By Dennis Ford, Founder & CEO, Life Science Nation (LSN)
Every March, early-stage life science teams spend thousands of euros to attend one of Europe’s biggest partnering weeks. They show up expecting investors, deal momentum, and progress. Most leave with something else: lots of vendor and service provider meeting requests, and a shorter cash runway.
For seed, Series A, and early Series B companies, Lisbon is not a winter party celebration. It is a stress test. And the platforms you choose will either compound your progress or quietly drain your capital.
The Cost Reality No One Likes to Say Out Loud
Standard passes and bundled “week in Lisbon” packages routinely run from 3,000 to 5,000 euros per person, before flights and hotels. For late-stage companies, that may be acceptable. For early-stage teams living on grants, founder savings, or a small seed round, it is a major bet.
By contrast, RESI Europe is typically priced in the 1,500-2,500 euro range because it is built specifically for founders, innovators, and regional cohorts raising seed, Series A, and early Series B funding. The goal is not to sell access at any cost. It is to make high-quality global partnering economically accessible at a stage when every euro still must justify itself.
Here is the problem. Many founders pay the higher prices and then discover that a large share of their so-called “investor” meetings are with service providers selling you something. The badge may say partner or advisor, but the economics are reversed. The startup becomes the customer, not the one being backed.
That outcome is not accidental. It is how large conference ecosystems monetize scale.
Lisbon Does Not Create Strategy. It Exposes It.
Big conference weeks amplify whatever strategy you bring. If you arrive without preparation and focus, you get more noise, more meetings you did not need, and a bigger bill. If you arrive with discipline, targeted investors, and a follow-up system, Lisbon can work.
The problem is that most mega-events are optimized for volume, not readiness. More people. More meetings. More urgency. That model works for late-stage transactions. It fails early-stage teams.
Early-stage companies need fewer things done well:
Investors and licensing partners who write first checks
Fewer vendor-driven meetings
A way to turn first conversations into real follow-up and progress
Proof That a Different Model Works
At JPM Week in January, RESI was designed explicitly around early-stage investing. Roughly 800 companies actively seeking capital and licensing deals participated alongside more than 800 qualified investors and licensing partners from around the world.
Participation was not open-ended. Investor categories were defined. Registrations per firm were capped to protect the signal in the room. The result was not fewer meetings. It was better, more compelling meetings.
That same discipline is what matters in Lisbon.
Why the LSN Partnering Backbone Beats Scale
LSN, owner of the RESI conference series, also owns a premier database of capital investors and licensing partners in the life sciences and offers programs for de-risking early-stage assets and for preparing and executing global roadshows, as well as services like BD Assist, which actually sets up the meetings for you. RESI has five global partnering events annually.
A partnering backbone asks different questions. Are you spending time with partners who fit your stage and product? Have you reduced scientific, regulatory, and execution risk before asking for capital? Do you have a system to re-engage after the week ends? When the answer is yes, Lisbon stops being a gamble.
The Real Fight
The real battle for Lisbon is not about who has the biggest crowd or the loudest brand. It is about who is actually built for early-stage innovation and who is pricing and designing their platform around scale.
For founders, investors, and regions focused on seed, Series A, and early Series B, the smart move is to start the week with early-stage as the priority, not the afterthought, and with “investor” meaning capital and licensing partner, not a sales pitch. Plug Lisbon into a backbone that keeps working after the noise fades. That is how early-stage teams win Lisbon. And that is where the fight really is.
If You’re Coming to Lisbon
RESI Europe will take place in Lisbon with an in-person conference followed by virtual partnering, giving early-stage teams both face-to-face and online access to global investors and licensing partners at founder-level pricing. If you want your Lisbon week to start in a room built for early-stage innovation, not a room selling to you, RESI is where that week should begin.
By Claire Jeong, Chief Conference Officer, Vice President of Investor Research, Asia BD, LSN
Life Science Nation (LSN) is pleased to introduce the investor panel lineup for RESI Europe, bringing together venture capital firms, family offices, corporate investors, and strategic partners actively funding and partnering across the global life science ecosystem. Designed to reflect how capital is being deployed today, these panels examine what investors are prioritizing, how partnership decisions are made, and what founders need to demonstrate to stand out in an increasingly selective market.
