CeGaT celebrated several events on April 9: CeGaT turned 15 years old. The inauguration of the extension tripled the size of the CeGaT building. And since April 1, the family-run company has once again been fully owned by its founders.
Since its foundation in 2009, CeGaT has undergone an impressive development and now has the largest sequencing capacity of privately run laboratories worldwide.
CeGaT invited all employees, friends, family, and guests of honor from politics, business, and science to a festive event to celebrate the anniversary and inauguration. The event’s highlight was the speeches by Peter Gabriel, Tübingen’s construction mayor Cord Soehlke, the architects Dannien and Roller, and a patient, followed by an exclusive tour through the new building, ending on the roof terrace. The management recognized the performance of the entire team, with whom CeGaT is also very well positioned for future challenges in the market.
A 15-year success story
Founded by Dr. Dr. Saskia Biskup and Dr. Dirk Biskup, CeGaT revolutionized genetic testing by combining next-generation sequencing with human genetic diagnostics for the first time. This innovative approach was recognized in 2011 with the “Deutscher Gründerpreis” (German Founder Award) and in 2014 with an EU Innovation Award. Since then, CeGaT has pursued its vision of making diagnostics and high-throughput sequencing at the highest level available and affordable for everyone. This applies to preventive diagnostics as well as to the diagnosis of patients or the examination of specific samples for researchers. In addition to genetic diagnostics, CeGaT works for researchers, biotech companies, and “big pharma” by offering high-quality sequencing and an all-around service. By continuously expanding its range of services and investing in ever-newer and modern technologies, CeGaT is positioning itself as a long-term partner at the forefront of biomedical diagnostics and research.
15-year success story in pictures
New building: focus on sustainability and a feel-good atmosphere
CeGaT has expanded its site with a sustainably conceptualized new building to accommodate the company’s growth. The L-shaped extension offers modern office and laboratory space on three floors and fulfills key aspects of sustainability using recycled concrete, renewable raw materials, and geothermal and photovoltaic systems. The implementation of these measures exceeds the standards of the KFW 40 environmental norm and thus contributes to a considerable reduction in CO2 emissions.
The new building is connected to the existing building, the construction of which began almost exactly 11 years ago, with the official ground-breaking ceremony on April 16, 2013. The fact that the office and laboratory space had to be tripled within just seven years exceeds all expectations and is a testament to the commitment and performance of the unique team. Following the completion of the new building, all employees are now back together in one location.
CeGaT’s building in 2014 (left) and today the building with the 2024 extension (right)
CeGaT completely family-owned since April 1, 2024
The international medical technology company B. Braun and CeGaT have ended their collaboration. The background to this is that both partners will be pursuing different strategic directions in the future despite a long-standing and trusting collaboration. As a result, B. Braun has sold its shares in CeGaT GmbH to Saskia and Dirk Biskup as of April 1, 2024. This means that the Tübingen-based biotechnology company is now once again fully owned by the two founders.