the Netherlands. The resulting innovation offers our region pre-eminently many opportunities in terms of crossovers between the knowledge clusters Leiden Bio Science Park, NL Space Campus and Unmanned Valley. It is also our mission to strengthen this knowledge axis. This is not only good for the knowledge economy, but also for the local economy. It offers many opportunities for broad-based SMEs, service providers and suppliers.

Samen maken we de kenniseconomie waardevol voor iedereen

How do we ensure the health and prosperity of the Netherlands in the coming decades? The answer lies in cooperation, innovation and boldness. Today, the Wennink Plan was published: an independent strategic advice that outlines how the Netherlands can remain economically resilient and socially strong. One of the key points? The crucial role of the red biotechnology sector as an engine for structural growth and better health. Leiden Bio Science Park had an important role in the development of this advice.

Red biotechnology could create 20,000 new jobs and provide a structural boost of 1.2 percentage points to GDP. The master plan proposes the creation of Biotech Nexus, a national program with high economic leverage: each public euro of investment leads on average to 2.5 euros of private investment and almost 2 euros of additional economic activity.

‘The Netherlands has a unique concentration of knowledge, companies and talent,’ says Esther Peters, director of the Leiden Bio Science Park. ‘Red biotechnology is a sector in which we can excel internationally. But then entrepreneurs need access to capital, space and modern procedures. If we organize these preconditions well, the sector can make an enormous contribution to our future economy. This is the time to push forward to prevent us from falling behind in the competition from the US and China.’

Strong advice

The advisory report of Peter Wennink (former top executive ASML), commissioned by the Cabinet, makes it clear that investing in innovation is necessary and that knowledge and vital innovation campuses are crucial in this. Leiden Bio Science Park was closely involved in providing valuable input for the report. In collaboration with partners from science, business and government with special thanks to Hollandbio and the Association for Innovative Medicines. Together they made clear what is needed to further strengthen the Dutch biotechnology sector.

The Wennink Plan emphasizes that a national approach is needed to position the Netherlands as the place where companies invest and where research is successfully transformed into innovations. The national proposal, BioTech Nexus, was explicitly mentioned by Peter Wennink as a strong and concrete example of this ambition.

Crossovers

Samen maken we de kenniseconomie waardevol voor iedereen

‘The Netherlands has a strong Life Sciences & Health ecosystem with a lot of potential, but the home market remains the weak link,’ says Carla Vos, general director of the VIG. ‘The strategic growth plan will only work if innovations developed here are also made available here. Now spending on innovative drugs is low and access for patients often takes too long. If that improves, the Netherlands can maintain its position and even grow substantially.’

Unique opportunity

Why is this so important? Red biotechnology opens doors to treatments that were previously unattainable. It offers the Netherlands a unique opportunity: a sector that develops innovative medicines, therapies and diagnostics, contributes to a healthier society and creates high-quality employment, which in turn creates additional jobs for graduates of universities of applied sciences and intermediate vocational schools, in suppliers and in SMEs.

‘It is good to read that Wennink underlines the importance of Life Sciences & Biotech in his report,’ said Luc Sels, chairman of Leiden University’s Executive Board. ‘The Leiden Bio Science Park is the largest innovation district in the Netherlands in these fields. So with the wealth of knowledge and expertise we house in Leiden, we can not only continue to make a major contribution to Life Sciences & Biotech itself, but also contribute significantly to the further economic growth of the country. Good news for Leiden, for our region and for the Netherlands!

Global impact

The plans do not land in our region by chance. The Leiden Bio Science Park ranks among the top European universities and is the second largest campus in the Netherlands after Brainport Eindhoven. Start-ups, scale-ups, multinationals, education and healthcare come together here: from innovative mbo to a leading university college, university and academic hospital. The park has everything needed to realize groundbreaking solutions. But the Netherlands is too small to do this alone. That is why Leiden Bio Science Park works intensively with strong regional clusters such as Amsterdam, Utrecht, Oss, Delft, Groningen and Maastricht. Together they form a powerful economic network that makes an impact worldwide.

‘The advice identifies four crucial economic sectors, including life sciences & biotech. From Leiden, together with Amsterdam and Utrecht, among others, we have worked on a proposition. The Leiden Bio Science Park is among the top European parks and by acting together we can maintain and strengthen that position as the Netherlands,’ said Peter Heijkoop, mayor of Leiden.

Ready for the future

The required course is clear: invest in knowledge, talent and innovation to maintain and strengthen the international position of the Netherlands in life sciences & biotech. We do this not only for economic growth, but especially for people: for better healthcare, sustainable solutions and a society that is ready for the future. And this fits perfectly with Leiden Bio Science Park, the future of health and Key Region Leiden: Science for life!

Dutch Review pays attention to Leiden Bio Science Park and the innovative companies operating here in a recent article. The article highlights how Leiden is developing into a major European science hub, with companies recently attracting new investment.

In het artikel komen drie innovatieve bedrijven aan bod:

LeydenJar: develops 100% silicone battery anodes for smaller, more powerful batteries.
Meatable: pioneer in cultured meat, with a beautiful pilot facility at the Leiden Bio Science Park.
Rapidemic: builds ultra-fast molecular tests for infectious diseases, recently supported by a Gates Foundation grant.

In addition, the large investment of Eli Lilly called, which is building a new manufacturing facility near the Bio Science Park.

Complete ecosystem

This attention is no coincidence: the Bio Science Park is the beating heart of this development. It is much more than a cluster of companies and knowledge institutions; it is a complete ecosystem where science, entrepreneurship and talent come together to create solutions that have global impact. This concentration of knowledge and innovation not only strengthens Leiden’s international position, but also attracts parties working on the future of life sciences. For the city and region, this means more than economic growth: it increases the appeal to (international) talent and stimulates cooperation between companies, education, government and other knowledge clusters.

Building on position

Key Region Leiden wants to build on this position. We are therefore starting a program to put our region even more strongly on the map as an innovation region. We will attract a program manager and start a study of the knowledge clusters and their mutual coherence. The goal: to strengthen each other and thus profile the region as the place for innovation and collaboration.

Read the full article on Dutch Review.

Quantum Life Sciences (QLS) is a new field at the intersection of quantum technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and life sciences. This combination can dramatically accelerate the development of personalized medicine and medical innovations. To highlight these opportunities, we have prepared a white paper with a number of partners. You can find it in this attachment: Quantum Life Sciences Key Region Leiden.

According to the white paper “Quantum Life Sciences: Key Region Leiden,” the key lies not in hardware, but in quantum software and algorithms, accounting for an estimated 94% of the future market value. Quantum software enables highly precise molecule simulations and more efficient drug development.
Leiden has everything it needs to act as a European pilot region: top expertise in quantum (Quantum Hub Leiden), AI (LIACS) and life sciences (Leiden Bio Science Park), complemented by the new House of Quantum.
The white paper calls for Europe to strategically invest in quantum software within the European Quantum Act to accelerate the translation of European innovations into concrete health solutions.

A delegation from Key Region Leiden paid an inspiring visit to Brussels for the European Week of Regions and Cities. There we proudly presented our white paper on Quantum Life Sciences. Together with Leiden Bio Science Park and the Applied Quantum Algorithms group of Leiden University, we appealed to Europe to invest in quantum software for innovation in health and biotechnology.

Also read our recap of the visit to Brussels.