Naresta continues partnership with “Northway”: Another biotechnology infrastructure object will be built in Vilnius
A new strategic construction project “BIO CITY III” is launched in Vilnius Innovation Industrial Park. Naresta will build a warehouse for the Stem Cell Research Centre, a company belonging to the Northway Group of Companies and the Northway Biotech cluster. This is the second joint project of Naresta and Northway Group, which will further develop biotechnology infrastructure in Lithuania and strengthen the country’s international position in the field of life sciences.
“Lithuania has unique opportunity to become European leader in biotechnology — we have top-class scientists, advanced infrastructure, and a rapidly growing innovation ecosystem. However, to not only maintain but also strengthen this position, a consistent strategy is necessary – bold investments in scientific research, close collaboration between business and academic communities, and clear state support for this sector. Biotechnology is not the future — it is the present,” says Professor Vladas Algirdas Bumelis, founder and chairman of the Northway group of companies.
The building will be built in Vismaliukų Street, Vilnius City Innovation Industry Park (VCIIP), which is being developed by a public institution Northtown Vilnius. The vision of VCIIP is to bring together high-tech enterprises operating in the field of life sciences, which is state priority, and to provide them with modern infrastructure adapted to research and experimental development.
According to Dr. Gediminas Pauliukevičius, CEO of Northtown Vilnius, Lithuania can indeed take pride in the achievements and potential of its life sciences industry. However, in order to allow this sector to continue growing and competing globally, we must also develop new infrastructure projects essential to its expansion.
“The expansion of industry leaders like Northway Biotech within the VCIIP is a strong addition to the innovation park’s ecosystem, where the synergy between science and business plays a crucial role. Such projects help drive industry development, foster the creation and implementation of innovation, and attract the attention of the international science and business community to Vilnius,” says Dr. G. Pauliukevičius.
According to him, the VCIIP area is already home to a number of high-tech companies, and almost 20 more companies, most of them in the life sciences sector, are planning to locate here in the near future.
“And with the emergence of industry leaders like Northway Biotech, we have a very real opportunity for Vilnius to become an important hub for the life sciences industry in the region,” he says.
The new building will be two-storey, with a total area of 1.7 thousand sq. m. The A++ energy class building will be adapted for specialized activities, and its infrastructure will meet the highest technological requirements necessary for life science infrastructure. Construction is scheduled to start in February 2025. It is planned that in the “BIO CITY” stage III area, alongside the warehouse building currently set to begin construction, an innovative centre for cell, tissue, and organ engineering, as well as 3D bioprinting, will be developed — along with a large-scale microbial process manufacturing facility.
We are pleased to continue the successful partnership with the Northway group. Life sciences infrastructure requires exceptionally modern, complex engineering solutions meeting the highest international standards and specific technical knowledge. That is why we continue to apply our team’s extensive experience toward the development of the science and innovation ecosystem,” says CEO of Naresta Tadas Grincevičius.
This is already the second project of Naresta with the Northway group — previously one of the largest construction companies in Lithuania successfully implemented the construction of the first Gene Therapy Centre in the Baltic countries. This stage of BIO CITY, one of Europe’s largest biotechnology cities, is located in the Gulbinų district.
