Europe’s moment: We could be the heroes of biotech

At Sofinnova Partners, we’ve seen this firsthand: we raised €1.5 billion over the past twelve months, including €650 million for Sofinnova Capital XI, our flagship fund, with more to come as momentum builds, and Europe strengthens its place on the global stage.

These milestones are more than financial. They reflect confidence in European science and the power of early innovation. Even in uncertain times, life sciences remain at the core of what our societies need most. Large pharmaceutical companies depend on a steady flow of breakthrough ideas from biotechs, and that need keeps our ecosystem moving forward.

It is Europe’s moment to lead. For too long, life sciences have been undervalued compared to other industries, despite being the engine behind medical progress and healthier societies. Europe has the scientific excellence, the talent, and the vision to lead globally. Leadership requires ambition. We could be the heroes of this industry, championing innovation that matters most.

To do that, Europe must combine its strengths with the best of others: harnessing U.S. entrepreneurial drive and China’s speed, while building on our own deep scientific foundations. This is not about imitation; it is about integration and creating a uniquely European model that accelerates discovery and scales impact.

Across the continent, the signs of maturity are clear: serial entrepreneurs are returning to build again, experienced executives are leading new ventures, and collaboration between academia, industry, and investors is stronger than ever.

Momentum alone isn’t enough. Europe needs deeper financing across all stages–from the earliest company formation to the most ambitious late-stage scaling–along with more cross-border collaboration and policies that turn science into economic and societal value.

The opportunity is real. Europe can do it. If we continue to back science with conviction, Europe’s life sciences sector will not just weather the storm, it will emerge stronger and ready to set the pace for the next decade of global innovation.

Antoine Papiernik, Chairman & Managing Partner at Sofinnova Partners, has been an initial investor and active board member in a number of publicly listed companies, including Actelion, ProQR, NovusPharma, Movetis, and Shockwave Medical. Antoine is one of the few European and life science investors to have appeared on the Forbes Midas List, an annual ranking recognizing the world’s top venture capital investors. Sofinnova Partners is a deeply established venture capital firm in Europe, with 50 years of experience backing over 500 companies. Today, Sofinnova Partners has over €4 billion under management.

This article was originally published in European Biotechnology Magazine Winter 2025.