Contestants will have a unique opportunity to pitch their synthetic biology ideas to a world-renowned panel of experts
Luxembourg and Paris, France – 1 October 2021: eureKARE ("the Company"), a pioneering new company focused on financing and building next generation biotechnology companies in the disruptive fields of synthetic biology and the microbiome, is pleased to announce that a prestigious jury of top industry professionals has been assembled for the first eureKAWARDS competition. There will also be an additional prize for the winning entry in conjunction with the Neighborhood, the Innovation Center of VCLS. The winner of the eureKAWARDS will be announced at eureKARE’s SynBio Day event on November 10th, 2021.
The jury, consisting of experts from leading companies and research institutions across Europe, will review and select the successful entries for the final round of the eureKAWARDS, giving semi-finalists the opportunity to receive valuable feedback and exposure to key industry contacts.
The eureKAWARDS jury is comprised of:
·Siau Bai: Early Innovation Partnership Director for Johnson and Johnson Innovation
·Marc Chevalier: Head of Bioentrepreneurship at Imagine Institute of Genetic Diseases
·Sebastien Giraudier: Director of Neighborhood, VCLS Innovation Center
·Neil Goldsmith: Co-founder of Evolva and Serial Entrepreneur in Synthetic biology
·Aurélie Grienenberger: Chief Business Officer at Eligo Bioscience
·Sara Holland: Senior Associate UK and European Patent Attorney at Potter Clarkson
·Richard Reschen: Associate Director Business Development & Licensing at MSD
·Eric Rhodes: Chief Executive Officer of ERS Genomics
Serge Pampfer, eureKARE CSO, commented: "It is a pleasure to welcome such highly esteemed leaders in the field to participate on the jury for the eureKAWARDS, which is a testament to the work our team has undertaken. Having a jury of this caliber will help ensure that the best and most innovative projects will make it to the final and receive the support needed to turn their project into a
commercial success. We look forward to working with them and reviewing projects at the eureKAWARDS."
An additional prize for the winner of the eureKAWARDS is also being announced, in collaboration with the Neighborhood / VCLS Innovation Center. This consists of a package of regulatory strategy sessions and 6 months access to the Neighborhood facilities in Paris, providing validation and visibility to the winner. This is an extension of the previously announced prizes, which include free access to eureKARE’s synthetic biology studio, eureKASYNBIO, for one year including guidance and support from eureKARE’s team and network, exposure to investors and the media, and the possibility of future investment from eureKARE. Other sponsored prizes include a three-year CRISPR-Cas9 license from ERS Genomics and a KickStartIPpackage from Potter Clarkson. In addition, all finalists will have access to IP and pitching workshops generously organized by Potter Clarkson and ERS Genomics to assist them in preparation of their final pitch and to offer their experienced guidance on attracting investor and industry interest.
Please visit eureKARE.eu/eureKAWARDS for further information on how to submit your application. The application portal will remain open until October 10th, 2021.
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About eureKARE
eureKARE is unique investment company dedicated to developing next generation biotechnology companies in the cutting-edge fields synthetic biology and the microbiome. eureKARE has a two-step investment approach to deliver long-term value creation. The Company supports translational research by creating and financing new companies out of high value European innovation through its biotech start-up studios eureKABIOME (Microbiome) and eureKASYNBIO (Synthetic biology). The Company also intends to invest in more mature biotech companies and will systematically propose to offer some liquidity to early investors, thereby addressing a
critical need in the European biotech field. Guided by its influential founder, Alexandre Mouradian, and a pan-European team, eureKARE has a rapidly growing portfolio of companies that have the potential to disrupt the life sciences industry.
