LIFE SCIENCES & Health

At the heart of Health Valley

The canton of Vaud is home to a very significant number of high-quality infrastructures as well as knowledge and expertise in the field of life sciences. Indeed, the region is often referred to as "Health Valley."

The University Hospital of the Canton of Vaud (CHUV) plays a central role in the sectors of medical care, research, and training. It develops ambitious projects such as "Neurotech,” a platform that is unique in Europe and which is dedicated to the evaluation of the impact of new technologies in the field of neurosciences. The department of oncology, led by Professor George Coukos, conducts renowned international work into cancer research, while Agora, a center devoted to cancer research, will be inaugurated in 2018 and will feature 300 researchers and doctors.

The region has positioned itself at the forefront of research in these domains, and also in the fields of neurosciences, immunology, nutrition, and cardiovascular diseases. Innovative disciplines such as bioinformatics, medical imaging, and robotic surgery are also developing rapidly.

The canton has almost 400 businesses and as many laboratories active in life sciences, and the ecosystem in Vaud is continually being enriched by the creation of start-ups. In 2016, new companies in Health Valley attracted 7.4% of global venture capital investment in the sector.

Around 60 companies from abroad, including Medtronic and Becton Dickinson, have chosen to develop their industrial activities and services in the region.

Find out more about Life Sciences in Vaud

Download the factsheet

«Thanks to its central location in “Health Valley,” Medtronic benefits from the expertise it needs during the entire lifecycle of its products: from industrialization to scale-up, manufacturing and commercialization. Medtronic’s training center for healthcare professionals, on the campus of our EMEA headquarters, is also ideally situated to contribute to the local life sciences ecosystem.»

Rob Ten Hoedt
Executive Vice President & President, EMEA, Medtronic

Our success stories

Parker Hannifin

For over a century, Parker Hannifin has contributed to technological advances that create a better world. With its Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) headquarters in the Canton of Vaud, the US conglomerate offers solutions in a broad range of markets and industrial applications.

Merck

Merck develops advanced treatments in the canton of Vaud. Now, the German multinational plans to expand its production capacity in the region.

Incyte

Incyte Biosciences International Sàrl, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Lausanne, Switzerland, is an integrated global oncology company focused on transforming the lives of cancer patients with leading-edge medicines. It is working on new medicines to advance the treatment of various forms of acute and chronic leukemia, lung cancer and other difficult-to-treat cancers.

See all our success stories

News and events

9/28/2022

ILMAC Lausanne

The fourth edition of ILMAC LAUSANNE on September 28 and 29, 2022, will combine up-to-date knowledge transfer with high-quality product offerings for the chemistry and life science community in a relaxed and convivial atmosphere.

Beaulieu

Free tickets for PME & Startups

7/26/2022

Tech4trust Season 4

This 6-month hybrid program supports the growth of cybersecurity and digital trust start-ups by providing high-quality training, key networking opportunities, and unparallel visibility, as well as dedicated mentoring and coaching sessions. Tech4Trust acceleration program is powered by Trust Valley and its ecosystem of 50+ industry leaders, academics and public organisations. Startups can apply until 28 August 2022!

7/25/2022

Romande Energie joins forces with GENILEM

As a key player in the decarbonisation of the regional economy, Romande Energie has become a sponsor of GENILEM, whose mission is to help young innovative companies offering sustainable solutions during their take-off phase. It will make its experience and expertise available to them, thus joining a large network of partners committed to the society of tomorrow.

See all the news See all the events