BioCap: the perfect networking opportunity for companies and investors

BioCap 2022 saw more than 160 delegates in attendance, providing a unique meeting place connecting life sciences businesses, researchers and investors.

The event comprised of three elements: the digital pitching competition on 20th September featuring 11 finalists, the investor dinner on the evening of 21st September and the main conference on 22nd September, featuring keynote speakers, panel discussions, one-to-one partnering meetings and of course, the announcement of the overall pitching competition winner.

The panel sessions covered many topical talking points, including equity in funding and opportunities for female- and minority-led organisations, celebrating the next generation of talent, prospects for university spinouts and some progress insights from featured company CEOs and founders.

The event also saw three keynote investor insight speeches, with the first by Better Capital Chairman, Jon Moulton, who highlighted the UK’s leadership over the EU in both funding and new biotech start-ups. Other takeaways included the UK’s good general life science infrastructure but with the emphasis needing to shift from the volume of funding to its effectiveness, and the requirement for more, and quicker, output, which would require more risk-taking and faster routes to clinic.

The next investor insight presentation was by Northern Gritstone’s Chief Investment Officer, Marion Bernard. Marion detailed the innovative way in which her company operated: namely, an investment platform founded by the Universities of Leeds, Manchester, and Sheffield, which enabled them proprietary access to spinouts from the three universities in a variety of sectors, including medtech, medical devices, biotech, therapeutics and drug discovery.

The final investor insight was conducted as a fireside chat featuring Avi Spier, Executive Director of Search & Evaluation, NIBR BD&L at the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research. Avi shared his thoughts on how corporates fit into the overall funding journey for companies, post-Covid changes and challenges in the global life sciences community and how SMEs can engage, and how the country’s landscape is changing and where the North of England fits within the global context of the UK.

Pitching competition winner

From a strong cohort of submissions, a whittled down shortlist of 11 then had the opportunity to deliver an 8 minute pitch during the BioCap Digital Pitching Competition on 20th September.

The top three pitches were University of Manchester spinouts Apini Therapeutics and Spotlight Pathology, and University of Liverpool spinout ReNewVax, with Marie O’Brien’s pitch on behalf of ReNewVax being crowned the overall winner. Congratulations!

Geoff Davison, CEO of Bionow, commented: “This was an invaluable opportunity for companies seeking funding and potential investors to get together, network, share ideas and identify potential future opportunities for collaboration. I would also like to congratulate ReNewVax, the winner of the BioCap Pitching Competition, with a special mention also to Apini and Spotlight Pathology.”

BioCap 2022 was sponsored by Slater Heelis, Bruntwood SciTech, RSM UK and Appleyard Lees.