From pharma partnering and preclinical investing to digital health, medtech, and cross-border capital flows, the RESI Europe investor program offers a practical look at how decisions are being made across stages and sectors. Each session pairs candid investor perspectives with real-world expectations founders must meet to advance conversations beyond the first meeting.
Monday, March 23 – Investor Panels
9:00 – 9:50 AM | Pharma Partnering: Getting on Pharma’s Radar
As large pharmaceutical companies increasingly rely on external innovation, early-stage partnerships are becoming a core driver of pipeline growth. This session explores how pharma evaluates emerging science, which data packages resonate with business development teams, and how founders can structure partnership discussions that align with long-term strategic priorities.
10:00 – 10:50 AM | Funding New Science: How VCs Evaluate Preclinical Programs
With capital efficiency under intense scrutiny, therapeutic investors are rethinking how they assess risk and differentiation at the preclinical stage. Panelists will share how they evaluate programs ahead of clinical data, the milestones that matter most, and what founders must show to compete in today’s Series A environment.
11:00 – 11:50 AM | Family Offices: The Rise of the Venture Builder
Family offices have evolved into active healthcare investors, launching dedicated funds and building internal operating expertise. This discussion examines how these groups source deals, lead early-stage rounds, and make investment decisions differently from traditional institutional venture firms.
1:00 – 1:50 PM | Building Investable Medtech: Devices, Diagnostics, and De-risking
Investors in medtech are focused on solutions that combine technical innovation with clear clinical and regulatory pathways. This panel breaks down current investor interest across devices and diagnostics, highlighting the milestones that signal scalability and commercial readiness.
2:00 – 2:50 PM | Digital Health: Moving from Hype to Sustainable Value
As the digital health sector matures, investors are prioritizing solutions with measurable clinical and economic outcomes. Panelists will discuss where capital is being deployed, including AI-driven diagnostics and data platforms, and how companies can demonstrate long-term viability in real-world settings.
3:00 – 3:50 PM | Capital Without Borders: The European Life Science Landscape
Europe’s research ecosystem continues to produce world-class innovation, while investment dynamics increasingly span borders. This session explores how European life science companies can attract international capital, navigate regional differences, and compete on a global stage.
4:00 – 4:50 PM | Backing the First Believers: Deciding to Write the First Check
Pre-seed and formation-stage investors often commit capital before significant data exists, backing teams, vision, and early signals of execution. This panel examines how first-check investors assess founders, build conviction, and help shape companies into institutional-grade opportunities.
These investor panels are designed to foster meaningful dialogue between capital providers and innovators, creating informed conversations that continue beyond the stage and into partnering meetings.
Join the RESI Speaker Lineup
Are you an investor or strategic partner with valuable insights to share with early-stage life science companies? We are looking for dynamic speakers to join our RESI panels.
Interview with Paula Cerqueira, VP of Scientific Strategy
Sania Therapeutics is developing a next-generation gene therapy platform focused on treating neurological symptoms driven by dysfunctional neural circuits. At RESI London, the company was recognized as a Third-Place winner in the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge and received the highest score from the judging panel, underscoring strong investor interest in its controllable and circuit-specific approach to gene therapy. In this interview, Sania Therapeutics shares its therapeutic focus, differentiated platform, and how participation in RESI has helped shape ongoing conversations with investors and strategic partners.
Caitlin Dolegowski (CD): For those just discovering Sania Therapeutics, how do you describe your company and therapeutic focus? Paula Cerqueira (PC): Sania Therapeutics is developing a new class of controllable gene therapies designed to treat neurological symptoms driven by dysfunctional neural circuits. Our platform combines localized, low-dose AAV delivery that selectively targets specific neuronal subpopulations with patient-controlled activation, allowing us to precisely modulate hyperactive neurons, improving symptoms without adversely and permanently altering normal neural function.
Our initial therapeutic target is a motor circuit disorder: spasticity. Our broader goal is to expand into additional motor and sensory indications where current treatment options are limited, invasive, or poorly tolerated.
CD: What unmet medical need are you addressing, and what differentiates your approach? PC: Millions of people live with debilitating neurological symptoms such as spasticity and pain disorders, yet existing treatments are often temporary, blunt, or invasive. Oral drugs frequently cause systemic side effects, while interventions like Botox or implanted devices require repeated procedures and provide limited relief. Despite the scale of this unmet need, there has been little meaningful innovation in this area for more than a decade.
