AI meets biotech: Europe’s new investival

From June 9–11, 2026, Berlin will host the premiere of bio:cap, a new international investival dedicated to the intersection of life sciences and artificial intelligence. The event takes place at the CityCube on the Berlin exhibition grounds and brings together investors, startups, research institutions and companies from biotech, diagnostics, TechBio and AI.

Europe is uniquely positioned to lead in life sciences. World-class universities, hospitals and research institutes generate breakthrough discoveries, while ambitious start-ups are transforming scientific excellence into globally relevant innovations. bio:cap aims to strengthen this momentum by connecting research, capital and industry in one international platform.
The event is designed to span the entire innovation cycle – from fundamental research and technology transfer to venture financing and policy frameworks. Its goal is to accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into scalable companies and real-world medical solutions while strengthening Europe’s competitiveness in life-science innovation.

The conference programme, developed in collaboration with media partner Handelsblatt, focuses on themes shaping the sector. These include Europe’s position in the global race for biotechnology innovation, the growing role of artificial intelligence in research and drug development, and emerging therapeutic platforms beyond mRNA. Additional sessions address regulatory frameworks, infrastructure requirements, and investment strategies for scaling life-science innovation.

Internationally recognised leaders from science, industry and venture capital will contribute their perspectives. Among them is Nobel Prize laureate Prof. Dr. Stefan W. Hell, whose work in super-resolution microscopy transformed biological imaging. Industry insights will be provided by Stefan Oelrich, Member of the Board of Management at Bayer AG and President of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). Entrepreneurial perspectives come from Rodger Novak, co-founder of CRISPR Therapeutics, and Thomas Clozel, CEO and co-founder of Owkin.

The event will also bring together global pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer and AstraZeneca, highlighting the importance of collaboration between industry, startups and academic research institutions in advancing the next generation of life-science innovation.

Bio:cap is organised by Messe Berlin in cooperation with Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, the Berlin Institute of Health in the Charité (BIH) and the Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI), representing Berlin’s strong ecosystem of research, medical innovation and venture capital.

Curated matchmaking sessions and dedicated investor areas will facilitate collaboration across the international life-science ecosystem. Throughout the three days, additional side events across Berlin will create further opportunities for informal exchange and networking. One highlight will be the official bio:cap Investival Party on June 10 at the historic AVUS Tribüne, a landmark grandstand of Berlin’s former AVUS motor racing circuit.

“Berlin has become one of Europe’s most dynamic life-science locations,” says Lara Formichella, Project Lead bio:cap at Messe Berlin. “With bio:cap we want to create a platform where scientific excellence, entrepreneurship and capital come together to accelerate innovation in biotechnology and AI.“

Contact us:
bio:cap 2026
June 9–11, 2026 | CityCube Berlin,
Germany
More information and registration:
www.biocap-europe.com
biocap@messe-berlin.de