What is behind the structure of regional networks in the German biotechnology industry?

By using methods of network analysis I uncover the underlying structure of cooperation-linkages within and between regions on firm level for the German biotechnology industry. I show that intraregional as well as interregional linkages expose a distinctive set of regions as the most important players in the German biotechnology. These regions cannot be located in one specific spatially delimited area but are distributed over wide distances. The description shows that regarding the biotechnology industry neither local clustering nor far-ranging cooperation on its own seems to be sufficient when thinking about the role of distance.