Biotech Graduate | Microfluidics MSc | Passionate About Innovation & Biotech Business
𝗗-𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗩𝗖 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗶𝗻 🇪🇺 Yesterday, I had the chance to attend the Demo Day organized by Capital Cell, 🚀 where a number of promising biotech startups presented their pitches. Events like these are invaluable for staying in touch with the pulse of the European biotech innovation scene. 🌍 The real highlight for me, though, was the lively debate that followed the presentations, 💬 focused on the current European VC landscape. Here are some of the 𝙠𝙚𝙮 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 that resonated with me: 🔬 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙑𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙨 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙞𝙣 𝙀𝙪𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚: It's well known that the gap between scientific research and commercialization—the 'valley of death'—is a challenge worldwide, but it's especially pronounced in Europe. Despite having an edge in scientific output compared to the US, Europe sees less translation into startups and commercial innovation. 💸 𝙁𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙄𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙩: Early-stage biotech investment in Europe tends to be country-dependent and localized, which limits opportunities. The discussion touched on how unifying or at least connecting the European seeding landscape could benefit entrepreneurs by enabling larger funding rounds and smoother cross-border growth. Networking across borders is thus crucial for founders looking to attract diverse investors. ⚠️ 𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙍𝙞𝙨𝙠 𝙞𝙣 𝘽𝙞𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙝: Another point brought up was the overestimation of risk in the biotech sector. Yes, it's a risky field—but not significantly riskier than many other tech sectors. This misconception often stems from poor communication from startups about their progress and milestones. A well-crafted pitch can play a big role in addressing this. These conversations are critical to understanding not just the challenges, but also the pathways we need to create for biotech to thrive in Europe. 🔗If you're in the biotech or investment space, I'd love to hear your thoughts. How do you see the potential for unifying the European investment landscape?
Thanks! Nice artwork too :)