Key Takeaways
- • HELIX alpha launches dedicated advisory division to serve life science real estate clients across Europe, complementing its core investment management business and targeting life science companies, property owners, institutional investors, and research cluster organizations.
- • Patrick Schlump appointed Managing Partner effective October 1, 2026, bringing 15+ years of institutional real estate investment experience from Praemia REIM, Union Investment, Bouwfonds, and Swiss Life Asset Managers, with a focus on investment products and institutional investor relationships.
- • Dr. Thomas Diefenthal transitions from Advisory Board to operational role as Director Advisory, leveraging two decades of BioPark Regensburg development expertise to build out the advisory practice covering corporate property strategy, M&A property issues, and life science ecosystem development.
- • Advisory services target comprehensive real estate solutions including corporate property requirements, merger and acquisition-related property matters, investment and ownership strategies, and innovation district ecosystem development.
- • Management continuity strengthened through long-standing relationship between Schlump and CEO Martin Eberhardt, who have collaborated since 2009 across multiple organizations developing institutional investment products in European real estate sectors.
Summary
HELIX alpha is expanding its European life science real estate platform through the launch of a dedicated advisory division and two senior management appointments, signaling the firm's strategy to diversify revenue streams while leveraging deep sector expertise. The advisory operation will operate alongside the company's core investment management business, providing external clients with specialized services in the life sciences property sector—an area increasingly integrated within broader innovation ecosystems encompassing biotech, digital health, and emerging technologies.
Patrick Schlump will assume the role of Managing Partner effective October 1, 2026, taking responsibility for investment and fund management operations as well as institutional investor relationships. Schlump brings substantial experience from Praemia REIM, a French investment manager focused on healthcare property, and prior roles at Union Investment, Bouwfonds Investment Management, Swiss Life Asset Managers, and its German subsidiary Corpus Sireo. His appointment represents institutional continuity; Schlump has collaborated with HELIX alpha founder and CEO Martin Eberhardt since 2009, during which time they jointly developed investment products targeting institutional capital across European real estate strategies, including student accommodation and car parks. This institutional playbook is expected to inform HELIX alpha's development of life science property investment products.
Dr. Thomas Diefenthal transitions from the company's Advisory Board into an operational position as Director Advisory, positioning him to lead the new advisory division. With more than two decades of experience developing BioPark Regensburg, one of Europe's prominent life science real estate clusters, Diefenthal brings hands-on expertise in establishing and managing innovation districts. The advisory practice will target a broad client base including life science companies, property owners and investors, public and private research organizations, and entities developing innovation clusters and research districts. Service offerings encompass corporate property strategy and requirements assessment, property issues arising from mergers and acquisitions, investment and ownership strategy development, and ecosystem-level support for life science cluster advancement.
The expansion reflects market demand for specialized advisory services in a sector that has historically operated within broader real estate management. By separating advisory operations as a distinct business line while maintaining integration with investment management capabilities, HELIX alpha positions itself to serve clients across the life science property value chain—from individual corporate tenants to large-scale ecosystem developers and institutional investors seeking exposure to specialized European life science real estate.
Patrick Schlump will assume the role of Managing Partner effective October 1, 2026, taking responsibility for investment and fund management operations as well as institutional investor relationships. Schlump brings substantial experience from Praemia REIM, a French investment manager focused on healthcare property, and prior roles at Union Investment, Bouwfonds Investment Management, Swiss Life Asset Managers, and its German subsidiary Corpus Sireo. His appointment represents institutional continuity; Schlump has collaborated with HELIX alpha founder and CEO Martin Eberhardt since 2009, during which time they jointly developed investment products targeting institutional capital across European real estate strategies, including student accommodation and car parks. This institutional playbook is expected to inform HELIX alpha's development of life science property investment products.
Dr. Thomas Diefenthal transitions from the company's Advisory Board into an operational position as Director Advisory, positioning him to lead the new advisory division. With more than two decades of experience developing BioPark Regensburg, one of Europe's prominent life science real estate clusters, Diefenthal brings hands-on expertise in establishing and managing innovation districts. The advisory practice will target a broad client base including life science companies, property owners and investors, public and private research organizations, and entities developing innovation clusters and research districts. Service offerings encompass corporate property strategy and requirements assessment, property issues arising from mergers and acquisitions, investment and ownership strategy development, and ecosystem-level support for life science cluster advancement.
The expansion reflects market demand for specialized advisory services in a sector that has historically operated within broader real estate management. By separating advisory operations as a distinct business line while maintaining integration with investment management capabilities, HELIX alpha positions itself to serve clients across the life science property value chain—from individual corporate tenants to large-scale ecosystem developers and institutional investors seeking exposure to specialized European life science real estate.
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