Brussels – 8 October 2014 – EnterNext today welcomed representatives of EuropaBio, the ENTENTE Project and the European Commission on the occasion of the opening of the EuropaBio 5th Most Innovative European Biotech SME Award and the ENTENTE-Life Sciences Investment Forum.
The event, that takes place in Brussels on 9 October 2014, unites 28 European early stage innovative companies active in the health sector and seeking investment opportunities and international exposure. The selected companies will pitch their innovation, developments and needs in front of an international jury consisting of about 40 business angels, venture capitalists, corporate investors and other industry experts.
The top 25% scoring companies of the ENTENTE-Life Sciences Investment Forum will get the opportunity to take part in the European Venture Contest and the European Venture Summit, the final event of the European Venture Contest, taking place on 9 & 10 December 2014 in Dusseldorf, Germany.
Nathalie Moll, Secretary General of EuropaBio: “I am delighted and honoured to be here on behalf of the European Association of BioIndustries, EuropaBio, to open the Euronext markets. A number of biotech companies are rumoured to be considering IPOs this year after the successful IPOs carried out in this sector in the US and in some European countries in the last 12 months and we are delighted to see this surge in confidence for such a crucial sector for Europe’s sustainability and success.”
Karine Baudin, VP Technology Transfer InsermTransfert, ENTENTE Project: “Our project aims at reinforcing links and promoting transnational collaboration through networking activities among all stakeholders, sharing experience and best practices; and through an exchange programme for professionals of technology transfer in health. We hope that this meeting will result in investment from venture capitalists and early investors into these companies and therefore will support the European competitiveness with the final aim of the development of innovative products in health.”
Ruxandra Draghia Akli, Health Director of DG Research and Innovation at the European Commission: “In its response to the crisis, the European Union has launched at the beginning of this year Horizon 2020, with 80 billion euros to be invested over the next seven years in the largest ever R&I programme. And no less than 10 billion will be invested in high tech companies. The research we are funding today is essential to ensure future jobs, growth and competitiveness in Europe.”
Alain Baetens, Head of Listings of Euronext Brussels: “Enternext is delighted to join the EU, the ENTENTE Project and EuropaBio in their efforts to connect innovative companies with alternative financing sources for the benefit of the welfare of the real economy. EnterNext is by far the most active European market place in the Life Sciences sector hosting 62 issuers from the sector. It represents a total market capitalization of €10.3 billion, accounting for a market share close to 40% in terms of capital raised at IPO. Therefore, our platform offers the global investor community the most important European Life Sciences franchise, underpinned by its key reference index, the Next Biotech.”
To celebrate the opening of the ENTENTE-Life Sciences Investment Forum,the representatives of EuropaBio, the ENTENTE Project and the European Commissionrang the bell in Brussels, marking the opening of trading on Euronext’s European financial markets.