Flanders Life Sciences Ecosystem Tour
Pre-conference program for international delegates
In collaboration with Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT)
08.00
Gather and depart from Antwerp City
Presentation of the Flanders ecosystem by Biovia
09.30
11.15
Arrival at TechLane Ghent Science Park
Introduction of the Ghent Region
Tour of the Nucleus
Networking Lunch
Presentations from
- VIB
- Legend Biotech
- Harpago
- Obulytix
14.45
Arrival at Science Park Antwerp
Introduction of the Antwerp Region
Presentations from
- etherna
- Vaccinopolis
Visits to
- Yun Probiotherapies
- ImmuneSpec
- BioNotus
Introduction of the Limburg Region (panel session)
- Health Campus Limburg
- Future Health ZOL Hospital | Conexco Platform
- Innoser
- Archer Research
- invoX Belgium
17.00
Reception
18.00
Depart to Antwerp City
Registration
This tour is only open to international delegates.
Limited seats available. Registration is under a first come, first served basis!
Price: €125 (on top of the Full Congress ticket, excl. VAT)
Capital, Scale & Europe Without borders
& State of the union
09.00
Registration & Welcome Coffee
09.30
Room: Gorilla 1
Finance & Scale Breakfast: Curated Networking
10.15
Room: Gorilla 3
Keynote: Storytelling for Success: Turn Your Technology into an Irresistible Fundraising Story
Giuseppe Marzio, Founder & Managing Director, Chiaro
Room: Gorilla 1
Finance & Scale Breakfast: Curated Networking
11.00
Room: Gorilla 3
Life Sciences & Healthtech Scale-up Showcase
- Rudi Tielemans, Founder & CEO, Eforto Health
- Katrien Reynders-Frederix, CEO & Co-Founder, NanoTherix
- Jan Van der Schueren, CEO/CSO, Co-Founder, Alturos Therapeutics
- Kevin Hollevoet, CEO & Co-founder, Hemastatx
- Ken Coppieters, Sr. Director, Rare Disease, Research Portfolio, Novo Nordisk
- Filip Delport, CTO, Vixenbio
Room: Gorilla 4
Who owns what? IP & Value Creation When You Pivot
Co-founder splits, university spin-out IP disputes, what happens to your portfolio when you pivot.
- Stijn Lagaert, Partner, Gevers
- Emilie Logie, Patent Attorney, Gevers
- Antonin Lambrecht, Attorney-at-law, Gevers
11.00
Room: Gorilla 5
Why Do Scientific Messages Get Lost?
- Camille Turlure, CoE Manager, Akkodis
- Sander Hulsmans, Project Delivery Manager, Akkodis
- Yuwen Gu, Project Manager, Akkodis
Room: Nightingale
11.00 – 12.10
Biotech and MedTech Innovation for Defense Readiness
The Flemish Innovation and Industry Strategy for Security and Defense (VISD) program, and biotechnology and medtech innovation in security and defense – needs and opportunities.
- Welcome and overview VISD: Sofie Coelus, Business Development Manager, VIB
- Antimicrobial Resistance in Combat Casualties: Isabela Strachinaru, Internal Medicine Specialist, Queen Astrid Military Hospital
- Overview Biotech in Defense: Lucie Geurts, Manager Human Factors & Medicine, Royal Higher Institute for Defense
- Role program managers & call to action: Filip Donvil, Program Manager, VIB
11.45
Room: Gorilla 3
Life Sciences & Healthtech Scale-up Showcase
- John-Paul Bogers, CEO, Elmedix
- Gaëlle Boulet, Co-founder & Director and Ilke De Boeck, Co-founder and Head of Research, aMylla
- Roel Van Holen, imec/SHINE
- Ana Rita Santos, Expert Scientist and BD Catalyst Manager for Neurology, VIB I&B
- Mar Cóndor (Bio-Applications Lead) and Sneha (Portfolio Manager, Life Science Tools), imec
- Sunyoung Kim, Executive Head of the R&BD Strategy Office at JW Pharmaceuticals
- Volodimir Olexiouk, Strategic Partner Data & AI, Cegeka
Room: Gorilla 4
Workshop: Design Your Exit Before You Start
11.45
Room: Gorilla 5
Turning Belgian innovation into Global impact: let’s build the ecosystem Belgian startups deserve
Belgium has world-class science. What it needs is a world-class system to bring that science to market. This workshop brings together founders, investors, cluster organizations, and policymakers to have an honest conversation about what is working, what is missing, and what we can do together to give Belgian HealthTech and biotech startups the best possible shot at scaling.