Sania’s approach is differentiated in two key ways. First, our proprietary platform enables selective targeting of the neural circuits that drive disease using localized, low-dose AAV delivery. This approach is intended to support a safer, more sustainable, and more scalable path for gene therapy than traditional systemic delivery.
Second, our therapy is controllable. Patients can adjust the therapeutic effect using an oral activator, allowing symptom modulation over time. This puts patients in control while enabling precise and flexible therapeutic regulation.
Our mission at Sania is to bring gene therapy into everyday clinical use by meaningfully improving the lives of people living with neurological conditions. While this is an ambitious goal, for patients who struggle daily with basic activities such as holding a child, we believe this approach has the potential to be truly transformative.
CD: What was your experience participating in the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge at RESI London? PC: Participating in the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge at RESI London was an extremely valuable experience. The format encouraged clarity and discipline in how we communicated both our science and long-term vision, and the audience questions reflected a high level of engagement from investors and industry leaders.
Being recognized as a Third Place (First Place among judges in our session) winner among a strong and diverse group of companies was particularly meaningful, and it reinforced that there is a strong interest in approaches that rethink how gene therapy can be applied beyond ultra-rare indications.
CD: How has the RESI platform influenced conversations with investors or strategic partners? PC: RESI offered a valuable opportunity to present our work to a broad set of investors and strategic partners and to test our messaging with a highly informed audience. While many groups are understandably focused on later-stage opportunities, the platform helped us refine our positioning and identify areas of alignment for future conversations as the company progresses.
Following the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge, we also initiated early, informal conversations that we expect to build on as the company continues to mature.
CD: Where does Sania Therapeutics currently stand in terms of fundraising or partnerships? PC: Sania Therapeutics is currently focused on advancing its lead spasticity program and platform toward key preclinical and IND-enabling milestones, while continuing to expand the broader platform supporting multiple motor and sensory indications.
In parallel, we are building relationships with investors and strategic partners aligned with our long-term vision. As the platform matures and data advances, we expect to raise funding to support clinical entry of our lead program and the continued development of additional programs enabled by the platform, and we welcome conversations with groups interested in engaging early.
CD: What upcoming milestones are most important for the company? PC: Our near-term focus is on advancing our lead spasticity program across regulatory and manufacturing activities and initiating IND-enabling studies in 2026. Reaching that point will significantly de-risk the program and position us well as we move this innovative approach toward the clinic.
In parallel, we are making meaningful progress on platform development to support expansion into additional motor and sensory indications. A key goal for the team this year is to validate our first sensory capsid in vivo, leveraging the same delivery and control principles demonstrated in our lead program.
Applications are now open for the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge at RESI Europe. Life science and health tech companies seeking targeted feedback from a dedicated group of coordinated investors are encouraged to apply to participate in interactive pitching, partnering, and one-to-one meetings at RESI Europe.
As is customary at the turn of the year, we have taken the opportunity to take a look back at financing deals we covered since issue#1, which went live in April last year. Together, these data offer a snapshot of how capital flowed into early-stage, preclinical therapeutic startups in 2025 — and where it did not.
Before diving into the numbers, it is worth qualifying that this analysis captures only publicly disclosed financing rounds, rather than the full universe of early-stage biotech funding. An increasing fraction of preclinical companies now operate in stealth, in part because of fast-moving competition from regions such as China. As a result, the figures presented here likely undercount the true level of early-stage activity.
From the start of our coverage in Q2 2025 through the end of December, we reported 195 preclinical financing rounds. Because Haystack Science focuses on discovery-stage and pre-IND companies, this number excludes financings for assets already in clinical development. Even so, the dataset provides a useful lens on early-stage investor behavior.
Independent industry analyses paint a consistent picture. Multiple sources indicate that 2025 was a year in which venture capital shifted toward later-stage, clinical-stage deals, which were fewer in number but larger in size. This trend was reinforced by ‘Q4 2025 Biopharma Licensing and Venture Report’, presented at the JP Morgan conference. According to JP Morgan, 2025 saw just 191 seed and Series A financings, the lowest total since 2020.
