Adding value to research projects
Biocat continued hosting new editions of The Investment Readiness Series (TIRS) program in 2019, based on bringing together scientists and investors.
TIRS aims to add value to the research projects through one-to-one mentoring; help venture capitalists, corporate investors and venture builders identify projects; and establish a long-term relationship with technology transfer offices (TTOs), leveraging the impact of their work on an ecosystem level. Three editions were held over the course of 2019.
The first edition of The Investment Readiness Series in 2019 focused on diagnostic medtech and digital health and took place at TecnoCampus Mataró-Maresme in Mataró on March 4, 5 and 7 with support from ACCIÓ and the ”la Caixa” Foundation. Participants included 17 biotechnology projects and 6 investment funds and companies (2 international), which held 32 meetings, some of which led to good contacts and kicked off the process of advising and funding the projects.
On May 22, another event in The Investment Readiness Series was held in Barcelona, with an international focus (France Edition). Projects from 32 companies were pitched (5 from France) with participation from 54 organizations, 5 Catalan investment funds and 6 French funds. The 89 participants held 86 meetings. This put entrepreneurs from the Catalan healthcare and life sciences sector in contact with investors from this neighboring country. The program was organized by Biocat with Business France and ACCIÓ Paris, and with support from Cuatrecasas.
On June 26, the second medtech edition was held, this time in a smaller format for companies and projects that missed out on the first edition due to the huge number of applications received. There were 32 meetings held among the 17 companies and projects and 6 investor partners, two of which were international.
Biocat launches new calls of The Investment Readiness Series every year, each with a different theme and both local and international projects and investors.
A project to structure meetings between projects and investors
Meeting of scientists and investors at the medtech edition of The Investment Readiness Series.
The Investment Readiness Series launches several calls each year for projects and/or start-ups, each focusing on a specific topic (therapies, medtech, digital health). All of the editions are open to the whole scientific community in the BioRegion.
Biocat compiles the projects or start-ups interested in participating and sends the proposals with the best potential for investment to a panel of specialized investors. The investors then select the projects and start-ups to pitch at the event. Before the event, Biocat provides individual advice to each project before their meeting with the investors. Participants also have the opportunity to meet privately with the investors and network on the day of the event. The main goal of the events is to boost the flow of investment-ready projects in the BioRegion of Catalonia.