It's a vexing contradiction for biotech researchers — the bigger the idea, the more difficult it can be to get funding. If you have a breakthrough concept that is still in the lab, it's too early for traditional venture money. But you need funding to move forward.
That's why we created the Biogen Idec Innovation Incubator, known as bi3. It focuses primarily on biological insights that can be converted into life-saving and life-changing therapeutics. It unifies the three fundamental assets that drive entrepreneurial science: 1) a startup's energy and ideas, 2) a venture firm's capital, and 3) an established biotech firm's resources.
Bi3 combines all of these, early in development. For concepts that are drug prototypes, or still at the proof of concept stage, we offer the resources that can help move drug prototypes into the clinic. For example, we provide funding and state-of-the-art facilities. And because we are one of the world's leading biotech firms, we offer additional expertise, technology and support that allows you to focus on the science.
This kind of collaboration can help promote quick progression to the clinic.