Cutting-edge dynamism meets practical solutions at BIA Start-up Festival
In this blog, Albert Maguire-King, Media and Communications Executive at the BIA, shares his insights on BIA's recent Start-up Festival.
It's easy to use cliches when describing such occasions, saying that the atmosphere seemed electric or that something special seemed to be taking place. However, it would seem disengenuous not to speak in such terms to describe this event, such was the degree of enthusiasm and interest I encountered on the day.
I enjoyed talking to many budding entrepreneurs, including StoreGene founder Mark Bartlett. These conversations were varied and encapsulated the entirety of the innovation and unapologetic idealism on display. They also, though, touched upon what at times seemed to be an uneasy tension between the desire to start and lead a business dedicated to changing the world and the practical realities on the ground, which prevent the fulfillment of this, such as funding. Yet much optimism was in the air, for many of these entrepreneurs recognised this event as one that sought to rectify this problem. A multitude of investors were present who seemed just as keen to be involved in an ambitious project as the founders. Conversations throughout the day were geared towards how to effectively bring investors and founders together so as to ensure that competing visions do not diminish the finished product but rather that complementary mindsets enhance the business for the patient and all involved.
The first panel set a dynamic tone for the rest of the day. Comprising Rebecca Godfrey, COO of ExpressionEdits, Carolyn Porter, CEO of Outrun Therapeutics, and Özgür Tuncer, CEO of Stablepharma Ltd, the session explored the pillars of their companies’ successes, from foundational science and strategic funding to leadership and real-world industry experiences. The panelists shared strategies for navigating the funding landscape, emphasizing tailored pitches to diverse investors and the value of partnerships, as Rebecca highlighted with her approach to aligning proposals with pharmaceutical needs. They stressed the importance of robust leadership teams to instill investor confidence and the strategic balance of transparency against the trade secrets needed to maintain a competitive edge. Audience questions on team dynamics and role evolution sparked notable discussion.
During the second panel, hosted by Alex Merwin, Head of Growth, Healthcare & Life Science Startups, Amazon Web Services, the audience was given insights into leveraging underutilized biological data from techbio pioneers Pahini Pandya, CEO of Panakeia and Jonny Wray, CTO of Nucleome Therapeutics. The session illuminated how early-stage companies can harness AI-driven pathology analysis and dark genome mapping to drive scientific breakthroughs and commercial success. Pahini shared Panakeia’s approach to rapid multi-omic profiling from tissue images, bypassing lengthy wet-lab assays to accelerate diagnostics. Jonny detailed Nucleome’s mission to map the dark genome, unlocking novel drug targets through computational biology. The panelists offered practical strategies for identifying and monetizing data assets, stressing the need for integrated teams to transform complex datasets into competitive advantages.
The third panel delivered a blend of cautionary tales and strategic wisdom, led by Lilian Alcaraz of Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Sarah Fryer of the Institute of Clinical Research, Marco Delise of Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, and Daniel Pavin of Covington. Lilian emphasized early engagement with clinicians, patients, regulators, and investors to align innovations with their realities, while Sarah highlighted rigorous clinical trial design and adherence to Good Clinical Practice to meet regulatory demands. Marco stressed the value of market research to anticipate evolving needs, and Daniel navigated the legal complexities of intellectual property and partnerships, urging founders to safeguard future collaborations. The panel’s lively discussion advocated for continuous feedback loops and tailored partnerships with big pharma, reinforcing the event’s theme of balancing visionary innovation with practical execution to achieve market success.
During our Investor Roundtables, the founders present were given ample opportunity to speak directly to seasoned, accomplished investors. Sitting in on these sessions, I saw connections being forged as ideas were exchanged. On one particularly noteworthy occasion, I witnessed frustration being expressed by a founder who had been unable to find a solution to a problem for a great deal of time, only for the investor on that roundtable to relieve him of his problem in real time. My personal favourite roundtable was that hosted by Santiago Matheus on starting an international company. The style he opted for was socratic and conversational. Though he provided his own extensive knowledge, he was also keen to draw insights and perspectives from the business leaders on the table. Thus, all in attendance were able to draw on not just Santiago's own extensive background, but the collective wisdom of all in attendance. Such is the practical benefit of the events BIA holds, in which invaluable information is present and one ever truly knows who they're going to learn from, yet can have the confidence that they are going to leave the event with more knowledge, direction and animation than they entered with.
It is fitting that the event was concluded, just as it was introduced, with hope, a grounded perspective and a decisive call to action. Danuta Jeziorska, Scientific Founder and former CEO, Nucleome Therapeutics, achieved a lot with her sensational closing address. She took us through the emotional rollercoaster she has been through as a biotech founder, a journey complicated by a cancer diagnosis. However, rather than allowing this hurdle to become an insurmountable obstacle, she has allowed it to crystallise her vision and reformulate her priorities. She called on us to do likewise, and, through the depth and weight of her own experience, articulated the vital importance of our vision and our efforts coalescing with our desired outcome. With such a mindset, Danuta assured us, failure is not an option, for the joy inherent to our work of passion, and the lessons learned along the way, become quite as important as our final destination.
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