Connecting science with creativity to bring innovation to life

Sciad Communications joins BIA, connecting science with creativity to bring innovation to life. In this blog, Deborah Cockerill, Founder and Managing Partner, shares how Sciad provides the missing link between scientific discovery and real-world application, and excellent communication, thanks to their team of science graduates with a flair for creativity.

By being a member of the BIA, Sciad is positioned at the heart of the UK’s network of life science innovators, enabling valuable opportunities to promote discoveries to individuals capable of turning them into reality.

Tell us about your company and ambitions

Our ambition is summarised in the four words of our company strapline – bringing innovation to life. As a leading science marketing and communications agency for the life science, biotech, healthcare and engineering sectors, we fill the communications gap that can prevent exciting innovations from reaching their real-world potential.

Our team of communicators, scientists, marketers, and designers have a shared passion for scientific discovery. Connecting science and the arts, we create compelling campaigns to put the latest discoveries in front of the people who need to see them. We work with start-ups and scale-ups from all parts of the innovation ecosystem and use advertising and marketing expertise to sell a story that matters – science.

What is the biggest achievement so far?

A single scientist can’t fix the global challenges we face, and our biggest achievement is the number of projects we’ve been involved in. Since our inception, we’ve created successful campaigns for over 200 clients globally, ranging from biotech start-ups to CDMOs, science publishers, and industry associations. This includes 100 + branding projects, the design of 50+ websites, 10,000+ digital marketing campaigns, and support for 100+ scientific conferences. 

What are some of the priorities that you’re currently working on?

As a communications agency, our priorities are those of our clients. With global challenges facing the health of our populations and our planet, the science community is focused on creating innovative solutions. In response, Sciad’s priority is to bring this innovation to life through the creation of marketing strategies, scientific thinking, and high-impact campaigns.

The rapid expansion of digital capabilities and technologies presents new opportunities for effective communications and marketing. Within this space, our priority is to embrace technological innovations and use them as effective tools for communicating scientific innovations.

What is the greatest benefit of being a BIA member? 

Being a BIA member gives our team access to events and networking within the UK’s life science community. We will meet innovators, connect with industry enablers, and keep up to date with the latest opportunities and challenges. Our team leave BIA events feeling enthused about the exciting advances across the life sciences, and motivated to play our role in elevating these discoveries from networking events to global networks, through effective communications strategies.

What excites you about the UK life sciences sector?

The UK is leading the world in life science innovation. With some of the world’s leading universities, there is so much exciting research that inspires start-ups and spinouts at the forefront of biotech discovery. Despite the current financial environment, the UK has key investors who are keen to support the life science sector as it grows.

If you could invite any scientist or entrepreneur to dinner, who would it be and why?

Innovative science happens when people with different skills and backgrounds come together, so I don’t think I could invite just one scientist – it would have to be a dinner party!

There are so many interesting people in the life science sector. I’d invite the key players working to define the challenges within women’s health. Until now, women’s health has been left behind. Issues surrounding menstruation and menopause have been considered ‘taboo’ subjects and haven’t received the attention they deserve. I’d invite entrepreneurs, investors, academics, industry leaders, government representatives and female patient advocates to a dinner, to discuss how we can effectively fund research and drive innovation to help improve lives.