This week, the European Innovation Council (EIC) brought together leaders in healthcare and life sciences AstraZeneca, Bayer, Chiesi, and Coloplast with 16 EIC-backed start-ups from 9 countries to collaborate on the future of therapeutics, diagnostics, and patient care. Siemens Healthineers and Sanofi attended as observing corporations. Held as part of the main programme of the EIC Summit 2026 in Brussels, the activity facilitated new connections between Europe’s top-notch health and life science innovators and the corporations that can help their solutions reach patients.
The selected EIC-backed companies, chosen by the corporate partners and prepared by the EIC through targeted coaching, pitch dry runs, and business proposal reviews, presented their solutions during in-person pitching sessions, followed by structured one-to-one meetings with senior corporate decision-makers and technical specialists aimed at driving concrete business deals in the coming months.
This acceleration activity, delivered under the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme, was designed to foster meaningful collaboration between high-potential deep-tech innovators and the world’s foremost life science companies, supporting pathways to pilots, co-development projects, strategic partnerships, and market entry. Beyond the pitching and matchmaking sessions, the EIC will continue to provide both the EIC-backed start-ups and the corporate partners with dedicated follow-up support over the coming six months, helping to turn the initial discussions into well-scoped trials and commercial agreements.
Senior representatives from the participating corporations took part in the activity, including Robert Roth (Science Director, AZ BioVentureHub, AstraZeneca), Ruth Shah (Head of Bayer Co.Lab Berlin, Bayer), Fabrizio Conicella (Vice President, COI&C, Chiesi), and Hanne Jensen (Senior Principal Scouting Specialist, Coloplast). They were joined by EIC representatives Stéphane Ouaki (Head of Department of the EIC, EISMEA) and Manuel Mendigutía (Senior Strategy Adviser and EIC Corporate Partnership Programme Coordinator), highlighting the strategic importance of corporate-startup collaboration for Europe’s innovation ecosystem. Sven Jager (Director of Computational Science, R&D Data, Sanofi) and René Pompl (Senior Director of Venture Technology, Siemens Healthineers) took part as representatives of the observing corporations.
Reflecting on the Day, Stéphane Ouaki, Head of Department of the EIC at EISMEA, noted:
Holding this Multi-Corporate Day within the EIC Summit gave it a particular energy, because the discussions sat alongside the wider conversation about how Europe scales its deep-tech. What we set out to do here was to make it easier for Europe's most promising life science innovators to sit down with the people who can act on their solutions. The preparation made a difference. Every conversation was grounded in real challenges and real business value, and that is exactly the kind of connection we want to keep building across Europe's innovation ecosystem.
EIC Summit: a meeting point for Europe's innovation ecosystem
The Multi-Corporate Day took place within the EIC Summit 2026, the flagship annual event that connects the European deep-tech community with EU research, innovation policy, and international partners. In its fifth edition, held on 3-4 June at the historic Tour & Taxis site on the Brussels Canal, the Summit brought together more than 2,000 participants to exchange views on strengthening Europe’s competitiveness, addressing the challenges of scaling up deep-tech innovation, exploring ways to foster collaboration and mobilise greater private investment.
For EIC awardees, the EIC Summit offered the opportunity to attend workshops on a wide range of topics and to network with the investors, policymakers, thought leaders, corporates, and finance executives shaping Europe’s deep-tech ecosystem. Positioning the Multi-Corporate Day on Life Sciences within this setting allowed the participating companies to address corporate challenges while engaging with the wider European innovation community gathered in Brussels.
Between the two pitching rounds, the programme made room for a broader conversation on how corporates and start-ups work together. A keynote by Gregor Gimmy, one of Europe's leading experts on venture clienting and corporate innovation, set out how start-ups can learn to identify better clients and how companies can gain a clearer picture of where to strengthen their venture clienting capabilities. This was followed by a fireside chat between Gregor Gimmy and Victoria Hernández-Valcárcel on the practical realities of startup-corporate collaboration and the future of innovation adoption in Europe, in which Victoria reflected on how venture clienting capabilities differ depending on the industry sector and the type of integration involved. Together, these sessions brought valuable perspectives and experience on venture clienting, corporate innovation, and start-up scaling to the room before the second round of pitches and one-to-one business meetings got under way.
Faster routes to validated life science innovation: value for the corporate partners
Each corporate partner brought a defined set of challenges to the activity. AstraZeneca focused on next-generation therapeutics and drug discovery technologies, spanning new modalities and drug-delivery systems, early-stage discovery tools, and sustainable approaches in chemistry. Bayer concentrated on transformative drug development, from modalities and drug delivery innovation to expanding the druggable space and the application of AI in drug discovery. Chiesi focused on better breathing and neonatal care through its AIR and CARE pillars, covering chronic respiratory diseases and neonatology alongside a cross-cutting priority on health equity and access. Coloplast, in turn, sought non-pharmacological solutions across bowel and gut health, bladder and urinary health, and stoma care and surgical therapeutics.
