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Bio ‘virgins’ handed passport to global glory

Written by News Desk
Wednesday, 12 March 2008
The BIO International Convention will be held in San Diego in June Biotech SMEs in the East of England cluster are being handed a unique chance to expand globally through an exciting new initiative from East of England International. EEI trade advisers, who promote the region and its companies overseas, have conjured the highly innovative ‘Bio Passport’ scheme to help East of England biotech fledglings parade their technology globally and network with potential international collaborators. The focus of the initiative is the 2008 BIO International Convention being held on San Diego’s waterfront in June. EEI is offering generous subsidies to help 10 ‘bio virgins’ based in Europe’s top biotech cluster to attend the event, piggy-back the UK’s effort to win more business at the expo and directly network with possible partners. Chris Ilsley, who is driving the scheme for EEI, is inviting local biotechs who are inexperienced at exporting their expertise and technology to sign up for the programme. EEI will even ‘coach’ these young companies to ensure they are in the best possible shape for the 2008 Bio showcase. Ilsley said: “We have helped scores of companies across a range of industry sectors improve their overseas sales through our Passport to Export programme and OMIS (Overseas Market Introduction Service) reports, which identify opportunities abroad and facilitate the relationships required to optimise those markets. “We value highly the international reputation and trade payback for this region gleaned from having Europe’s leading biotechnology cluster and felt that adapting the ‘Passport’ programme to biotechnology could have major, long term benefits. “The veterans of the local biotech scene know the importance of attending events such as BIO and the need to network globally but scores of younger biotech companies – start-ups or immature SMEs – simply don’t have the resources to engage with the international bio community. “Rather than see them sitting on the sidelines watching with envy we felt it would be productive to support them in attending 2008 BIO and schooling them in how to maximise this wonderful opportunity.” Everyone who is anyone in global biotech will be at the 2008 BIO International Convention, from June 17-20. EEI will offer a subsidy on a matched funding basis worth up to £1500 for 10 ‘virgin’ East of England biotechs that wish to sign up for Bio Passport and attend the San Diego showcase. EEI will also, crucially, help these companies prepare for the event with a focused workshop, to be held in Cambridge in May. Ilsley and his colleagues will help the bio babes with pre-show publicity and even arrange meetings in San Diego with potential partners and collaborators. Ilsley said: “San Diego is the very heartland of global biotechnology yet it must seem so remote for our biotechnology start-ups and small players. We can take the perceived sting out of the process. “By being one of our 10 bio virgins, participants will be on a winner from the very start. They will have nine other companies in our delegation to talk to, share experiences with and attend the San Diego convention alongside. “We can fix up one-to-one meetings with potential international partners in San Diego. Our companies can harness the power of the UKTI stand at the event itself – even holding meetings on the stand if they desire. There is no need under this initiative for young bio companies from this region to get lost at the convention. “Bio Passport is an initiative that is all about focused delivery and we will have a strong team in San Diego to support our companies in every way possible.” So what is the first step? Sign up now. Once you do, you will be plugged into a highly targeted programme starting with a Cambridge workshop in May and a continuing support programme through to BIO and beyond. Ilsley said: “We mean this initiative to be dynamic. Our relationship with these ‘virgin’ biotechs is not intended to be geared to San Diego and then forgotten. We can help our chosen 10 companies become best of breed and highly attractive to overseas pharmaceutical and biotechnology players. “We want to follow their fortunes as they become the next big players of the East of England biotech scene.” The backdrop could hardly be more encouraging. Despite one or two setbacks, the region has seen world-leading Pharma companies Pfizer and Illumina commit to major space in the region while both Vernalis and Stem Cell Sciences have closed operations elsewhere to scale up in Cambridge. Ilsley said: “The local market place is buoyant and we are seeing some good fundraisings. I would urge biotech start-ups locally to sign up for Bio Passport now so we can begin the process of grooming them for San Diego and beyond. “Given the extent of our support, this initiative represents a fabulous opportunity and negligible risk.” • If you want to be one of the 10 ‘chosen few’ on Bio Passport, then call Chris Ilsley on 07920 258 987 or email him: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Set as favorite Bookmark Email This Hits: 504 Trackback(0) TrackBack URI for this entry Comments (0) Subscribe to this comment's feed Show/Hide comments Write comment Show/Hide comment form This content has been locked. You can no longer post any comment.