Seed and Series A investment slowed through Q4 2025, losing momentum built earlier in the year and further lagging Series B and later rounds. The slowdown in early-stage funding reflects heightened diligence standards and longer decision timelines for early-stage startups. Source: JP Morgan
According to the Haystack Science data sample, no venture fund made a series A investment in more than three companies last year (these series A financings ranged from $8–300 million, with a median of $42.5 million). As the deals that Haystack tracks are only the publicly disclosed subset, we expect our sample is skewed to companies that raised larger sums. In the deals we tracked, the most bloated series A ($300 million) went to Cambridge, Mass.-based Lila Sciences, a generative ML model powered startup building “autonomous, closed-loop experimentation using generative ML models to generate drug mechanism hypotheses, test them robotically in the lab with minimal human intervention, and iteratively learn from results.” Lila was backed by megafund Flagship Pioneering and General Catalyst.
21 funds invested in more than one series A round. These were: Arch Ventures, Atlas Venture, Lightstone Ventures, 3E Bioventures, Access Industries/Biotechnology, BGF, BVF Partners, Canaan Partners, Cormorant Asset Management, Dementia Discovery Fund, Eight Roads, Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Khosla, Omega Funds, Orbimed, Polaris Partners, Samsara, Santé Ventures, Sofinnova Partners, The Column Group, and Versant Ventures. No fund invested in more than 3 series A investments in last year’s sample.
Further back in the pipeline, we tracked 60 deals. These seed financings—which ranged from $1.1–54.5 million with a median of $10.45 million—were mostly for smaller amounts ($1–$30 million), with a few much larger financing amounts. Overall, 85 different funds, family offices, angels and individuals participated in funding preclinical therapeutic startups in 2025. Of these 85 sources of financing, only 7 financed more than one company. The takeaway from this is that most (>90%) of companies at the seed stage receive funds from a completely unique set of investors.
The 7 financing entities involved in more than one seed deal were: AdBio Partners, Kurma Partners, NRW Bank, Ackermans & van Haaren (AvH), Bioinnovation Institute (BII), ClavystBio and ExSight Ventures. It is noteworthy that two of these funds are based in Paris, France: AdBio Partners and Kurma Partners. AdBio specializes in early-stage investments across Europe with a ~€86 million ($102 million) fund raised in 2021 focusing on oncology, immunology, and rare diseases. Kurma is part of the Eurazeo group, managing >€600 million in assets across several funds focused on early-stage therapeutics and diagnostics.
NRW.BANK, based in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, invests in innovative biotech companies focusing on tech-driven healthcare, bio-digital integration, and novel platforms for data/discovery, aligning with broader innovation goals. They appear to be an important source for the small scattering of financing (13) deals in German-speaking countries. NRW works closely with AvH, an Antwerp, Belgium-based diversified holding company and investment firm, with AvH Growth Capital a proactive investor in early-stage companies like DISCO Pharmaceuticals and Evla Bio.
Another very interesting seed funder is BII in Copenhagen Denmark. The institute provides in-kind grants of up to €3 million for bridging translational studies in European academic institutions. For those projects that progress to a company build, a combination of convertible loans of €500K (Venture Lab) and then €1.3 million (Venture House) are made available to complete seed funding. As of January 2026, BII has supported over 130 early-stage life science and deep tech companies, with many attracting significant external funding. This month, there was news that Novo Nordisk has just plowed another $856 million of funding into BII.
The United States continues to dwarf other countries in its ability to galvanize preclinical biotech startups receiving seed or series A financing, with the UK a far second place (itself hosting double the number of startups of other non-US countries). Source: Haystack Science
Overall, in terms of the location of where most investment is occurring, our analysis reveals the capacity to host startups is expanding across the globe, with at least 19 countries hosting one preclinical startup that received funding in 2025. These countries were: USA, UK, France, Switzerland, China, The Netherlands, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, Japan, Spain, Israel, Australia, Ireland, Norway, Portugal, South Korea and Singapore. Perhaps the prominence of France as a location for preclinical therapeutic startups was most surprising from our sample. Interestingly, a lot of ex-US startups now also have a US (usually Cambridge, Mass.-based) headquarters. Digging deeper, 85 different cities around the world host a startup that obtained financing (pre-seed to series B) in 2025, with 20 cities hosting two or more. As expected, the Boston cluster led with 28 preclinical therapeutic startups, the Bay area hosted 19, and the UK’s Golden Triangle had 13. Of the following pack, some interesting standout cities were Paris, France (with 5 in our sample) and New York City (with 7), the latter long in the shadow of its Boston neighbor.
