On 5 May, Basel hosted the Swiss leg of the Montalcini Biotech Tour, an initiative promoted by the Biotech Working Group established by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in coordination with the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, the Ministry of Education and Research, the Ministry of Health, and ITA – the Italian Trade Agency – to promote Italian excellence in the biotechnology sector.
The event was held alongside the Swiss Biotech Day 2025, the most prominent event in the field in Switzerland, and was attended by over 30 leading Italian companies in the life sciences sector. Also invited were CEOs and heads of development from major biotech companies operating in Switzerland, as well as investors, consultants, and representatives of leading Italian and Swiss research institutions.
This strategic occasion aimed to strengthen bilateral cooperation between Italy and Switzerland within the context of a rapidly growing trade exchange between the two countries in the biotech field. In 2024 alone, Italian exports to Switzerland increased by 54%, reaching €650 million and placing Italy among the top seven suppliers to the Swiss market.
The networking evening was organised by the Consulate of Italy in Basel and the ITA Office in Bern, in collaboration with the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Switzerland. The event opened with institutional greetings from Consul Benedetta Romagnoli and Kaspar Sutter, the Cantonal Councillor responsible for economic affairs. Both highlighted the strategic importance of strengthening scientific and industrial cooperation in the biotech sector.
Guests of honour included Dr Pierluigi Paracchi, CEO of Genenta Science and coordinator of the Biotech Working Group; Dr Monica Giovannini, head of oncology R&D at Novartis; and Dr Luca Santarelli, a renowned Italian entrepreneur active in Switzerland. Their contributions offered valuable insights on internationalisation, entrepreneurship, and the frontiers of scientific research.
The Montalcini Biotech Tour – which began this year in San Francisco during the JP Morgan Conference and continued in Doha – aims to consolidate Italy’s presence in key international hubs for life sciences and biotech. In this context, Switzerland remains a strategic partner, thanks to the growing integration of the two countries’ respective value chains in the fields of health and therapeutic innovation.
Looking ahead, the goal is to establish this initiative as a regular fixture in the Italy–Switzerland bilateral agenda, fostering a stable network to support innovation and the global competitiveness of Italian companies in biotech and advanced innovation.
