Agribiotech cluster in Ghent

Plant science is one of the cornerstones of VIB research. In VIB's Center for Plant Systems Biology at Ghent University, scientists study the cellular mechanisms that orchestrate plant growth and responses to the environment. Together with research partners from Flanders and beyond these innovative insights are developed into agricultural applications and technologies that benefit society. After all, plant research holds many of the potential solutions for sustainable agriculture and food production.

World leading VIB research center in plant science: PSB

In the 1970s at Ghent University, Marc Van Montagu and Jeff Schell developed a technology to stably transfer genes to plants. This method is since then used worldwide to genetically improve plants.

It was on the shoulders of these giants that VIB was founded in 1996 and an agricultural biotechnology cluster started to develop in Ghent.

Today, the VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology, led by Dirk Inzé, located at the heart of the plant biotechnology campus in Ghent, is known as one of the world-leading centers in plant science.

VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology

We founded 5 agricultural biotechnology spin-offs

VIB has a long-standing tradition of converting basic plant science into successful companies: Devgen (1997), CropDesign (1998), Biotalys (2013), Aphea.Bio (2017) and Protealis (2021). CropDesign is now a BASF Plant Science company, while Devgen was taken over by Syngenta.

The youngest spin-offs, Biotalys and Aphea.Bio, create next-generation agricultural biologicals to increase crop yields and to protect crops against specific pests and diseases. In addition, the companies work closely with VIB, which has resulted in substantial R&D investments.

deVGen CropDesign Biotalys Aphea.Bio Protealis

Strong, internationally leading agricultural biotechnology cluster in Ghent

Today, the VIB spin-offs and the VIB research center are part of one of the world’s major agricultural biotechnology research and development clusters, employing over 1,000 people dedicated to plant biotechnology. The agricultural biotechnology sector is mainly clustered around Ghent, with BASF and Syngenta as examples of large companies that are active in this area – each with their own specialized R&D centers.

Early 2021, we launched a new start-up incubator that serves as Flanders’ premier center for agricultural biotechnology innovations. Read more about these facilities and the program below.

The VIB Agro-Incubator

Early 2021, VIB established a plant science and agricultural technology incubator at the former CropDesign (BASF) site. These facilities now serve as Flanders’ premier center for agricultural biotechnology (AgBio) innovations for start-ups. The incubator provides a physical space for early-stage companies that work on the future of sustainable agriculture and food production, offers greenhouse space, and provides an environment for likeminded companies. Together with ILVO, the Flanders research institute for agriculture, fisheries and food, VIB will also deliver mentoring programs, explore collaborative opportunities and unlock networks to help early-stage companies mature quickly.

VIB Agro-Incubator