Investors and Australian life sciences company leaders met on the Gold Coast this week for AusBiotech Invest, a curated forum designed to strengthen engagement between life sciences companies and capital.
Held as part of Australia's Biggest Week in Biotech, the event brought together Australian and international investors, selected strategic capital participants and six company leaders for a program of investor peer exchange, market perspectives and focused capital conversations. The forum examined capital allocation, investment priorities, market conditions and opportunities for stronger syndication across the sector.
The morning's investor-only program opened with a discussion on what capital is looking for now, followed by a session on building better syndicates for Australian life sciences. The afternoon featured a market-signals discussion with Sarah Meibusch, Partner at OneVentures; Dr Arjun Goyal, Managing Partner at Vida Ventures; Blair Harrison, Managing Director at ASX; and Victor Windeyer, Portfolio Manager of the Future of Healthcare Fund at Perennial Partners.
Investors then met directly with six Australian life sciences companies. They were Aravax, Atisama Therapeutics, Celosia Therapeutics, Immvirx, Infensa Bioscience and Currus Biologics. They then held curated follow-up meetings, and targeted partnering continued discussions on financing requirements. The day closed with an invitation-only dinner for participating investors and industry leaders.
AusBiotech Director of Investment Kerri Lee Sinclair said the forum was designed to support more effective engagement between life sciences companies and capital.
"Life sciences investment requires a clear understanding of the evidence, milestones and risks that shape financing decisions, particularly as companies progress through increasingly complex stages of development," Ms Sinclair said.
"AusBiotech Invest provides an opportunity for investors to exchange perspectives on market conditions, capital allocation and investment priorities, while engaging directly with selected Australian life sciences companies."
She said the forum was also intended to build the relationships underpinning Australian life sciences innovation: "By bringing together different investment perspectives and creating space for focused capital conversations, we are working to strengthen the relationships and connections that support Australian life sciences innovation."
Ms Sinclair cautioned that the forum's success would be judged over the longer term: "The value of these connections will be measured not only by what was discussed during the forum, but by the relationships and opportunities that develop over time."
AusBiotech Invest forms part of the organisation's year-round investment platform, which aims to strengthen company readiness and engagement with capital domestically and internationally. Investment content continues through the week at the AusBiotech International Conference, where the Investment & Global Growth stream includes the Capital Sprint and the Early-Stage Innovation Forum. The ASX was an event partner for the forum.
