BayOConnect 2026: BioM shows at its biotech conference how Europe’s innovations can be brought to market more quickly

• BayOConnect 2026 brought together leading players from the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, scientific, investment, and political sectors from across Europe in Munich.
• Under the theme “Driving biotech in Europe,” experts discussed how Europe can translate its innovative strength into competitiveness, technological sovereignty, and economic success.
• The key topic “Innovation across TechBio” highlighted the potential of combining biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and digital technologies.
• With around 450 participants, 425 partnering meetings, 6 start-up pitches, 19 posters, and 40 sponsors, exhibitors, and partners, BayOConnect once again established itself as one of Europe’s most important networking platforms for biotechnology.
• The BayOConnect Innovation Award went to the start-up BugSense.

For two days, Munich was the meeting place for European representatives from academia, industry, start-ups, the investment sector, and politics, who gathered to discuss the latest developments in biotechnology and medicine and to forge new partnerships aimed at bringing innovations to market more quickly. The start-up BugSense won the BayOConnect Innovation Award for its paper-based test for detecting urinary tract infections and associated antibiotic resistance for clinical and point-of-care applications.

Additional press photos are available here.

Strategically strengthening Europe’s capacity for innovation

BayOConnect 2026 highlighted Europe’s strength in biotechnology and demonstrated how innovative potential is already being successfully translated into competitiveness and concrete applications – and what next steps and conditions are necessary to further expand this position.

Under the theme “Driving biotech in Europe,” leading players from academia, industry, the investment sector, and politics discussed how technological sovereignty, access to capital, and regulatory frameworks interact to bring innovations to market more quickly.

To strengthen Europe’s leading role in biotechnology, in addition to excellent research, we need interconnected innovation ecosystems, cross-border collaboration, targeted investments, and an innovation-friendly policy environment. Only in this way can scientific breakthroughs be translated more quickly into societal and economic benefits.

The topic “Innovation across TechBio” focused on the next generation of innovations: At the intersection of biotechnology, AI, and digital technologies, it was demonstrated how new approaches are accelerating the development and scaling of new products.

“Europe continues to boast excellent research, emerging companies, and a unique innovation landscape,” said Prof. Ralf Huss, Managing Director of Bio^M. “The aim now is to consistently translate these strengths into competitiveness, economic growth, and new therapies for patients. This is precisely why BayOConnect brings together the right stakeholders from academia, industry, investment, and politics – because innovation arises where scientific excellence, with its creative ideas, meets sufficient capital and open partnerships.”

Dr. Manfred Wolter, Deputy Director General at the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, emphasized the importance of biotechnology: „Biotechnology is not only a driver of economic growth and innovation. It is also a key element of Europe’s future sovereignty and competitiveness.“

BayOConnect Innovation Award

Once again, BayOConnect provided young founding teams with a platform to showcase their research, ideas, and innovative developments.

Six pre-seed and start-up teams presented a wide range of new biotech technologies – from infectious disease diagnostics and antiviral therapeutics to targeted drug delivery and improved tumor analysis, as well as RNA-based solutions for plant protection.

Sponsor Informa presented the BayOConnect Innovation Award, which Sarah Wali of BugSense received from Cornelia Horn (Informa), along with a free ticket to BIO-Europe 2026 in Cologne. The start-up is developing paper-based tests to detect urinary tract infections and associated antibiotic resistance for clinical and point-of-care applications.

Bio^M strengthen European life sciences partnerships with Galicia and Austria

BayOConnect 2026 sent a strong signal of growing European collaboration with this year’s partner regions, Austria and Galicia. During the conference, Bio^M and BIOGA, Galicia’s life sciences cluster, signed a “Memorandum of Understanding.” The agreement lays the foundation for innovation-driven collaboration between the two biotechnology regions. The goal is to specifically advance new projects, research collaborations, and technology transfers in future-oriented fields such as biotechnology, digital health, and AI.

A platform for exchange and collaboration

This year’s main sponsors, MSD and WuXi AppTec, as well as technology leader and sponsor Roche, are among the world’s leading companies in the development of medical innovations and exemplify BayOConnect’s commitment to actively shaping the future of healthcare. Forty sponsors, exhibitors, and partners supported the event, underscoring the relevance of the topics and the format.

In addition to the conference program, BayOConnect once again offered extensive opportunities for professional exchange and for establishing new collaborations: At the innovation exhibition, young companies, start-ups, and research institutions presented their latest developments. Poster presentations, partnering meetings, and networking events facilitated direct exchange between academia, industry, investors, and policy makers.

The next BayOConnect is scheduled to take place on July 6 and 7, 2027.