Aid to participate in BIO-Europe Spring, the top European biotech and pharma congress

BY BIOCAT

BIO-Europe Spring, the spring edition of the top European partnering congress specializing in biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry, will be held from 14 to 16 March 2011 at the Milan Convention Center (Italy). Organized by the EBD Group, BES attracts top leaders from the biotech and pharma sectors each year, including senior executives, heads of business development, investors and experts from the sector. 73% of all participants are from Europe, 19% from North America and the other 8% from Asia.

In order to help biotechnology companies from around Spain participate in the congress, the Spanish Association of Biotechnology Companies (Asebio), ICEX and Genoma España –with support from Biocat in the BioRegion of Catalonia– are offering the following aid programs:

• ASEBIO: a 200-euro discount on registration for Asebio members, based on the current price upon completion of the registration process. To receive this discount, write “Asebio Member” in the “Comments” field on the registration form on the congress website.
• ICEX: through Asebio, is offering a 410-euro travel grant per company. The number of grants is limited and will be given out on a strictly first-come-first-served basis. The deadline is 11 February 2011. To request this grant, contact Esther Campos (ecampos@asebio.com). 
• GENOMA ESPAÑA: is offering biotechnology companies that participate in the congress an 800-euro subsidy to cover registration costs of the partnering sessions. Documents should be sent to Genoma España after the congresshas finished (deadline 30 June 2011). To request the necessary paperwork, contact Jose María Toro (jmtoro@gen-es.org • Tel. +34 91 449 12 50).

One-to-one meetings

One of the strengths of the BIO-Europe Spring congress is its partnering sessions (9,000 one-to-one meetings were carried out at the latest edition, held in Barcelona March of 2010), which lead to a number of commercial, financial and research agreements. Before the congress, participants have the opportunity to use an online program to look for potential partners and coordinate their agenda. This system has become the most effective in Europe and has been used by other congresses like Biospain.

• One-to-one partnering meetings
• Sessions: conferences and workshops with top-notch speakers that provide an analysis of the current situation and share their experience with the audience. 
• Company presentations: biotechnology andpharmaceutical companies present their products, technology and corporate missions in 15-minute presentations. Additionally, young innovative start-ups can participate in the Next Generation sessionswith a 7-minute presentation of their activities. 
• Exhibition: an international exhibition of the main leaders of this industry. There are spaces available for innovative young companies at a discount.

Companies and organizations from the BioRegion of Catalonia that want more information should contact:

Biocat
Montse Daban
events@biocat.cat
Tel. +34 93 310 33 69