Start-up Festival is intended for the leaders of emerging companies in the early stages of developing therapeutics, diagnostics or biological platforms, who are:
- Focused on establishing, building and scaling their companies
- Exploring fundraising and early commercial strategy
- Bringing breakthrough ideas to market
- Looking to expand knowledge and connect with advisors and investors.
In addition, we welcome investors seeking opportunities and early access to quality founders.
2026 attendees included:
Job titles
| Job titles |
| Account Manager |
| Analyst |
| Associate |
| Associate |
| Associate |
| Associate Director |
| Associate Director - Science Ecosystem |
| Associate Director for Membership and Business Development |
| Associate Director, Ventures |
| Associate II Portfolio Management, Early Stage Banking |
| Business Development |
| Business Development Consultant |
| Business Development Lead |
| Business Development Manager - Health |
| Business Development Transactions Manager |
| Business Operations Manager Incubation EMEA, External Scientific Innovation |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO |
| CEO & Co-Founder |
| CEO & Co-founder |
| CEO & Founder |
| CEO / Venture Advisor / Regulatory Strategist |
| CFO |
| Chair (a.i) NED and Co-Founder |
| Chief Executive Officer |
| Chief of Staff |
| Chief Operating Officer |
| Chief Operations Officer |
| Client Executive |
| Co-Founder |
| Co-Founder |
| Co-Founder |
| Co-Founder |
| Co-Founder |
| Co-Founder |
| Co-Founder |
| Co-Founder & CCO |
| Co-Founder & CEO |
| Co-Founder & CEO |
| Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer |
| Co-Founder & Head of Research |
| Co-Founder / Head of Drug Discovery |
| Co-Founder and CEO |
| Co-Founder and CEO |
| Co-Founder and CTO |
| Co-Founder and Head of Preclinical Development |
| Commercial Lead |
| Commerical Lead - One North Quay |
| Company Director / CEO |
| Consultant |
| Content & Communications Executive |
| COO & Co-Founder |
| CSO and Co-Founder |
| CTO |
| CTO |
| Customer Applications Upstream |
| Director |
| Director of Business Development |
| Director of Business Development |
| Director of Entrepreneurship |
| Director of Operations |
| Director of Science and Technology |
| Director, Global Markets, Early Stage Banking |
| Emerging Biotech UK |
| Entrepreneur in Residence |
| Entrepreneur in Residence |
| Executive Director, Business Development & Strategic Alliance |
| External Engagement and Scrutiny Lead, Incentives & Reliefs |
| Facilities Officer |
| Founder |
| Founder |
| Founder |
| Founder |
| Founder |
| Founder |
| Founder & CSO |
| Founder / CEO |
| Founder and Medical Director |
| Founder in residence |
| Group Lead |
| Head of Community Growth & Partnerships |
| Head of Marketing & Conferences |
| Head of Medicinal Chemistry |
| Head of Research and Development |
| Head of Toxicology |
| Head of Venture Creation |
| Investment Advisor |
| Investment Associate |
| Investment Director |
| Investment Manager |
| Investor Relations Manager |
| Investor Relationships Manager |
| Investor Relationships Manager |
| Knowledge Transfer Manager in Precision Medicine |
| KQ Labs Chair & Entrepreneur in Residence |
| Lead Entrepreneur |
| Leasing Asset Manager |
| Life Science Sales Specialist |
| Managing Director |
| Managing Director & Head of UK Office |
| Managing Partner |
| Managing Partner |
| Marketing Executive |
| Marketing Manager |
| Membership and Business Development Executive |
| Membership and Business Development Executive |
| Partner |
| Partner |
| Partner |
| Partner |
| Partner |
| Partner |
| Partner (Patent Attorney) |
| Partner (Patent Attorney) |
| Partnerships Manager |
| Patent Attorney |
| President, Growth |
| Principal |
| Principal Investigator |
| Professor of Global Women's Health |
| Programme Manager |
| Project and Programme Executive (Skills) |
| Research Assistant |
| Scientist |
| Senior Associate |
| Senior Associate Partner |
| Senior BioPharma Account Manager |
| Senior Capital Equipment Specialist |
| Senior Digital Marketing Executive |
| Senior Events Executive |
