BBSRC Sparking Innovation Conference, 2 March 2023

BBSRC ‘s first Sparking Innovation Conference will take place on Thursday 2 March in Bristol. This event will bring bioscience innovators, entrepreneurs, TTOs and investors together for face-to-face networking and knowledge exchange.

The Sparking Innovation Conference will be centred around four consecutive panel discussions with experts:

Panel 1: Developing your bioscience technology with commercial potential

with Simon Aspland (Head of Commercialisation, John Innes Centre), Sue Sundstrom (Executive Director, Sundstrom Innovation), Anne Muir (Deputy Director of Research & Innovation Services, University of Dundee), and Anna Hine (Professor of Protein Engineering & Chair of BBSRC Follow-on Funding Committee, Aston University).

Panel 2: Finding product-market fit, understanding the end user, and identifying the value proposition of your bioscience innovation

with Helen Dundas (Innovation Lead for AgriTech, Edinburgh Innovations & The Roslin Institute), Paul Donachy (Head of Innovation, Queen’s University Belfast), Emma Fadlon (KTN Manager – Early Stage Investment, Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Network), and Richard Auburn (Principal Licencing & Ventures Manager, Oxford University Innovation).

Panel 3: Building your bioscience start-up and accelerating its growth

with Robert Hill (Director of Innovation & Commercialisation, Rothamsted Research), Arif Anwar (Director, Afeeah Biotech UK Ltd), Mandeep Dhillon (KQ Labs Lead, The Francis Crick Institute), and Rhian Hayward (CEO, AberInnovation).

Panel 4: Seeking investment for your bioscience start-up

with Oliver Sexton (Investment Director, UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund), James Groves (Seed Investment Manager, Imperial College London), Uzma Choudry (Venture Capital Investor, Octopus Ventures), Carmine Circelli (Director – Life Sciences, British Patient Capital), and Gemma Sturt (Investment Manager, Pioneer Group).

Bioscience innovators and early stage start-ups will also have the opportunity to showcase their work during the lunchtime poster competition. When registering, please indicate if you would like to apply to present a poster. Further details are provided on the registration page.

To register for a free ticket, please visit the Eventbrite page.

Please note that there are limited spaces for about 100 attendees.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the team at kcu@bbsrc.ukri.org