Engineering Success: How Partnerships Transform Early Biotech into Fundable Ventures
In today’s increasingly complex and capital-intensive biotech landscape, early-stage companies face mounting pressure to demonstrate not only scientific innovation, but also a clear path to scalability, manufacturability, and commercial success. Strategic partnerships are emerging as a critical lever to bridge this gap—transforming promising science into investable opportunities.
This panel will explore how collaborations between biotech startups, CDMOs, and venture capital stakeholders can effectively de-risk early-stage innovation.
Monday, May 4, 15:30 - 16:15, room Kairo
| Name | Position | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Zara Asgharpour, EMBA | Director External Innovation Integrated Biologics R&D | Lonza AG |
| Name | Position | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| Peter Droc, MBA | Head of Licensing | Lonza AG |
| Tristan Bepler, PhD | CEO | Open Protein AI (NE47) |
| Klaus Orlinger, PhD | CSO | Valanx Biotech |
| Nikita Sharma | Principal | Ridgeline a Versant Incubator |
Lonza is the world’s largest contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs), dedicated to serving the healthcare industry. We work alongside a broad range of customers – from emerging biotechs to global pharmaceutical companies – to transform their therapeutic discoveries into life-saving and life-enhancing treatments for their patients. Our vision is to be the pioneer and world leader in the CDMO industry, setting the pace with cutting-edge science, smart technology and lean manufacturing.
Our business is structured across three Business Platforms: Integrated Biologics, Advanced Synthesis and Specialized Modalities.
