In Portrait | New Investival for Life Sciences and AI in Berlin

In Berlin, a new international event brings life sciences, artificial intelligence and investors together. From June 9 through 11 of 2026, bio:cap, a combination of investment forum, innovation platform and networking festival, takes place at Berlin Messe for the first time.
Lara Formichella, Sebastian Treu and Timur Sarkisov © Messe Berlin GmbH

 

The life sciences sector is undergoing profound changes. The increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) further accelerates research and development, since large amounts of data can be analyzed faster, rendering diagnoses quicker and easier. In addition, practical applications are on the rise, including for therapeutical decisions. bio:cap, a new international event at Berlin’s exhibition grounds, pays heed to these developments. 

The life sciences ecosystem comes together 

The first edition of bio:cap takes place from June 9 to 11 of this year and brings life sciences, AI, capital and politics together. “In Europe, structures that serve the application of innovation, findings and ideas from research in business and practical settings are still in need of development. bio:cap aims to meet this need by creating a platform where all relevant players from the life sciences ecosystem come together,” says bio:cap project leader Lara Formichella.  

The event is mainly targeted at investors. But, as opposed to a classic investor conference, by combining an investor forum, an innovation platform and a networking festival, bio:cap wants to provide a basis for people across the healthcare industry – an event where they can pool their ideas and inspiration to lay the groundwork for scalable innovations and new ventures in the fields of life sciences and AI. 

What distinguishes an investival? 

To succeed in doing so, Messe Berlin and its partners Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, the Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) and Hasso Plattner Institute – opt for the unusual approach of an investival. In the course of bio:cap, keynotes, targeted matchmaking and intensive sessions alternate with relaxed networking and events. “One area of focus will be the role of AI in life sciences as a gamechanger in research, diagnostics and the development of new therapies. We aim to enable networking across the whole innovation cycle here,” states Lara Formichella. 

The setup of the event will have the character of a festival as well. There will be two main stages on which keynotes, fireside chats and debates will take place. On a third stage, start-ups get the opportunity to present their business models or be subjected to scale-up pitches. In addition, there will be a Capital Zone for investors and a Partnering Zone for pre-booked 1:1 meetings. The bio:cap Bar offers a space for relaxed talks and the Corner – a take on the city’s iconic „Späti” culture – brings an authentic Berlin vibe to the exhibition grounds. 

Top-notch speakers 

As far as content is concerned, the first edition of bio:cap will have many top-notch speakers on its agenda. Expected speakers include Nobel Laureate in Chemistry Prof. Dr. Stefan W. Hell, Stefan Oelrich, member of Bayer AG’s executive board and head of the pharmaceutical division, Nicole Büttner-Thiel, founder and CEO of Merantix Momentum and Dr. Viola Bronsema, CEO of BIO Deutschland e. V., to mention just a few. In addition, members of bio:cap’s steering committee will give insights into the future of life sciences. These include Prof. Dr. Heyo K. Kroemer and Prof. Dr. Eicke Latz of Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Dr. Andreas Schmidt of Springboard Health Ventures, Dr. Johannes Fruehauf of LabCentral and BioLabs, Prof. Dr. Jörg Rocholl of ESMT Berlin, Dr. Rainer Strohmenger of Wellington Partners and Prof. Dr. Ariel Stern of Hasso Plattner Institut.  

The overarching aim is to present and augment Europe’s potential in the life sciences sector. As Lara Formichella puts it, “Our goal is to harness and highlight the spirit of innovation within the life sciences ecosystem. There is no better or more dynamic location for this than the capital region, where research, business, politics and capital are closely intertwined. This is precisely where bio:cap aims to establish itself as the industry’s annual gathering.” 

For these reasons, the Healthcare Industries Cluster Berlin-Brandenburg (HealthCapital) welcomes bio:cap, serves as a City Host Partner and supports the event’s promotion and programming. In addition, HealthCapital participates in bio:cap with a joint stand representing Berlin and Brandenburg, organized by the agencies for economic development of both regions as well as Wirtschaftsförderung Brandenburg (WFBB) and Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie. Cluster manager Dr. Kai Bindseil says, “The Berlin‑Brandenburg region has outstanding strengths. We are home to excellent research, clinical diversity and entrepreneurial spirit – all in one place. Every day, our scientific institutions deliver world-class insights. But what really distinguishes us is early networking with industry, hospitals, investors and government agencies.  This speeds up processes, enhances clinical significance and accelerates the scaling of enterprises. It is precisely this dynamic that turns our region into one of Europe’s most exciting locations for innovation in healthcare. bio:cap is a catalyst for this. It brings people together who provide new insights, tackle challenges and want to jointly shape the future of healthcare. For us, it is a fact that those who want to shape the future of medicine will find the right environment and the right partners in Berlin-Brandenburg.” 

 

Further information: 

 

 



Back