Over the years, we always kept a personal touch to everything. Most
participants have been from our close network of professional friends.
Many
companies have received their first chance to obtain funding from
the open conversations that we actively maintained year after year
here in Geneva. We are now proud to be able to say that BioData
was instrumental in the fertilization of the entrepreneurial soil
in the broad region encompassing Switzerland and Rhône-Alpes. Looking
back, we see so many successful companies that we hosted from inception
to the Stock Market or to the trade sale. The list is just too long
to appear in this letter.
In October 2008, for the first time, BioData, suddenly and inadvertently,
did not receive its long term support from local institutions after
a change of governance there. This was not due to the looming financial
crisis, because BioData, in its frugal ways, had never been a serious
burden to local finances. We had faced others, and possibly more
severe business down cycles and our action was then seen all the
more important to help companies out of their cash crunches. It
then took us by surprise and this is why we couldn’t be present
in January 2009 at the risk of disappointing our loyal participants.
Nevertheless, the broad recognition that BioData has received over
so many years from its participants has allowed us to regain proper
sponsorship from the Conseil Général de la Haute-Savoie, the Technopôle
d’Archamps and the American Investment Bank Healthios. BioData has
also kept intact the political support of the State of Geneva, in
recognition for all this time at the service of its local community.
We also count on an equivalent broad companionship from the Swiss
and French Press, which has been on our side since inception.
Today, the objective of BioData remains the same, we intend to help
innovative companies in the field of health care get funding and
growth. Instead of serving local institutions as we have been in
the past, we will now take care of individual companies and investors.
We now provide our services directly to entrepreneurs, much beyond
the usual 15 minute presentation time they merely get from other
conferences. Moreover, we will continue to offer personal services
and contacts to investors, who are the core of BioData, all over
the year. We believe we really understand the needs of these two
communities, entrepreneurs and investors, and we have the means
to serve them to success.
In February 2010, we are to present customized offerings to companies
and investors, not only company presentations and one-on-ones, but
also an array of services. The financial crisis, the consecutive
credit restriction and the overall reduction of available funding
for innovation has convinced us that we must act in a very concrete
way to accompany companies and investors and make them benefit from
our networks and credentials.
And, first of all, on the spot, we give you the possibility to visit
and explore the growing Technopôle d’Archamps which is the best
possible development site for young biotech and medtech companies
in the Region; then, we will offer the presence of regional incubators,
European and US venture capitalists and also Swiss private bankers;
finally, you will receive the direct help from Healthios professionals
and the organizers of BioData.
Healthios and the BioData team have shown over time a long term
commitment that is rarely matched in the financial world. We intend
to offer this long term backing to entrepreneurs in a contractual
relationship, as needed. This means help in capital raising, Deal
Making, Public and Investor Relations and Recruitment. Combined,
the professionals that will host you at BioData have raised several
billion dollars for companies and funds, they have participated
in scores of deals in the last 20 years, and their networks are
among the largest and most influential in the health care field,
in Europe, the USA and Asia.
Most importantly, the participants of BioData are the most valuable
asset that can be offered to investors and entrepreneurs. BioData
gets them together to share on the hottest topics in the industry
and to cook the deals that will make the future of health care.
They are our loyal hands when we need to call and find solutions
for our CEOs and investors. We are extremely happy to create this
renewed opportunity to have them, in our friendly way, reunited
in the Geneva Area, for BioData2010, and contributing to the common
success into the years to come.
Hervé
de Kergrohen,
Chairman
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