Report | Intelligent Investment
European Life Sciences Ecosystems: Sector Guide 2026
February 25, 2026
Introduction
The European life sciences sector is a key contributor to global innovation and growth, propelled by technological breakthroughs, expanding scientific platforms, and a robust pipeline of novel therapies. Advances in areas such as Antibody‑Drug Conjugates, AI‑enabled drug discovery, precision medicine, metabolic and immunology‑focused therapeutics, and digital health are increasingly complementing traditional medicines. This dynamic evolution reflects the scientific ambition across the region.
The European Life Sciences Ecosystems: Sector Guide 2026 features case studies of prominent institutions and developments, alongside real estate insights including stock levels, typical rents, recent key transactions, and opportunities emerging from future development pipelines. These insights provide a solid foundation for investors, developers, and life sciences organisations seeking to engage with Europe’s evolving life sciences real estate market.
Inside the Report
The guide offers a structured overview of Europe’s most exciting life sciences landscapes, including:
Sector overview and market drivers
An analysis of venture capital (VC) trends within each market, accompanied by case studies that highlight the unique characteristics of each ecosystem.
European ecosystem profiles
Assessment of leading city and regional clusters, evaluated through their scientific specialisms, infrastructure, and institutional strength.
European Life Sciences Sector
The sector encompasses a diverse set of sub‑segments: biopharma/biotech, medical devices, diagnostics, contract research organisations, genomics, medtech, and digital health, each playing a critical role in the overall ecosystem. On the funding front, VC investment into European life sciences rebounded strongly in 2025, with total healthcare and life sciences VC volumes reaching €13.2 billion, up 2.8% on 2024.
At both European and national levels, life sciences continues to be recognised as a strategic priority for economies and governments, driven by its potential to improve public health outcomes, generate high-quality jobs, and contribute to GDP growth. At the same time, the ecosystem is strengthened by a large and growing pool of university spinouts. According to Cambridge Innovation Capital, European deep tech and life sciences spinouts are now collectively valued at c. $398 billion, having created more than 167,000 jobs across over 7,300 companies. As start-ups scale and established companies consolidate their foothold in high-opportunity clusters, demand for flexible and high-specification real estate is likely to rise, reinforcing the critical role of real estate strategy in supporting the sector’s next wave of growth.
Geographic Coverage: All Countries and Clusters Analysed
This report does not seek to rank Europe’s life sciences ecosystems. Instead, it highlights the distinct attributes that make each location compelling, offering a curated overview of some of the region’s most established and emerging life sciences hubs. The analysis serves as a guide to the locations currently driving innovation and investment across Europe.
The following table outlines all national and city-level clusters included in the study, with each evaluated for scientific capability, VC and talent depth, infrastructure strength, and overall market maturity.Belgium
Denmark
France
Paris
Germany
Munich
Italy
Netherlands
Utrecht
Spain
Madrid
Sweden
Switzerland
Lausanne
Zurich
UK
London
Oxford
Greater Manchester
Edinburgh
About this report
The growing innovation and investment momentum in Europe’s life sciences sector is increasingly attracting the attention of real estate investors and developers. While life sciences currently represent a relatively small share of the European real estate investment market, the sector’s expansion is creating opportunities for specialised assets and emerging clusters.
Life sciences activity is known to concentrate in hubs that combine strong academic research institutions, access to skilled scientific talent, robust funding networks, and other locational advantages. At the same time, new clusters are emerging, and existing hubs are evolving to strengthen their competitive positions. Understanding these dynamics requires careful analysis of each location’s specialisms, ecosystem strengths, and growth potential.
One of the challenges for investors is the limited availability of consistent, high-quality market data. The report addresses this by presenting a curated set of metrics and insights on key European life sciences ecosystems.
Rather than ranking by size, the locations covered have been selected for their unique capabilities and long-term potential, highlighting universities, research institutes, incubators, and diverse occupier bases.
Insights for Investors, Developers & Life Sciences Organisations
This report delivers actionable insight for:
Investors
Insights into VC flows, high-growth clusters, and the evolving competitive landscape. The report highlights regional funding trends, significant venture funding activity in biotech and health tech, and the structural factors underpinning investor confidence.
Real estate owners and developers
Analysis of lab, hybrid R&D space, and innovation district development – including rental benchmarks, development pipelines, and supply dynamics.
Life sciences occupiers
Evaluation of ecosystem depth across European hubs, including academic excellence, translational research, spinout activity, incubator density, and sector-specific strengths.
Connect With Our Life Sciences Experts Across Europe
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