The impact of true connection: working together in Life Science, Health, and MedTech.

LIFE Cooperative
foto van een evenement van LIFE Cooperative
Lobbying together
To mobilize governments and research, knowledge, and educational institutions, the SME sector oriented toward Life Science and Medical Technology unites.
Organising together
The cooperative develops solutions to meet shared challenges. Collective training, combined purchasing of laboratory equipment and materials, and shared visits to international fairs and congresses are some of the current examples of efficiency measures.
Developing together
Together, the cooperative SMEs developed research-, development- and supply-chains that result in efficient innovations, i.e. in the field biomarker validation, biomaterial development and 3D imaging and printing.

Our member

Logo Ardena

ARDENA

Ardena Assen offers its services to the pharmaceutical industry and veterinary industry. It is active in all phases of pharmaceutical development and is a Good Laboratory Pratices (GLP) compliant laboratory, inspected by the Dutch authorities on a regular bases. Ardena Assen possesses the most advanced analysis techniques for both chromatographic assays and immunochemistry assays. Website: www.ardena.com

ASC Academics

Asc Academics is a family-run consultancy based in the Netherlands. We set out to create a vendor you always wanted. Now, a decade later, we are big enough to handle mission-critical work – and boutique enough to make it a great experience.

BD Kiestra logo

BD Kiestra

Kiestra is dedicated to advancing clinical microbiology through end-to-end laboratory automation, with the purpose of improving the detection, identification, and management of infectious diseases. Its mission is to empower clinical laboratories with rapid, reliable, and standardized microbiological results, supporting better clinical decision-making and improved patient outcomes through automation and digital integration.

Bether Encapsulates

Encapsulation inside microbubbles. This means encapsulating the active within a shell of gas. This shell of gas is a perfect barrier against leakage of the active as long as the active is non-volatile (which is the case for most relevant actives). However, just like soap bubbles our microbubbles can also be made to ‘pop’ and this instantaneously and completely releases the drug. This popping can be made to happen in response to triggers such as pH, osmotic pressure, shear or ultrasound making microbubble-encapsulation a very versatile and widely applicable technology. Other advantages of the technology include the use of a very small amount of excipients (since our main excipient is gas) and the fact that the barrier and release properties of the microbubbles do not depend on physicochemical properties of the active to be encapsulated. This ensures a short time-to-market. Website: www.bether-encapsulates.nl

BiomACS

BiomACS (Biomaterial Advanced Cell Screening) specializes in improving the interaction between the human body and implants. With our unique screening technology, we can quickly and accurately test how human cells respond to different materials, a process that traditionally takes years, but with us only takes a few days. Our expertise lies at the intersection of materials science, chemistry, cell biology, and clinical practice. Thanks to this multidisciplinary approach, we support the medical industry in developing safer, higher-performing, and more personalized medical devices. BiomACS provides screening services for manufacturers of implants such as prostheses, stents, catheters, and intraocular lenses. Our technology helps them achieve better designs faster and reduce complications such as rejection or infection. In this way, we contribute to a higher quality of life for patients worldwide. (www.biomacs.nl)

Bioprex Medical

Our proprietary coating technology efficiently kills bacteria upon contact, without being at risk to elicit bacterial resistance. We can apply our coating on PDMS and on titanium substrates, but our technology has potential for a variety of other materials. Our initial focus is on titanium orthopedic trauma materials (e.g., pins and plates) and urinary catheters (PDMS). Future applications include most indwelling medical devices. Website: https://bioprexmedical.com/

BioTrack

Biotrack/NL-Lab are specialized in microbioligical research. We develop tools for gutmicrobiome analyses, antibiotics susceptibility testing using our patented C-FISH technology. Our technology focuses on function and activity of micro-organisms. We work from our own, fully equipped microbiological laboratory in Leeuwarden with a BSL 2 and 3 level.

