Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Accept all cookies Reject all non-essential cookies Find out more

Never mind the heatwave, competition at our seventh annual Pitch Battle was hot!

The sun beat down in the June heatwave as our annual Pitch Battle took place recently, matching the fierce tenant competition to win the coveted Best Pitch prize, sponsored by The Oxford Science Park (TOSP). The Small But Mighty prize, open to our smaller tenants located in our shared Innovation Labs, was sponsored for the first time this year, by ThermoFisher Scientific. Creating a total prize pot of £3,500, the stakes were high as the event started.

One of the BioEscalator’s flagship events, the Pitch Battle process includes training, feedback and the event itself. Joining us to hear the five-minute pitches and ask the tough questions were a panel of biomedical industry executives and investors – Caroline Austin of AstraZeneca, David Ford of Oxford Venture Angels and Neil Stokes of AbbVie/DJS Antibodies.

 

72.png

 

Chaired by Business Manager Claire Shingler, 12 of our tenants presented their unique biotech and medtech propositions, tackling conditions ranging from fertility and anti-aging to autoimmune disease, cancer, and infections. There was a huge amount of information for the judges to digest, but their questions were insightful and the responses thoughtful.

 

73.png

 

As the judges retired to deliberate, the audience networked over drinks and debated who the winners might be.

 

74.png

 

Luckily, the suspense didn’t last long, as the panel returned to deliver its verdicts, as below.

  • Most Impactful Visuals - Sooraj Achar & Aneesh Aggarwal, Akimbo Bio
  • Best Scientific Explanation - Lia Pantazi, Granza Bio
  • Most Likely Future Unicorn – RE-AIM Therapeutics (Anne Chauveau & Fernando Gallardo)
  • Best Speaker - Jordan Abdi, U-Ploid
  • Small But Mighty (sponsored by ThermoFisher Scientific for £1,000 of consumables) -  Boon Lim, Spectre Bio

Last but not least, the Best Pitch Prize, sponsored by The Oxford Science Park and worth £2,500, was presented by Byron Byrne to Granza Bio! Well done to Lia and Granza Bio for winning the big prize…. and for winning two prizes the second year in a row.

 

75.png

 

Spirits were high as the competition closed, with the judges impressed by the range of talent and innovation they saw and the audience pleased to have heard the latest from their fellow tenants. Well done to everyone who took part and congratulations to the winners. Thanks are due to our judges for their time and interest, our generous sponsors ThermoFisher Scientific and The Oxford Science Park, and to Xin Liu, Managing Partner at X8 Lund Life Sciences Capital, and Emma Palmer Foster, EJ Palmer Consulting, for pitch training.  

 

Let battle commence again next year!

Similar stories