Cities hosting two or more startups that received seed or series A funding in 2025 (85 different cities hosted at least one biotech startup receiving financing). Boston and the Bay Area in the United States and the UK’s Golden Triangle (London, Cambridge and Oxford) are the most successful biotech clusters, far ahead of rest of the world. Source: Haystack Science
In terms of the disease areas attracting early-stage investor money, cancer dominates, comprising the focus for 34.4% of the funding raises. This is slightly lower than the biopharma sector as a whole, where cancer comprises up to 45% of pipelines. Following cancer, neurodegenerative disease, autoimmune disease and inflammatory disease all figured prominently. The uptick in deals for companies tackling CNS disorders has been a rolling theme recently, given the burden of neurodegenerative disease and dementia on public health systems and the paucity of disease-modifying treatments. With the continuing stampede around GLP-1s/incretins, there was also a healthy number of metabolic/ endocrine disease startups financed.
Disease focus of pre-seed, seed, series A and series B deals for preclinical startups tracked by Haystack Science in 2025. Source: Haystack Science
One last area we looked at was the type of therapeutic being financed by investment groups. Here again, the pharmaceutical industry’s traditional workhorse, the small molecule, remained pre-eminent in 2025, comprising 24% of financing deals in pre-seed, seed, series A and series B financings that were in the preclinical stage. Established modalities like monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were a common focus. And there was a resurgence of interest in recombinant proteins and peptides (likely boosted by the focus on incretins and the metabolic disease and obesity space). Of new modalities, antibody-drug conjugates, bispecific and multispecific antibodies, antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), small-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) immune cell (T cell and NK cells) also were to the fore, each making up around 6% of all the early-stage deals we tracked. A type of therapeutic gathering increasing attention is clearly the induced-proximity therapeutic sector (including the different flavors of PROTACs, DUBTACs and molecular glues). Finally, although a great deal has been mentioned about investor apathy for gene editing and gene therapy, these also captured 3-4% of the deals.
Type of therapeutic modality in preclinical startups receiving pre-seed, seed, series A and series B funding in 2025 that were tracked by Haystack Science. Source: Haystack Science
A corporate venture capital arm of a global pharmaceutical company with a long operating history and an international footprint is actively seeking new investments. The parent organization operates worldwide and has expanded its global reach through strategic acquisitions in recent years. As part of its broader open innovation strategy, the parent organization actively pursues in- and out-licensing, early-stage partnerships, and strategic investments. The firm is responsible for executing strategic investments that support future partnering opportunities and help build the parent organization’s therapeutic pipeline.
The firm was established a few years ago and operates from the United States. The firm manages an evergreen fund and focuses on pre-clinical startups with differentiated platforms and first-in-class programs in human therapeutics. The firm participates in Seed and Series A financing rounds, typically investing up to USD $5M initially, with the ability to invest up to USD $10M per company through follow-on capital. The firm is open to engaging with companies globally and has built a portfolio of more than a dozen investments, primarily across Europe and the United States.
The firm targets pre-clinical to pre-IND, in-human therapeutics companies. Key areas of interest include oncology, neurology, immunology, and specialty disease areas such as fibrosis, endocrine disorders, and rare genetic diseases. The firm is modality-agnostic and considers small molecules, antibodies, nucleic acid-based therapies, and gene therapies. The firm does not invest in medical devices or diagnostics.
The firm does not lead financing rounds. When co-investing or participating in syndicated rounds, the firm requires a board observer seat.
If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email salescore@lifesciencenation.com.
By Claire Jeong, Chief Conference Officer, Vice President of Investor Research, Asia BD, LSN
RESI JPM 2026 brought together more than 90 innovative life science and healthcare companies over two days, creating one of the most competitive and high-impact RESI conferences to date. A centerpiece of the meeting was the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge (IPC), which provided early-stage companies with a powerful platform to present their technologies, engage directly with investors, and gain visibility within the global life sciences ecosystem.
IPC finalists delivered six-minute pitch presentations, followed by a seven-minute interactive Q&A with a panel of experienced investor judges. Beyond the stage, each participating company showcased its technology at a dedicated table in the RESI Exhibition Hall, enabling deeper conversations during partnering meetings and informal discussions throughout the conference.
