Life Sciences and Technology in Europe

The sector has so many options for relocating to Europe, is it time you thought about your options?


Wes Plumb
Wes  Plumb 
8 min read Reading Time
31 July 2023 Date Created

The sector has so many options for relocating to Europe, is it time you thought about your options?

If you break life up into thirds, it is a third for work, a third for play and then a third for sleep. Unless you have a young family so you get more play and less sleep. When it comes to life science and tech hubs, look no further than the UK and Switzerland. That’s why we do it! It just makes sense. 

With Cambridge being voted the best place to live and work in the UK for 2023, it is no wonder if you spend time there. Full of culture, diversity and opportunity, surrounded by amazing countryside and tranquillity. If the countryside and tranquillity is not your thing and you love to do things, then London is the place! The world’s playground and arguably one of the best places to be in the world. Compared to any other city and capital in the world, Brits take it for granted. Especially when it comes to the career opportunities that lay in wait there. Be mindful, though, the competition is high!  If the quiet life is for you, and you want more countryside and tranquillity! I give you Oxford… There you have it, the golden triangle! Full of culture, architecture, top universities, a fantastic way of living, and opportunities for your career and family or a fun life.

All three will continue to outstrip the rest of the country for investment, innovation, opportunity and growth! 

Not to be outdone in mainland Europe is, Switzerland, with its own technology and life science golden triangle of Basel, Zurich and Bern. While it is more expensive to live, the wages is higher, you have more skiing opportunities and 100% more spectacular scenery. Having not lived in Switzerland, I can’t make a more detailed comparison between them, but give it time, and the family will come round to it eventually. New is always better right? 

I’d love to hear from those that live in Switzerland and how they would describe life in Basel, Zurich, and Bern… And where would you put Lausanne? Also, where is missing?

Here are the top 5 life science/tech companies by region:

Basel

  • Novartis International AG
  • Roche Holding AG
  • Lonza Group AG
  • Actelion Pharmaceuticals (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson)
  • Basilea Pharmaceutica AG

Zurich

  • Roche Diagnostics International AG
  • ABB Group (primarily a technology company but with healthcare technology solutions)
  • Siemens Healthineers (medical technology company)
  • University of Zurich (leading in life science research and education)
  • ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology – renowned for technology research and development)

Bern

  • CSL Behring AG
  • Ypsomed AG
  • Bern University Hospital (focus on life science and medical research)
  • Dottikon Exclusive Synthesis AG (specialized in pharmaceutical intermediates)
  • Swiss TPH (Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute – research institution in global health)

Cambridge

  • AstraZeneca – A global biopharmaceutical company focused on research and development of innovative medicines in areas such as oncology, respiratory, and cardiovascular.
  • Cambridge Consultants – An engineering and technology development firm providing solutions in medical devices, diagnostics, and digital health.
  • Abcam – A life science company specializing in producing and distributing high-quality antibodies and other research tools.
  • ARM Limited – A semiconductor and software design company, known for its contributions to the development of mobile computing and IoT technologies.
  • Illumina Cambridge – A subsidiary of Illumina, Inc., focused on genetic sequencing and genotyping technologies for research and clinical applications.

Oxford

  • Oxford Nanopore Technologies – A biotechnology company known for its groundbreaking nanopore sequencing technology for DNA and RNA analysis.
  • Oxford Instruments – A technology company providing high-tech solutions in research and industrial applications, including scientific instruments and analytical tools.
  • Immunocore – A biotechnology company focused on developing T-cell receptor-based immunotherapies for cancer and infectious diseases.
  • Sophos -A cybersecurity company providing next-gen solutions to protect businesses from cyber threats.
  • Adaptimmune Therapeutics – A biotechnology company developing T-cell therapies for cancer treatment.

London

  • GSK (GlaxoSmithKline) – A global pharmaceutical company with a significant presence in London, engaged in research, development, and commercialization of medicines and vaccines.
  • British Telecommunications (BT) – A leading technology and telecommunications company providing a wide range of services, including network solutions and IT services.
  • DeepMind Technologies (a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc.) – An AI research lab known for its breakthroughs in machine learning and applications in healthcare and other domains.
  • Medopad – A health tech company using data analytics and AI to improve patient outcomes and healthcare management.
  • Babylon Health – An AI-driven health tech company offering virtual healthcare services and personalized health advice.

If you are looking to relocate and need help or advice to make it a reality please get in touch with me [email protected]

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