Bytesnet

The products and services they provide are categorized into four key pillars: Colocation (optimally conditioned computer rooms with redundant (emergency) power supplies), Connectivity (connections between locations, data centers, the internet, and public cloud services), Cloud (private cloud, partner clouds, and hybrid cloud solutions integrating public cloud providers), and HPC (modular and scalable high-performance data processing, storage, and distribution). Our HPC platform and its related HPC ecosystem enable businesses and public organizations to utilize these functionalities without requiring large investments or over-dimensioning their own IT infrastructure. 100% Dutch in terms of ownership, structure, locations, and compliance with national laws and regulations.Bytesnet Groningen Bytesnet is also rooted in Groningen, located on the Campus Groningen. In 2018, we opened our advanced data center with an innovative Data Lab on Campus Groningen. Here, in addition to colocation and high-performance computing, we provide collaborative spaces for students and businesses. The data center is fully redundant in terms of power supply, cooling, and security. Because d’ROOT functions as the next-generation data center, it is designed for sustainability and high-performance computing for big data. It offers more computing capacity with responsible energy consumption and maximized reuse of waste heat. We are already operating on 100% green energy. Website: Bytesnet

CC Diagnostics

In a recent clinical validation study using samples from the Dutch National Screening Program, the Methica CC Kit achieved 97% sensitivity in cancer detection without compromising specificity. This study, conducted across multiple centers, reflects real-world performance and marks a significant advancement in cervical cancer diagnostics. CC Diagnostics is headquartered in Groningen, Netherlands, and collaborates with various partners, including the University Medical Centre Groningen (UMCG) and IQ Products. Their mission is to empower women by providing optimal cervical cancer screening that is accurate, accessible, and comfortable.

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Latest news

Mimecure investering

MimeCure heeft een investering van 3 miljoen euro binnengehaald voor de ontwikkeling van een regeneratief geneesmiddel voor de behandeling van chronische longziekten, zoals longfibrose. Dankzij deze financiering kan MimeCure de afronding van de preklinische fase versnellen en beginnen met de voorbereidingen voor klinische proeven, die volgens planning eind 2027 van start zullen gaan. De investeringsronde wordt geleid door Addington Investment Group en ondersteund door mede-investeerder Apsara Investments.

Peter Wennink

Turning plans into results: that is the central focus of the fifth LIFE Science Conference, taking place on Tuesday, 22 September 2026 at Forum Groningen. The LIFE Cooperative will bring together professionals, entrepreneurs, researchers and policymakers from the life sciences and health sector around one key question: how do we translate vision into concrete impact? The keynote speaker will be Peter Wennink, former CEO of ASML and one of the most influential leaders in the Dutch technology sector. In 2025, he presented his advisory report ‘The Road to Future Prosperity’, in which he advocates targeted investments in innovation to strengthen the Netherlands’ long-term earning capacity.

Ronald Hesse

In the North, and in Groningen in particular, there are dozens of companies working on innovations in the fields of life sciences and health. There are many hidden gems among them, says Ronald Hesse, director of the LIFE Cooperative partnership. “Millions of patients worldwide have already benefited from innovations developed here in Groningen,” he says.

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Latest news

29 Jun - June 29th, 2026
LIFE BBQ

LIFE BBQ

June 29th, 2026 untill June 29th, 2026

Het is weer zo ver, de LIFE BBQ komt eraan, dus blokkeer die agenda’s! We kijken ernaar uit om opnieuw samen te komen met alle leden en partners van de LIFE Cooperative voor een ontspannen middag en avond. Het is het perfecte moment om bij te praten, onze verbindingen te versterken en te genieten van lekker eten en goed gezelschap. We hopen jullie daar te zien!

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Sep
22

LIFE Science Conference 2026

Nov
09

Bio Europe Fall 2026

Nov
26

Dutch Life Science Conference 2026

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About the LIFE Cooperative

The LIFE Cooperative strengthens the position of its members in the Life Sciences & Health sector by facilitating networking and collaboration, providing access to talent, knowledge, facilities and financing, stimulating innovation and sustainable employment, as well as representing the interests of its members with stakeholders such as policy makers, institutions, investors and suppliers. ​

The LIFE Cooperative was founded in 2014 by and for northern entrepreneurs in the Life Sciences and Health sector, with the aim of promoting innovation and sustainable employment. ​

Over the past 10 years, the LIFE Cooperative has grown into the regional example of the united power of entrepreneurs. More than €50 million in investments and more than 500 new, high-quality jobs were created through a number of iconic projects.

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