A defining element of the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge is its attendee-driven voting model. Registered RESI JPM attendees—including startup executives, venture investors, and industry experts—were given RESI cash at check-in and used it to “invest” in the IPC companies they believed demonstrated the strongest potential. Voting decisions reflected not only pitch performance, but also the companies’ responses during Q&A, one-on-one interactions at their exhibition tables, and follow-up meetings held during the conference.
Life Science Nation is proud to announce the top three winners of the RESI JPM 2026 Innovator’s Pitch Challenge:
Participating companies were organized into 24 sector-focused pitch sessions, each featuring four companies and evaluated by expert judging panels. In addition to the top three overall winners, judges recognized standout companies for exceptional science, compelling business models, and strong execution.
Judges’ Picks:
Looking ahead: Applications are now open for Life Science Nation’s next European conference, taking place in Portugal on March 23, 2026. Companies interested in pitching can applyhere.
By Max Braht, Director of Business Development, LSN
The RESI (Redefining Every Stage of Investment) Conference Series, produced by Life Science Nation (LSN), has become a cornerstone event series for the early-stage life science ecosystem. Designed to bring together innovators, investors, and strategic partners, RESI offers a highly curated environment where capital formation, partnership development, and brand visibility intersect.
In 2026, the RESI Series continues its global reach through a combination of in-person conferences and structured virtual partnering, offering sponsors year-round exposure and repeated touchpoints with a highly targeted audience.
A Global Series Built for Impact
The 2026 RESI Series includes multiple events across major life science hubs:
RESI Europe 2026 – Lisbon, March 23 (with virtual partnering March 24–25)
RESI June at San Diego 2026 – June 22 (with virtual partnering June 23–24, 29)
RESI Boston 2026 – September 22–23 (with follow-up virtual partnering September 25, 28)
Across these events, RESI convenes companies spanning therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices, digital health, and enabling technologies, alongside venture capital firms, family offices, strategic investors, and corporate partners. Sponsors benefit from consistent brand presence across the series while engaging with a community focused on early-stage innovation and investment readiness.
Why Organizations Sponsor RESI
RESI sponsorship is structured to go beyond logo placement. Sponsors are integrated into the fabric of the conference experience, with benefits that can include:
High-visibility branding across pre-event marketing, onsite signage, and digital platforms
Exhibit opportunities in high-traffic networking areas during in-person events
Thought-leadership placement, including workshops, moderated sessions, and published articles distributed to LSN’s global audience
Targeted networking and partnering, supported by RESI’s proprietary matchmaking platform
Post-event attendee access, enabling meaningful follow-up with investors, founders, and decision-makers
Tiered sponsorship options allow organizations to align their level of involvement with specific business development, visibility, or ecosystem-building goals, while optional add-ons provide further customization.
Who Benefits from Sponsoring RESI
RESI sponsorship is designed to support a wide range of organizations across the life science ecosystem. Sponsors consistently report value not only in exposure, but in the relevance and quality of connections made.
Service Providers
CROs, CDMOs, legal, IP, regulatory, manufacturing, data, and commercialization services (e.g., McDermot Will & Emery, Biometas)
Direct access to early-stage companies actively building pipelines and seeking partners
Visibility among founders, executives, and investors at key decision-making stages
Opportunities to demonstrate expertise through workshops, articles, and curated sessions
Organizations such as Medmarc exemplify the value of sustained participation. Their consistent presence across multiple RESI conferences has helped establish familiarity and trust with early-stage companies, positioning them as a known and credible partner as those companies progress from formation through later stages of growth.
Regional Organizations and Innovation Hubs
Economic development groups, accelerators, incubators, trade organizations, and government-backed initiatives (past sponsors include Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA), Kobe Biomedical Innovation Cluster, (KBIC) and Israel Export Institute (IEI))
A global platform to showcase regional ecosystems and portfolio companies
The ability to host demo days, pitch sessions, or dedicated tracks aligned with regional priorities
Increased international exposure to investors and strategic partners
Investors and Strategic and Corporate Partners
Venture capital, corporate venture, family offices, and strategic partners (past sponsors include, Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), Johnson & Johnson Innovation JLABS, and Eli Lilly)
Targeted visibility among investment- or partnering-ready startups across multiple modalities
Access to curated partnering and company intelligence through the RESI platform
Opportunities to participate in panels, pitch sessions, and thought-leadership programming
Structured environments for scouting, relationship-building, and ecosystem engagement
Brand alignment with a trusted, innovation-focused conference series
Sponsor Spotlight: How Organizations Activated Their Presence at RESI JPM 2026
While RESI JPM 2026 has already taken place, it provides a strong example of how sponsors can actively engage with the RESI platform — not just through visibility, but through programming and participation that creates tangible value.
