With the launch of LIFE Capital, the Northern Netherlands gains a powerful collaboration platform that brings together companies, talent, and knowledge institutions in the fast-growing Life Sciences & Health sector. During a special launch dinner on Tuesday, November 25 at LIFE Cooperative member Polyvation on the Groningen Campus, not only was the new brand unveiled, but an ambitious vision for the future was also presented. LIFE Capital, formerly LIFE Academy, marks the next phase of the LIFE Cooperative: shifting from a focus on training alone to a broadly supported collaboration platform for human capital.
“With LIFE Capital we are taking the next step in strengthening our sector,” says Melloney Dröge, board member of the LIFE Cooperative. “We are bringing companies, talent, and knowledge together into one ecosystem where growth, learning, and innovation go hand in hand. We are aiming for a joint approach to the human capital challenges of our sector. In this way, we are building a region where you can truly move forward for a lifetime, literally and figuratively.”
The transition from LIFE Academy to LIFE Capital is more than a name change. The new brand reflects the organization’s growth and its ambition to look beyond training alone.
LIFE Capital will become the linchpin of human capital in the Life Sciences & Health sector: it connects talent, companies, and knowledge, accelerates collaboration, and strengthens the position of the Northern Netherlands as a breeding ground for innovation and talent.
A long and healthy life: that is ultimately what Life Sciences & Health is all about. Thanks to innovations from companies in this sector, diseases are detected sooner, treated more effectively, and sometimes even prevented. From breakthrough therapies to keeping healthcare affordable and accessible, the business community acts as the engine behind life-changing progress. LIFE Capital aims to strengthen that foundation by investing in people, knowledge, and collaboration.
“LIFE Capital helps companies move forward, but also strengthens the image and visibility of our sector,” says Sven Stielstra, Manager of LIFE Capital. “In this way, we show what Life Sciences & Health truly stands for and make the sector attractive to new talent and innovative companies. Over the next ten years, we will attract €50 million for human capital. In this first year alone, we have already realized €6.6 million through regional and national funds.”
Today, the day after the launch dinner, LIFE Capital’s recruitment campaign begins. This campaign focuses on attracting participants for the first pilot modules, which will start in spring 2026. These modules were developed thanks to an intensive and unique collaboration between Hanze, UMCG, and various companies within the sector.
By combining knowledge and practical experience, top-notch programmes have been created that will be tested in the coming period. After the pilot phase, the modules will be further developed and made more widely available later in 2026 to everyone in the Northern Netherlands who wishes to contribute to a strong Life Sciences & Health ecosystem.
LIFE Capital is the collaboration platform of the LIFE Cooperative, a network of more than 60 companies in the Life Sciences & Health sector. The platform connects organisations around shared human capital challenges and develops solutions that attract, develop, and retain talent. What started ten years ago as separate initiatives within the cooperative has grown into a strategic programme in which companies, knowledge institutions, and governments work together on a structural basis.
With activities ranging from joint training and HR networks to new educational programmes and labour market research, LIFE Capital works towards one goal: a strong, agile region in which talent in life sciences & health can continue to grow with the right skills. Move people forward.
The LIFE Cooperative stimulates innovation in the life sciences by facilitating collaboration between entrepreneurs, researchers, and investors. Through various programmes and events, LIFE promotes the development of technologies that improve health and well-being. The cooperative represents more than 60 companies in the Northern Netherlands, ranging from ambitious startups and innovative SMEs to international players. Together, they represent approximately 5,000 FTEs and a turnover of €500 million.
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.
Researchers at the UMCG and their spin-off CC Diagnostics, located on Campus Groningen, have developed a new test that could make cervical cancer screening more efficient and user-friendly.
A full house, sharp discussions, and an afternoon in which science and industry visibly strengthened one another. The Dutch Medicines Winter Afternoon demonstrated that Groningen is not only a strong geographical spot, but also a substantive force within the Dutch life sciences landscape. The event, organized by FIGON (Federation for Innovative Drug Research Netherlands) in collaboration with LIFE Cooperative, brought professionals from across the Netherlands to the north. Researchers, entrepreneurs, developers, and clinical experts gathered around one shared ambition: to bring innovative medicines to patients faster, smarter, and better.Klaas Poelstra, Chair of FIGON, looks back positively on the event: “It was great to see local businesses in the health sector and leading academic scientists engaging in conversation with one another. They have so much to gain from each other.“From what to how What became particularly clear during the Dutch Medicines Winter Afternoon was how rapidly the field of drug development is evolving, and how essential collaboration has become. At a time when therapies are increasingly targeted, complex, and costly, the focus is shifting from only what we develop to how we do so: more intelligently, more sustainably, and better aligned with patient needs. This broader context was already reflected in the opening remarks by Klaas Poelstra, who emphasized the importance of continued innovation for the Netherlands’ competitive position and patient care. On behalf of the LIFE Cooperative, Robert Hof highlighted that regional collaboration is a decisive factor: by bringing science, entrepreneurship, and clinical practice closer together, real acceleration can be achieved. The first substantive contributions made it clear that innovation today is not only about new molecules, but also about new delivery methods. Rob Steendam demonstrated how long-acting microspheres can improve treatment adherence and reduce patient burden. Jaap Wieling showed how inhalation technology is evolving into a platform for both local and systemic therapies. Through her research on polyelectrolyte coacervates, Marleen Kamperman placed these innovations within a fundamental scientific framework. After the break, the discussion shifted to clinical translation and advanced nanomedicines. Flávia Sousa illustrated how polymer-based nanomedicines contribute to targeted brain delivery. Ad Roffel underscored the importance of robust pharmacokinetic studies in an era where the demands for evidence continue to increase. Erik Frijlink reflected on innovation within both existing and new delivery systems, while Helder Santos outlined the potential of RNA delivery via nanotechnology for cardiac tissue repair.More than a program During the closing networking reception, it became clear what participants had gained from the afternoon. As Robert Hof, Board Member of the LIFE Cooperative, put it: “The FIGON Winter Afternoon was an excellent event with distinguished speakers and strong engagement. We look forward to the next edition and extend our sincere thanks to Klaas Poelstra and FIGON for hosting the event in the Northern Netherlands.” The common thread throughout the afternoon was therefore unmistakable: the future of medicines does not lie within a single discipline, but in the connections between them. In a time of increasing healthcare pressure, rapid technological advancement, and international competition, such collaboration is not a luxury—it is a necessity. The Dutch Medicines Winter Afternoon showed that this collaboration is firmly rooted in the Northern Netherlands and that Groningen is positioning itself emphatically as a breeding ground and accelerator for innovative drug development.