- Charlotte Bertrand, Senior Associate, PwC
- Hanne Callewaert, CEO, Astrivax
- Rocco Stirparo, Venture Development Manager, imec
- Kim Luyckx, Director SPC, Director Innovation & Strategic Domains, Biovia
- Roeland Buckinx, Manager, Health Campus Limburg
- Amel Tounsi, CEO, Bridge to Health
12.30
Networking Lunch
13.30
Arrival & Registration for the State of the Union
14.00
Room: Darwin
Opening & Introduction of the State of the Union
Vice Mayor Johan Klaps and Ann Van Gysel, CEO, Biovia
14.30
Room: Darwin
International Keynote: Building Global Life Sciences Champions – Lessons from the Nordics
Søren Møller, Managing Partner, Seed Investments, Novo Holdings
15.00
Room: Darwin
Panel: Join Forces or Lose Ground: The Only Way Europe Wins Is Together
This panel explores why strategic collaboration between European clusters is becoming a competitive necessity, and how joining forces across borders creates the critical mass needed to attract investment, talent and international partnerships. The panel will examine what a true “Champions League” of European life sciences and healthtech innovation could look like in practice, and what it takes to get there.
Speakers:
- Anette Steenberg, CEO, Medicon Valley Alliance
- Ann Van Gysel, CEO, Biovia
- James Rose, Director of Strategic and Industry Partnerships, Health Innovation Oxford & Thames Valley
- Alexander Becker, Head of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Basel Area Business & Innovation
Moderated by Stamie Kritas, Managing Director, Council of European BioRegions (CEBR)
16.00
Coffee break
16.30
Room: Darwin
Fireside Chat: Financial Insights
- Jeroen Van Den Bossche, Director Equity Sales Life Sciences, KBC Securities
- Bart De Taeye, Head of Life Sciences & Care, PMV
Moderated by Clément Salque, Senior Associate, Bioqube Ventures
17.15
Room: Darwin
Panel: The Money Is Out There. So Why Can’t You Get It?
- Bart De Taeye, Head of Life Sciences & Care, PMV
- Katleen Vandersmissen, Managing Partner, Heran Partners
- Nadiya Ishnazarova, Principal, Venture Investments, Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation (JJDC)
- Jerome van Biervliet, Managing Director, VIB, representing of The European Life Sciences Coalition (ELSC)
- Antoine D’Hollander, Investment Director, Capricorn Partners
Moderated by Laurent Van Lerberghe, Founder, KELES
18.00
Walking Dinner
Flanders on Display
08.45
Registration & Welcome Coffee
09.00
Partnering Opens
Exhibition Opens
Matchmaking: Gorilla 1
1-1 meetings via Swapcard
09.30
Euronext Bell Ceremony
Matchmaking: Gorilla 1
1-1 meetings via Swapcard
10.00
Room: Queen Elisabeth Hall
Welcome words
- Miranda Coppens, General Manager POM Antwerp
- Johan Klaps, Vice Mayor, City of Antwerp
Matchmaking: Gorilla 1
1-1 meetings via Swapcard
10.15
Room: Queen Elisabeth Hall
The Future of the Flemish Ecosystem
Ann Van Gysel, CEO, Biovia
Matchmaking: Gorilla 1
1-1 meetings via Swapcard
10.30
Room: Queen Elisabeth Hall
Keynote: How to scale a biotech company
Tim Knotnerus, CEO, Agomab Therapeutics
Matchmaking: Gorilla 1
1-1 meetings via Swapcard
11.00
Room: Queen Elisabeth Hall
Panel: Navigating Life Sciences Journey with eyes wide open
- Stephane van Rooijen, CEO, Life Sciences
- Edwin Moses, Chairman of the Board at LabGenius, NanoSyrinx, and Avantium
- Ann Beliën, Founder & CEO, Rejuvenate Biomed
Moderated by Henry Stoneley, Founder, Rabble Rouser Go to Market
Matchmaking: Gorilla 1
1-1 meetings via Swapcard
11.45
Room: Queen Elisabeth Hall
Panel: The World Won’t Wait for Europe to Figure Out Scaling
- Viggo Van Tendeloo, Director Early Innovation Partnering Benelux, Johnson&Johnson
- Ilse Vanhulle, Venture Acceleration Manager Health, imec istart
- Christina Takke, Managing Partner, V-Bio Ventures
- Emile Redant, CEO, Zymofix
- Lukas Stabel, Business Developer, Comate
Moderated by Kim Luyckx, Director SPC, Director Innovation & Strategic Domains, Biovia