One notable example is Kobe Biomedical Innovation Cluster (KBIC), a Gold Sponsor of RESI JPM 2026. KBIC leveraged its sponsorship to host the Kansai Life Sciences Accelerator Program (KLSAP) Demo Day, a dedicated session that highlighted emerging life science companies from its accelerator cohort.
Through this activation, KBIC provided startups with direct access to international investors and strategic partners, while reinforcing its role as a global connector within the life science innovation ecosystem. Rather than serving as a passive sponsor, KBIC used the RESI platform to advance its mission, support portfolio companies, and foster cross-border collaboration.
Similarly, Trillium BIO capitalized on both the high foot traffic generated by its exhibit booth and RESI’s partnering platform to schedule a large number of targeted meetings for its team. By combining in-person visibility with structured partnering, Trillium BIO maximized engagement efficiency and ensured meaningful conversations with potential clients and partners throughout the event.
What Successful Sponsors Do Differently
Examples from RESI JPM illustrate several effective sponsorship strategies that carry forward across the 2026 Series:
They integrate into the program.
Sponsors that host workshops, demo days, or curated sessions create natural engagement opportunities and attract aligned audiences.
They align sponsorship with strategy.
Whether the goal is pipeline development, geographic expansion, or investor visibility, effective sponsors use RESI to support broader organizational objectives.
They prioritize connection over exposure alone.
By leveraging partnering tools, curated meetings, and live engagement opportunities, sponsors maximize the quality of interactions — not just the quantity.
Looking Ahead
As the RESI 2026 Series continues across Europe and the United States, sponsors can build sustained visibility while actively shaping conversations at the forefront of life science innovation. The success of sponsor activations at past events demonstrates that RESI is not simply a conference series but a platform for meaningful engagement, partnership building, and long-term impact within the global life science community.
For more information about sponsorship opportunities across the RESI 2026 Series, contact us at sales@lifesciencenation.com. We look forward to discussing your needs and exploring how RESI can support your goals.
The firm is focused on therapeutics companies and does not invest in medical devices, diagnostics, or digital health. The firm is open to considering assets of very early stages, even those as early as lead optimization phase. The firm considers various modalities, including antibodies, small molecules, and cell therapy. Currently, the firm is not interested in gene therapy. Indication-wise, the firm is most interested in oncology and autoimmune diseases but has recently looked at fibrotic diseases and certain rare diseases as well.
The firm is opportunistic across all subsectors of healthcare. Within MedTech, the firm is most interested in medical devices, artificial intelligence, robotics, and mobile health. The firm is seeking post-prototype innovations that are FDA cleared or are close to receiving clearance. Within therapeutics, the firm is interested in therapeutics for large disease markets such as oncology, neurology, and metabolic diseases. The firm is open to all modalities with a special interest in immunotherapy and cell therapy.
A strategic investment firm of a large global pharmaceutical makes investments ranging from $5 million to $30 million, acting either as a sole investor or within a syndicate. The firm is open to considering therapeutic opportunities globally, but only if the company is pursuing a market opportunity in the USA and is in dialogue with the US FDA.
The firm is currently looking for new investment opportunities in enterprise software, medical devices, and the healthcare IT space. The firm will invest in 510k devices and healthcare IT companies, and it is very opportunistic in terms of indications. In the past, the firm was active in medical device companies developing dental devices, endovascular innovation devices, and women’s health devices.
A venture capital firm founded in 2005 has multiple offices throughout Asia, New York, and San Diego. The firm has closed its fifth fund in 2017 and is currently raising a sixth fund, which the firm is targeting to be the largest fund to date. The firm continues to actively seek investment opportunities across a […]
Paula Cerqueira
Next Phase Newsletter 