Editorial: We look forward to further consolidate our Bio2match services in 2019

Biopeople continuously develops innovative meeting formats to meet the needs of the life science community

As a national life science cluster organisation Biopeople stimulates and catalyses relations building, competence development, new collaborations and partnerships in the interface between researchers and companies. Our activities are important to support national strategies such as the national strategies for life science, personalised medicine and RESEARCH2025.

In the next two years’ we particularly focus on themes as:

• Precision medicine: Narrowed down to biomarkers and bio-imaging with a focus on development from research to clinical use and commercialisation
• Innovation: Collaborative project within development of medical treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases
• Collaborations: Between industry and academia in pre-clinical and clinical research and development

Biopeople was born to strengthen life science innovation through catalysing collaboration between industry and academia. In this respect, we have constantly developed our meeting formats starting in 2005 with the innovative “science dating” concept.

Over the years’ this concept has further evolved into what we now call the Bio2match concept, which basically include our annual signature event the Bioagora, which is a hand-held matchmaking event, held at the university of Copenhagen and with a specific focus on specific themes in precision medicine. All events organized by us encompass cross-disciplinary knowledge sharing and network building between researchers from Danish universities and life science companies.

In 2018, we launched two brand new event formats. One is the “Open Space Labs” and the other one is “High Tea”. The main purpose of “High Tea” is knowledge sharing “light” but with a strong focus on network building. “High tea” differs from traditional symposia by introducing meetings literally over a nice cup of tea. We have taken the concept of British High Tea, which is Darjeeling and cucumber sandwiches and we mix it with a fabulous view of central Copenhagen. In this inspiring environment networking take place, the participants get new acquaintances, discussing a hot topic with interesting scientists. When attending “High Tea” at the top of the Mærsk Tower, at the Panum Institute, expect to introduce yourself to neighbors and actively participate in the “burning question” Q&A discussion.

Our “Open Space Technology Labs” meetings is an open concept, ready to take on various types of meeting concepts e.g. Open Space, Future Search, Café dialogues, Fishbowl. This is determined in collaboration with the researchers/companies’ request for a meeting. The intent is to engage participants in problem solving, collaboration and innovation around certain challenges.

These meeting formats are useful tools for Innovation Networks who want to bridge various stakeholders in the national knowledge-based innovation support system.

We encourage our network members, partners and other stakeholders to keep an eye on our event calendar and to sign up for our events during the year. In addition, we encourage you to contact us if you want to suggest a certain theme for an event.

Please check our event calendar here

Project: Boost4Health catalyzes Danish SME's to become more international

Boost4Health provides practical and financial support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) wishing to explore their international growth potential.

• expand international network
• find expertise abroad
• validate products in another market

Biopeople together with leading European organisations offer coaching, matchmaking, and travel/ internationalisation vouchers.

Biopeople is co-funded by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science, Denmark.