For the innovation and R&D teams at the corporations, the activity provided a time-efficient pathway to pre-vetted technologies aligned with their strategic priorities. The structured preparation allowed discussions to advance rapidly from initial scouting to questions of technical integration, regulatory requirements, and practical deployment, shortening the journey from scouting to scoped collaborations.
Ruth Shah, Head of Bayer Co.Lab Berlin, shared:
Finding the right start-ups at the right stage for incubation and/or partnering takes a great effort. Working with the EIC gave us a pre-selected, well-prepared group of companies that matched our priorities, so we could get straight into the technical details. We are grateful for the chance to meet this group, and look forward to seeing how these conversations develop in the months ahead.
Hanne Jensen, Senior Principal Scouting Specialist at Coloplast, added:
For our teams, the value lies in the quality of the exchanges. We met companies working on genuine alternatives in stoma, bladder and bowel care, and the conversations moved quickly to the practical questions that matter to us. The EIC made it easy to meet the right people in one place, and we look forward to seeing where a few of these discussions might lead.
Direct access to corporate decision-makers: value for EIC-backed companies
The EIC Multi-Corporate Day offered the participating EIC start-ups and SMEs more than visibility. The tailored preparation and targeted matchmaking gave founders direct access to high-level decision-makers and technical experts across four major corporations, allowing them to test their proposals against real industry requirements. Discussions covered integration into existing pipelines and care pathways, regulatory and clinical validation, scalability, and the practical conditions for deployment, helping start-ups refine their technical roadmaps and sharpen their value propositions.
The selected EIC-backed companies received personalised preparatory support ahead of the activity, including a group session with the corporate partners, one-to-one sessions with business experts, high-quality feedback to adjust their pitch decks, pitch dry runs, and a business proposal review. On this day, they presented their solutions during two pitching sessions before moving into one-to-one meetings with corporate experts, complemented by access to the EIC Summit booths and panels.
Sonia Ferreira, CEO of BestHealth4U reflected:
Meeting decision-makers from several life science companies in a single setting was genuinely valuable for us. We had focused conversations about how our product fits with their strategy, and the feedback we received was precise and useful. These are people who would normally take months to reach through ordinary channels. We are hopeful that some of these early discussions can lead to a pilot where the fit is strongest.
Avencia Sánchez-Mejías García, CEO of Integra Therapeutics, who also participated, added:
Presenting our gene-writing platform to experts from these corporations was a real opportunity for us. The questions we received were detailed and helped us think more carefully about where our technology can make the biggest difference. We left with a clearer sense of direction and several conversations we would like to continue. It is still early, but we hope to keep the dialogue going and, if things align, to scope a focused pilot.
Meet the EIC-backed innovators
The following EIC-backed innovators pitched their solutions and built meaningful relationships with AstraZeneca, Bayer, Chiesi and Coloplast’s key decision-makers and experts:
- AINDO (Italy): Generative AI platform producing high-quality synthetic data that mirrors real-world datasets without personal or sensitive information, enabling analysis, sharing, and reuse of clinical data.
- BESTHEALTH4U (Portugal): Bio-inspired, skin-friendly interfaces for stoma care that reduce dependence on conventional adhesive systems while preserving peristomal skin integrity.
- BIOMODICS (Denmark): Biomimetic zwitterionic polymers for better-tolerated medical-device surfaces and tunable drug-delivery systems, including a urinary catheter platform and BBB-crossing nanoparticles.
- BIOPSENSE (Finland): Point-of-care cartridge integrating plasma separation, cfDNA extraction, quantification, and stabilisation in a single step for standardised liquid biopsy workflows.
- ELEM BIOTECH (Spain): Human-based in silico cardiac simulation platform using Virtual Human Trials to predict cardiac safety and efficacy across diverse patient phenotypes.
- EVERSENS (Spain): Integrated platform combining clinical-grade exhaled biomarker measurement, real-time environmental data, and AI analytics for predictive respiratory care at home.
- IKTOS (France): Autonomous drug discovery platform integrating generative AI, retrosynthesis planning, and robotic synthesis to close the Design-Make-Test-Analyse loop.
- INNOCON MEDICAL (Denmark): Dorsal genital nerve stimulation device treating overactive bladder and bowel dysfunction at home as a lower-cost alternative to implants.
- INTEGRA THERAPEUTICS (Spain): FiCAT gene-writing platform enabling precise, virus-free insertion of large DNA fragments for next-generation cell and gene therapies.
- LINCBIOTECH (Spain): Lysosome Targeting Degrader platform built as fully recombinant fusion proteins for selective removal of extracellular and membrane-bound proteins.