| Senior Lead Science & Entrepreneurship |
| Senior Policy and Public Affairs Executive |
| Senior Research Commercialisation Manager (lead for Health and Life Sciences) |
| Senior Sponsorship Manager |
| Senior Technical Application Consultant - Upstream |
| Special Counsel |
| Special Counsel |
| Strategy & Business Development Analyst |
| Team Leader, R&D Tax Reliefs Policy |
| Technical Applications Specialist - Downstream |
| Technical Director |
| Translation Associate |
| Translation Scientist |
| UK Commercial Director |
| Upstream MSAT Specialist |
| Vice President |
| Vice President, UK Life Sciences |
| VP Bioinformatics |
Organisations
| Organisations |
| 22459 Ventures |
| Aerska |
| Alexandria |
| Angel Investor |
| ApoEra Therapeutics |
| Appleyard Lees IP |
| Awen Oncology Limited |
| Babraham Research Campus |
| Big Picture Bio |
| BioRes |
| Bitrobius Genetics |
| BoobyBiome |
| Brain Feed Therapeutics |
| Brand Murray Fuller |
| Brandon Capital |
| Calibra Bio Ltd |
| Cambridge Innovation Capital Limited |
| Cancer Research Horizons |
| Catapult Cell and Gene Therapy |
| CellAgri |
| Cellestial Health |
| Cerebro One Ltd |
| CoED Biosciences |
| Collaborative Drug Discovery |
| Concert Bio |
| Cooley (UK) LLP |
| CoreTech Sciences |
| CPI |
| Curenetics |
| CWG |
| deepmirror |
| Effective Mass |
| EIT Oxford |
| Ellele Health |
| Ellison Institute (stealth spin-out incubating within) |
| ExoNostic |
| Field Foundry Ltd |
| Finnegan Europe LLP |
| Frontier Space |
| Future Planet Capital |
| HaemAnalytica Ltd |
| HMRC |
| Houdini Bio |
| HSBC Innovation Banking |
| ICR Healthcare |
| ImmuONE |
| imphatec |
| Infinitopes |
| Innovate UK Business Connect |
| Institute for Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research, University of Edinburgh |
| Isoform Oncology |
| Isoform Oncology |
| Johnson & Johnson |
| KÄhu SiliconBio |
| Kadans Science Partner |
| Kindling Bio |
| King's College London |
| Lazarus Biosciences |
| LifeArc |
| LifeScience ORG |
| LightOx |
| Lir Therapeutics |
| LongRiver |
| M Ventures |
| Marks & Clerk |
| Marsh Ltd |
| Mechanome Bio |
| Merck |
| Microplate Dx Limited |
| Molecular Research |
| Molten Ventures |
| Mz Medical |
| Naevi |
| NaNotics LLC |
| Nascent studio |
| National Physical Laboratory (NPL) |
| Navira |
| NC3Rs |
| neurocentrx |
| Nodenza Venture Partners |
| O2H Ltd |
| o2h Ventures |
| Outpost Bio |
| OutSee Limited |
| Ovartix |
| Phoenix NanoBio Ltd |
| Pioneer Group |
| Polytecks |
| Protalea Bio |
| Refold Therapeutics Limited |
| Relation Therapeutics |
| ReNeuron |
| SciSure |
| Scripta Therapeutics |
| Semarion |
| SJT Advisory |
| SmartCare Worldwide Limited |
| SMi Systems |
| Stablepharma Ltd |
| Stealth Mode Company |
| Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst |
| TaraVera Bio |
| Thaver |
| The Francis Crick Institute |
| The Nanobiotechnology Hub Ltd |
| UCL Business Ltd |
| University of Bristol |
| University of Dundee (Research & Innovation) |
| University of Exeter |
| Valaya Bio |
| Vector Bioscience Cambridge |
| Verdiva Bio Limited |
| Verso Biosense Limited |
| VWR |
| Wasteless Bio |
| Xantho Ventures Ltd |
| Xecced Ventures |
For further information, please contact:
Heloise McCulla
What does your role at BIA involve?
Heloise oversees the planning, coordination, and delivery of a wide range of events, ensuring every event is well-planned, seamlessly executed, and valuable for attendees. Heloise manages all logistics, collaborates closely with partners and speakers, and focuses on crafting engaging experiences that support networking, learning, and industry connection.
Previous experience & achievements
Heloise brings extensive experience in planning and delivering events, having managed high-profile launches such as Goodwood Festival of Speed to major conferences and large-scale award shows. Heloise’s achievements include developing impactful event concepts, enhancing attendee experience, building strong relationships with media, partners, and stakeholders, and delivering seamless onsite management – consistently ensuring high-quality, well-executed events.
Annual Supporters
