European Life Sciences Roundtable: Advancing Europe's Biotech Competitiveness

Invest Europe recently convened the first national European Life Sciences Coalition Roundtable in the Netherlands, bringing together senior representatives from the European Commission, European Investment Bank, institutional investors, pension funds, insurance companies, venture capital firms, and Europe's leading biotech entrepreneurs to discuss how Europe can strengthen its global leadership in biotechnology through greater access to long-term capital.

Hosted by Invest Europe Chair Sander Slootweg at Forbion's headquarters in the Netherlands, the roundtable provided a platform for constructive dialogue between policymakers and investors at a pivotal moment for the sector. The day kicked off with a video message from European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare Olivér Várhelyi, followed by discussions on the European Biotech Act, the role of institutional investors in financing life sciences innovation, and the policy measures needed to enable Europe's life sciences ecosystem to thrive.

The programme also featured perspectives from successful biotech founders and industry leaders, including uniQure and VectorY founder Sander van Deventer and a live call with argenx Co-founder, former CEO and current Chair Tim Van Hauwermeiren, who shared insights into the challenges of building globally competitive biotech companies in Europe. Discussions reinforced the importance of creating an environment where innovative companies can access the capital, talent, and regulatory support needed to scale.

A central theme throughout the day was the need to unlock more institutional capital for European venture investing. Pension funds, asset managers, and policymakers explored how public and private stakeholders can work together to strengthen Europe's innovation ecosystem and ensure that groundbreaking scientific discoveries can grow into globally competitive companies.

The roundtable also highlighted the work of the European Life Sciences Coalition (ELSC), which is bringing together stakeholders across the ecosystem to support policies that foster innovation, investment, and competitiveness.

Invest Europe thanks all speakers and participants for their valuable contributions. Bringing together investors, entrepreneurs, and policymakers is essential to building a stronger European biotech ecosystem, one that can deliver innovation, economic growth, and improved health outcomes for citizens across Europe.

The European Life Sciences Coalition (ELSC) was launched in association with Invest Europe