BIO Deutschland serves as rapporteur at the BIO International Convention in San Diego

The BIO International Convention, the world’s biggest biotechnology trade show, was held from 19 to 22 June in San Diego. This year's event drew some 16,000 biotech leaders from 73 countries and broke a new record with more than 41,000 partnering meetings (compared to 35,600 meetings in 2016).

The German Pavilion’s team; in the middle, Matthias Bach of BIO Deutschland. © BIO Deutschland
The German Pavilion’s team; in the middle, Matthias Bach of BIO Deutschland. © BIO Deutschland

Besides partnering opportunities, there was also a diverse programme featuring more than 400 sessions and company presentations. BIO Deutschland’s Managing Director Viola Bronsema participated in the opening panel discussion “What in the World Matters? The Challenge of Spurring Innovation in Global Markets”, which also included the heads of the British, Canadian and South African biotech associations. These and other global biotech leaders discussed the challenges that countries are facing as they try to catch up with the dominant US biotech industry.

BIO Deutschland travelled to the Southern California coast as the official rapporteur of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). Under AUMA’s foreign trade fair programme, the BMWi supports German companies participating in the BIO International Convention by organising the German Pavilion. Germany was once again one of the largest international delegations. The German Pavilion showcased some 45 companies and BioRegions – including many members of BIO Deutschland – and around a dozen companies also had their own booths.

In addition to its reporting role, BIO Deutschland ran the pavilion’s main information booth and gave the booth’s many visitors comprehensive information on the exhibitors as well as the German biotech industry and German biotech companies. BIO Deutschland was assisted in this task by Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI), which provided visitors with information on setting up a business in the United States or Germany.

In keeping with tradition, the German BioRegions once again organised unofficial side events. Health Capital hosted the Berlin Bayer Night on Monday evening after the welcome reception; Heidelberg Technology Park held the BIO Breakfast on Tuesday morning before the trade show opened; and BIO.NRW welcomed national and international guests to the NRW Biotech Networking Reception.

In 2018 the BIO International Convention returns to the East Coast: Boston will again play host to the global event of the biotechnology community from 4 to 7 June next year.

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