- NEOVIVUM TECHNOLOGIES (Serbia): AI-powered computational biology platform predicting patient-specific drug outcomes by modelling how the tumour microenvironment controls therapeutic efficacy.
- QUBIT PHARMACEUTICALS (France): ATLAS platform combining quantum science, physics-based modelling, and AI to predict potency, selectivity, and toxicity and to explore cryptic and allosteric pockets.
- SCIENTA LAB (France): EVA precision immunology model trained on over 200,000 biosamples across more than 60 immune-mediated diseases to support target identification and validation.
- SEQUENTIA BIOTECH (Spain): Bioinformatics company whose MICK® platform uses microbiome analysis to characterise dysbiosis and track gut health for data-driven stoma and continence care.
- PREEMIE by TELLSPEC (United Kingdom): Federated-learning neonatal intelligence ecosystem predicting life-threatening neonatal conditions and length-of-stay risk without patient data leaving institutional firewalls.
- TRINCE (Belgium): LumiPore™ photoporation platform using laser-activated nanoparticles to deliver molecules gently and efficiently into hard-to-transfect cells.
Beyond high-level networking, this acceleration initiative, powered by the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme, provides post-activity support to the EIC-backed companies and the corporate partners, helping to maximise the impact of business proposals and address potential challenges that may arise during follow-up discussions. The selected companies will also be able to draw on the EIC’s Dealmaker Support to help finalise agreements and build lasting partnerships, with progress monitored over the coming six months to capture tangible business impact.
About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialisation of prescription medicines in oncology, rare diseases, and biopharmaceuticals, including cardiovascular, renal & metabolism, and respiratory & Immunology. AstraZeneca BioVentureHub is an open innovation platform, offering an inside track to AstraZeneca's scientific expertise, world-class infrastructure, and facilities. Integrated at the heart of AstraZeneca's strategic R&D site in Gothenburg, the BioVentureHub enables emerging life science companies and academia to work and grow within our focus areas: Pharma, deep-tech, Digital & AI and SustainTech.
AstraZeneca promotes innovation by connecting, catalysing, and nurturing the right parties to form valuable collaborations that drive growth for all involved. AstraZeneca’s unique dare-to-share culture, trust, and scientific curiosity, together with non-competitive synergies, are at the core of being part of the BioVentureHub. All BioVentureHub companies operate independently, and AstraZeneca holds no ownership or innovation rights. The BioVentureHub is a fusion of minds and resources, leading to groundbreaking innovations and industry leadership. For more information, click here.
About Bayer
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. In line with its mission, “Health for all, Hunger for none,” the company’s products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and ageing global population. Bayer is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact across its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2024, the Group employed around 93,000 people and had sales of 46.6 billion euros. R&D expenses amounted to 6.2 billion euros. For more information, click here.
About Chiesi
Chiesi is a research-oriented international biopharmaceutical group that develops and markets innovative therapeutic solutions in respiratory health, rare diseases, and specialty care. The company’s mission is to improve people’s quality of life and act responsibly towards both the community and the environment. With 90 years of experience, Chiesi is headquartered in Parma (Italy), with 31 affiliates worldwide, and counts more than 7,900 employees. The Group’s research and development centre in Parma works alongside 6 other important R&D hubs in France, the US, Canada, China, the UK, and Sweden. The Impulse is Open Innovation Chiesi’s global initiative dedicated to advancing healthcare through bold, patient-centred innovation, supporting visionary thinkers and doers who want to transform ideas into impactful solutions. For more information, click here.
About Coloplast
Coloplast is a global medical device company dedicated to making life easier for people with intimate healthcare needs, and developing solutions in ostomy care, continence care, wound care, voice and respiratory care, and interventional urology, always shaped through close dialogue with the people who use our products.
Coloplast is pursuing an ambitious growth agenda and continues to expand its reach and capabilities. With around 17,000 employees and products available in more than 140 countries, Coloplast is one of the world’s leading medical device companies.
Coloplast’s solutions reach patients through subsidiaries and partners worldwide. In 2025, Coloplast generated approximately EUR 3.7 billion in revenue. Innovation remains at the core of their progress, and they actively seek new ideas, partnerships and external collaboration to shape the next generation of intimate healthcare solutions. For more information, click here.
About the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme
This activity is part of the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme, an initiative supporting EIC-backed companies looking to scale by securing new customers and business partners. To date, more than 1,500 EIC-backed start-ups and scale-ups, together with over 2,500 high-level representatives from more than 100 large companies, have taken part in the programme, resulting in significant impacts on organisations, tracking progress, and closing deals, often within six months.
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DISCLAIMER: This information is provided in the interest of knowledge sharing and should not be interpreted as the official view of the European Commission, or any other organisation.