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Belgium, Flanders

Belgian Biotech Agomab Debuts on Nasdaq with a $200 Million IPO

Just weeks after announcing its plans for a U.S. listing, Belgium-based Agomab Therapeutics has gone public on Nasdaq, pricing its IPO at $16 per share to raise about $200 million. The stock is now trading under the ticker AGMB, putting the spotlight on fibrosis in what has been a billion-dollar week for biotech IPOs.

To PhD or Not to PhD: A Growing Question in the Life Sciences

An increasing number of PhD students are concerned about their career prospects. Currently, only around 5-10% of PhD graduates remain in academia — the vast majority have to navigate an unfamiliar job market, where industry demand for their highly educated profiles appears to be in decline. Is a PhD still the best route to professional success? And what can students do to prepare themselves?

Before the Fall: Catching Cognitive Decline Early with Citizen Science

In Antwerp, a unique cohort of volunteers is helping to solve one of the world's most urgent medical challenges: the early detection of cognitive decline. While the study is local, its implications are global — providing the long-term data needed to understand the hidden years of decline in Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, to enable early diagnosis and intervention.

Nano Crayons: The Atomic Structure of Screens and Solar Panels

Behind the vivid colors of our phone screens and smartwatches lies a world too small for the naked eye to see. But scientists at the University of Antwerp have developed a new method to analyze small changes in the atomic arrangement of the nanomaterials in these kinds of digital displays, which is key to creating stable and efficient materials for solar cells or electronics in the future.

Healthtech Success: An Investor’s Perspective

Europe’s healthtech scene is buzzing, with innovators racing to re-shape how we prevent, diagnose and treat disease. Many of the field’s brightest stars will gather at the HealthTech Investor Summit in December to connect, compare notes and compete for attention. Ahead of the event, we asked one of the participating investors, Vlaamse Investeringsmaatschappij Vlaanderen (PMV) what they’re scouting for in Europe’s future healthtech champions.

ATB Therapeutics: Antibody Seeker Missiles for Cancer and Autoimmune Diseases

Antibodies have long held promise as a ‘magic bullet’ for cancer therapies, yet many antibody-drug conjugates face issues with toxicity and resistance. Belgian startup ATB Therapeutics is producing a new type of weaponized antibodies, using plants as mini factories for safe, effective cancer and autoimmune treatments.

A New Horizon in Cancer Care: The Promise of Multi-Source Liquid Biopsies

For the many women who develop metastatic breast cancer, treatment options are increasingly determined using blood-based diagnostics. But there are many other bodily fluids that can also be screened, potentially opening doors to new therapies for these patients. This broader approach to testing could improve clinical trial designs and be extended to other cancer types.

Called to Science with Bart Lambrecht: From medicine to finding focus in fly fishing

VIB’s podcast Called to Science is back for a second season—a series where science journalist Brad Van Paridon sits with researchers to go beyond the science: exploring the passion, setbacks, and big questions that motivate them. In this episode, Bart Lambrecht—director of the VIB Center for Inflammation Research and a practicing physician at Ghent University Hospital—dives into the overlaps between treating patients, running a lab, and the fascination that drives him forward.

Science for Health 2025: How to anchor innovation in Belgium?

Belgium puts a lot of resources into research and innovation, supporting the creation of spinouts and startups with brilliant potential health solutions. But as they grow, most of those companies eventually hit a point where local support isn’t enough—they have to look beyond Europe for their manufacturing, clinical trials, and funding needs. How can Belgium close this gap so companies can stay and thrive in Europe?

Science for Health 2025: Stronger Regions, Greater Impact

Belgium’s flagship “biology meets technology” conference returns to Brussels this fall with a clear message: collaboration is key to keeping Europe at the front of health innovation. On 4 November 2025, Science for Health will explore how Belgium’s regional strengths and synergies can be combined to accelerate ATMP and new modalities—such as radioligand therapies and digital health solutions—to reinforce the country's global position in biotech and healthtech.

The benefits of One Health in Flanders

Biovia is Europe’s first industry-led One Health innovation cluster—uniting medical biotech, medtech, digital health, agtech and industrial biotech to advance human and planetary health. Katrien Lorré explains how this unified approach benefits companies by unlocking opportunities and fostering a better environment for health innovation.

Belgian research pushes the boundaries of coronavirus treatment to prevent the next pandemic

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) SARS-CoV-2 is experiencing a resurgence, with the risk of future outbreaks from emerging variants remaining substantial. To stay ahead of the curve, continued investment in both preventative measures and novel therapies is vital. Groundbreaking Belgian research is leading the way with high-potential compounds targeting SARS-CoV-2, offering a promising new avenue for treatment and pandemic preparedness.

Biovia: the new health innovation cluster for human and planetary health

A fresh chapter in Flemish healthtech and life sciences has begun with the launch of Biovia: the health innovation cluster resulting from the merger of flanders.bio and MEDVIA. Unveiled at Knowledge for Growth, the flagship annual conference of the Flemish life sciences sector, this new industry-driven organization brings more than 450 members together in one unified ecosystem – cultivating connections and forging a path to a healthier future for people and planet.

A double-edged sword: VC timelines are getting longer in biotech

The biotechnology sector has always been characterized by long, uncertain timelines. But with increasing scientific, regulatory, and market complexities, biotech development is now taking longer and costing more than ever before. Investors are being faced with a growing gap between initial investment and successful exit, and it’s vital for entrepreneurs to know how to handle this shift.

4Tissue secures an additional €1.5M in funding and appoints Dr. Katleen Verleysen as independent chair of the board.

Ghent, February 26, 2025 — 4Tissue, a pioneer in biotechnology that is revolutionizing regenerative medicine, has successfully completed an additional €1.5M funding round, consisting of €1M in equity investments and additional grants. This funding will support the further development of the company’s groundbreaking bioresorbable hydrogel technology, which has the potential to significantly improve breast reconstruction and other tissue regeneration applications. This represents an important step forward in the evolution of regenerative medicine, with a particular focus on women’s health.