Last week, our CEO Stefan Savic took part in the “Capital Meets Innovation” panel at the AI 4 LIFE: Biotech Future Forum in Belgrade, discussing how Europe can finance the journey from discovery to successful company.

Europe has the innovation. The challenge is turning it into companies.

Stefan’s main message was simple: Europe has world-class science and promising discoveries. The challenge lies in translating them into successful companies, and in how we finance that journey.

The path from lab to patient is often held back by gaps between research funding, proof-of-concept support and commercial investment. It is about both the availability of capital and how it is structured:

·when it becomes available,

·what milestones it supports,

·and whether the financing and ownership terms leave a company well positioned for its next stage.

What can make a difference

Clear IP agreements, sensible equity structures and early funding tied to a credible development plan can make a significant difference. Promising science needs a stronger foundation for development, clinical validation and growth, and as AI opens up new possibilities in discovery, getting this translation right becomes even more important.

Thank you to the organisers, C4IR Srbija, the World Economic Forum, UNDP Serbia and BIO4 Campus Belgrade, as well as to the moderator and fellow panellists for a lively and candid exchange.