Matchmaking: Gorilla 1
1-1 meetings via Swapcard
12.30
Networking Lunch
Matchmaking: Gorilla 1
1-1 meetings via Swapcard
13.30
Networking Lunch
Room: Galapagos
TTO Flanders elevator pitch session: research to business
Matchmaking: Gorilla 1
1-1 meetings via Swapcard
14.00
Room: Gorilla 3
Pitches: Tech for One Health (Disease mechanisms & diagnostics)
- Annemieke Smet, Research Professor, Laboratory of Experimental Medicine and Pediatrics (University of Antwerp)
- Geert Jannes, Business Development Director, Fujirebio Europe
- Hosna Ghaderi, Researcher, SyntEyes (University of Antwerp)
- Francesca Maria Bosisio, Director of the Spatial Proteomics Unit, KU Leuven Institute for Single Cell Omics (LISCO)
- Yo Amakusa, CEO, iBody
Room: Darwin
Pitches: Tech for One Health (From bench to patient: platforms & manufacturing)
Hosted by Sophie Smolders, Managing Director, StingOrg Belgium
- Lucas Decuypere, CEO & President, Allegro
- Koen Beyers, Founder and CTO, Idevax
- Janet Hoogstraate, CEO, NorthX Biologics
- Scott Russell, Founder & CEO, Innatify
- Gerben Menschaert, CSO – General Manager OHMX.bio (part of Anacura)
14.00
Room: Marble Hall
Pitches: Tech for One Health (AI & computational drug discovery)
- Wouter Van Putte, Founder & CEO, Puxano
- Christophe Deben,
Co-founder & CDO, Sightera Biosciences & Center for Oncological Research (University of Antwerp) - Ségolène Martin, CEO, Kantify
- Liesbeth Minnoye, Valorisation Lead Computational Biology & AI, VIB
Room: Galapagos
TTO Flanders elevator pitch session: research to business
UAntwerpen
- Prof. dr. Vincent Timmerman – SCREEN4PN platform
- Dr. Sara Van Looy – ReViRAnt
UGent
- Dr. Joni Bert: Fidolyx
- Dr. Loren Deblock: Hafnolox
UHasselt
- Prof. dr. Esther Wolfs: Stemserve
- Christopher Patzanovsky: NeuroSight
VUB
- Dr. Eric Gaba: Pineapple leaf fibre for eco-friendly prosthetic sockets
- Dr. Lorenzo Franceschini: Developing personalized synthetic RNA for the selection of next-generation RNA-based therapies
KU Leuven
- Dr. Nick Geukens – RETROFIT platform
- Dr. Dries Vloemans – SimpleFluidics
Matchmaking: Gorilla 1
1-1 meetings via Swapcard
15:00
Room: Galapagos
Champions of innovation: Precision medicine
Hosted by Viggo Van Tendeloo, Director Early Innovation Partnering Benelux, Johnson&Johnson
- Max Houry, COO & Co-Founder, atbtherapeutics
- Willem Delabie, Expert Valorisation and Application, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders
- Inge Mertens, Project manager/ Research Professor, VITO/University of Antwerp
- Kristof Van Emelen, CEO, Obulytix
Room: Darwin
Champions of innovation: Value-based healthcare
Hosted by Joke Borzée, Senior Associate R&D & Quality, PwC
- Julie de Bergeyck, Cluster Leader HealthTech, Agoria
- Guy Hans, CEO, UZA
- Ronald van der Geest, CEO, Onicor
- Heidi Bertels (CEO & Co-Founder) and Sofie Rennen (CSO & Co-Founder), Sampl.id
- Sofie Houtmeyers, Valorisation Manager Applied (Bio)Sciences, EMMA Platform (University of Antwerp)
15:00
Room: Marble Hall
Champions of innovation: Clinical trials
- Marc Verhaeren, Founder, Studia Health
- Ward Servaes, Co-Founder, MoveUp
- Ingrid Maes, Managing Director, Inovigate
- Bart Van Meerbergen, Head of Operations, Vaccinopolis
Room: Gorilla 3
Champions of innovation: Agtech & industrial biotech
- Dirk Abeel, CEO-CCO, Inbiose
- Wim Soetaert, CEO, Bio base Europe Pilot Plant
- Ali Osman, Founder & CEO, PFX Biotech
- Gwendoline Clotuche, Head of Marketing & Communications, Fyteko
Matchmaking: Gorilla 1
1-1 meetings via Swapcard
16:00
Coffee Break
Matchmaking: Gorilla 1
1-1 meetings via Swapcard
16.30
Room: Queen Elisabeth Hall
Closing fireside chat: “Surviving in a tough economy…a new playbook for innovation”
- Wim Van Hecke, CEO, Icometrix
- Steven Biesmans, Principal, UCB Ventures
Moderated by Ann Van Gysel, CEO, Biovia
Matchmaking: Gorilla 1
1-1 meetings via Swapcard
17.30
Reception
Matchmaking: Gorilla 1
1-1 meetings via Swapcard
