Pioneering Greece’s Biotech Future: Endeavor Greece Supports the Bio3 Forum

For the second consecutive year, Endeavor Greece joined forces with the Bio3 Forum as a content partner, reflecting our commitment to fostering innovation within the Greek tech ecosystem and beyond. Held in Athens from September 1st to 5th, the Bio3 Forum featured influential thought leaders from across the globe in the biotechnology and life sciences sectors, including stakeholders from the likes of Cedar Sinai, Harvard, IQVIA, and BMS. This collaboration with Bio3 aligns with our mission at Endeavor Greece to drive the local innovation ecosystem forward, while spotlighting Greece's emerging role in the global biotech arena.

We invited leading entrepreneurs and investors who are behind the Greek turnaround story to share their thoughts about the promising Greek future in biotech. In parallel, six promising startups in life sciences were given the opportunity to pitch their solution and growth plans to a select group of prominent investors from the field.

Spotlight on Day 4: Scaling Innovation in Life Sciences with AI

High-growth ScaleUp entrepreneurs Eirini Schlosser, founder & CEO of Dyania Health and Michalis Papadakis, co-founder & CEO of Brainomix, along with Dimitris Skaltsas, co-founder & CEO of Intelligencia.ai and Dora Varvarigou, Professor at National Technical University of Athens, spoke with Maritina Grelloni, Endeavor Greece Director of Growth, about the transforming implications and impact of AI on diagnostics, drug discovery and development, patient care, showcasing the remarkable talent emerging from the Greek innovation scene and leaving a global footprint. 

Following the day’s discussions, Endeavor Greece hosted an exclusive networking event, bringing together thought leaders and innovators from the Bio3 Forum. Over drinks and light bites, the energy was palpable as attendees exchanged ideas and explored new collaboration opportunities, sparking fresh connections that could shape the future of Greek biotech.

Day 5 Recap: Empowering Greek Biotech Entrepreneurship

The final day of the conference kicked off with an entrepreneur pitching session, featuring six early stage startups created by Greek founders, operating on a global scale - Aesthesis Medical, Tinos Therapeutics, Feel Therapeutics, JADBio, Anacalypsis Therapeutics and Cogitat. The respective founders had the opportunity to pitch in front of notable investors from Greece, Europe and the US, including Big Pi Ventures, Beacon Capital, Neweleven Capital, Kos Biotechnology Partners, and Threshold Ventures. 

Following the pitches, an all-star investor panel  took the stage for a discussion on "Empowering Greek Biotech Entrepreneurship," led by Endeavor Greece Managing Director Panagiotis Karampinis. This conversation featured Andreas Stavropoulos, Partner at Threshold Ventures and Endeavor Greece Vice Chairman, Simos Simeonidis, Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Kos Biotechnology Partners, Nick Kalliagkopoulos, Partner at BigPi, Michael G. Gialouris, President & Managing Director of ASOFIN Management S.A., Anta Gkelou, Partner, Sofinnova Partners, and Maria Dramalioti-Taylor, Managing Partner of Beacon Capital.

The session explored the potential for growth and development of the Greek biotech sector over the next decade, highlighting key insights as vehicles for change. The panelists discussed: 

1. The Power of Patience: A Long-Term Vision for Biotech Unlike the rapid pace of AI and other tech trends, biotech demands a long-term outlook due to its unique industry cycles and the extended timeline of drug development. Resilience and patience were highlighted by the panelists as key virtues for tapping into the potential of biotech innovation. Greece, with its budding ecosystem, is primed to become a biotech hub, drawing inspiration from established innovation centers like Silicon Valley. However, as with Silicon Valley, this journey will take time - potentially over a decade - but the foundation is being built today.

2. Where Biology Meets Technology: A New Frontier in Innovation Biology is undergoing a radical transformation, driven by technological advancements, that are reshaping drug discovery and life sciences. With data being processed faster and more accurately than ever, biotech is emerging as one of the most groundbreaking fields of the 21st century. Greece and Europe, through cross-border collaborations and shared synergies, have the potential to become leaders in this biotech revolution on a global scale.

3. Tapping Into Greece’s Hidden Strengths: Talent, Diaspora, and Opportunity One of the most exciting opportunities for Greece is in leveraging its diaspora and the promising talent within the country. Although the local biotech ecosystem is still growing, panelists noted that international collaboration and tapping into global networks could accelerate its rise. With lessons learned from the diaspora and the post-pandemic realization that biotech companies can thrive anywhere, Greece’s rich talent pool, supported by the right financial and policy frameworks, could be the catalyst needed to establish the country as a fast-growing biotech hub.

Looking Ahead

The Bio3 Forum is a reflection of the ongoing biotech revolution in Greece. By uniting key players from innovation, academia, business, and investment, it bridges critical gaps and fosters collaboration across sectors. This shared vision is driving Greece’s biotech ecosystem forward, positioning the country to make a lasting impact on the global stage with growing confidence and momentum.

We look forward to seeing you next year!