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4 March 2004
Major players from the Scottish financial and biotechnology communities have joined forces with Scottish Enterprise to host a major financial conference in Edinburgh on 17th and 18th May at the Grand Sheraton Hotel.
Scottish Widows Investment Partnership and Scottish Equity Partners have joined Scottish Enterprise as part of the host committee for BioEquity Europe 2004. They complete an impressive line-up of domestic sponsors which also includes Ernst & Young, Wood Mackenzie, the Life Sciences ITI and the BIA. The conference is co-organised by BioCentury, EBD group and BIO, and sponsored by a host of international financial firms, including Nomura UK as main sponsor.
BioEquity Europe 2004 is coming to the UK for the first time. The conference will be the largest single gathering of professional financiers and potential funders for the life science industries in Europe this year. Invited biotechnology companies from across Europe will attend to present to the wide selection of investors.
Attracting BioEquity Europe to Scotland is a major coup for the Scottish Life Sciences community, where attracting the attention of funders is one of the biggest challenges in converting ideas and ground-breaking technology into workable businesses, profits and employment.
Jack Perry, CEO of Scottish Enterprise, recently described the biotechnology sector as being one of the most exciting in Scotland. With an average growth rate of more than 20% per annum and already employing around 26,000 people in Scotland alone, it is also one of the fastest growing.
Scottish Equity Partners is one of the most active bioscience investors in Europe, leading £28 million deals over the past year. Brian Kerr, Director of SEPs specialist Healthcare & Life Sciences investment group, said:
We have come on board to support BioEquity Europe 2004 because this sector is extremely important to us. From our experience of investing in this sector over the last 10 years, we know that Scotland punches well above its weight in life sciences, so its especially good to see the event come to Edinburgh this year.
Bill Blair, Investment Director, Private Equity of Scottish Widows Investment Partnership, added, "BioEquity Europe is a high status event and one which we, as a significant investor in the biotechnology sector, want to be involved with.
The conference gives the Scottish financial and biotechnology communities another opportunity to further enhance their reputations with leading international companies from the investment, banking, venture capital and life science industries.
About 600 influential financial professionals are expected to attend BioEquity on 17-18 May. 75 companies will be invited to present, with networking events - being arranged by the host committee to obtain maximum exposure for Scottish expertise.
Ken Snowden, Director of Life Sciences within Scottish Enterprise, said, The last few years have been hugely dynamic for the life sciences sector. Finance, however, remains key to the continued success of the sector. Life Science related businesses have particular difficulty in assessing the finance they need to expand and grow.
Making the transition from creative research to revenue generation can be a lengthy and challenging process that requires financial support, sometimes for many years. Events such as BioEquity Europe are key to keeping up the momentum within Scotland.
We can already demonstrate a large amount of activity, running at about twice the rate of growth achieved by any of our European neighbours. But this is an internationally competitive market and only the best companies will survive. Scottish Enterprise, and our partners on the host committee for BioEquity, want to make sure that we help the Scottish life sciences community maintain high visibility on the world stage.
This is the fifth annual BioEquity event but the first time in the UK. The lead organiser, BioCentury, is the major worldwide provider of business intelligence that influences the decisions made by bio-industry leaders and investors.
For further information on BioEquity, visit www.biocentury.com
For further information, please contact;
Kirstie Crawford on or or at ,
or Marjorie Calder, PR contractor to Scottish Enterprise on or .
Contact the Scottish Enterprise Press Office on
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