EIC selects 20 biotech and health innovators for European Pavilion at BIO 2023
- ›The European Innovation Council selected 20 EIC-funded companies to exhibit at BIO International Convention 2023 in Boston from 5 to 8 June.
- ›Selection was competitive and based on internationalisation plans, fit with the trade fair and capacity to generate business.
- ›Delegates took part in a preparatory online workshop on 4 April covering US market context, logistics and networking strategies.
- ›Speakers included BIO's Senior Manager for International Relations, an ENRICH in the USA programme manager and a former OTF participant.
- ›The EIC Overseas Trade Fairs Programme 2.0 offers market exposure, mentoring and matchmaking but outcomes depend on follow-up and execution.
EIC delegation heads to BIO 2023 with 20 European biotech and health innovators
The European Innovation Council announced the companies selected to represent the European Pavilion at the BIO International Convention 2023 in Boston. BIO is one of the largest annual gatherings in biotech and pharma and runs this year from 5 to 8 June. The EIC selection follows a competitive evaluation process under the EIC Overseas Trade Fairs Programme 2.0. Selected teams include start-ups, scaleups and SMEs funded by the EIC with technologies spanning digital health, diagnostics, therapeutics, materials and sustainable biotech solutions.
Who was selected and what they bring
The delegation was chosen on three principal criteria. First, the companies had to show clear internationalisation goals for the US or broader global markets. Second, their technologies had to align with the scope of BIO and the expectations of attendees. Third, assessors considered each candidate's capacity to convert exhibition exposure into commercial relationships. The following EIC-backed companies were selected to exhibit at BIO 2023.
| Company | Country | Brief focus or technology area |
| AcouSort | Sweden | Medical device or acoustic sorting technologies |
| Applied Nanolayers | Netherlands | Surface functionalization and nanolayer coatings for biomedical and industrial uses |
| Beats Medical | Ireland | Digital health platform Colbolt for objective remote clinical assessments |
| Bioinicia | Spain | Biotech solutions and process technologies for life sciences |
| BIOMIMX | Italy | Medical imaging and diagnostic software solutions |
| Celeris Therapeutics | Austria | Therapeutics development company |
| Glycanostics | Slovakia | Early stage cancer diagnostics using glycan biomarkers |
| Graphenea | Spain | Graphene materials and foundry services with biosensing applications |
| iLoF | Portugal | Photonics and AI platform building an optical 'fingerprint' library for blood based biomarkers |
| Incircular | Netherlands | Circular economy and sustainable biotech solutions |
| Inovotion | France | In vivo oncology screening assays and early efficacy models |
| Mcule | Hungary | Online drug discovery platform integrating purchasable compound databases and modeling tools |
| MT-act | France | Preclinical spin-off focused on microtubule-targeting therapeutic compounds |
| NIL Technology | Denmark | Nanofluidics and optical sensing platforms |
| OcuSim | Turkey | Optical diagnostics solutions for ophthalmology including cataracts and glaucoma |
| Op2lysis | France | Therapeutics or medical technology with a focus on clinical impact |
| Resistell | Switzerland | Ultra-rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing using nanomotion detection |
| Sensius | Netherlands | Thermotherapy systems for oncology combining heating with radiation or systemic therapies |
| SILICOLIFE | Portugal | Biotech-enabled synthetic biology and precision fermentation for sustainable ingredients |
| ZECLINICS | Spain | Biomedical solutions for clinical research and treatment support |
Preparatory workshop and guest speakers
Selected delegates joined a one-day online briefing on 4 April. The session combined practical logistics with market intelligence and pitch preparation. The objective was to increase the odds that exhibition time translates into meaningful contacts and deals in the US market.
What the EIC Overseas Trade Fairs programme provides and what it does not
The EIC OTF Programme is designed to help EIC awardees scale internationally by providing structured support around trade fair participation. Typical services include a place in the European Pavilion, onsite visibility, matchmaking and coaching before and during the event. Previous iterations of the programme have also offered mentoring, pitching slots and in some cases partial reimbursement of participation costs. The programme aims to raise the EU innovation profile in target markets but it does not guarantee commercial outcomes or follow-up investment.
Technical concepts and jargon explained
Practical next steps and open calls
The EIC also pointed delegates and interested EIC awardees to additional open calls under the OTF Programme 2.0. Applicants should consult the EIC Community platform for the official application forms and deadlines. The calls listed at the time of this announcement included IFA Berlin, Gastech Singapore and GITEX Dubai in 2023.
| Trade fair | Location | Dates |
| IFA Berlin | Berlin, Germany | 1-5 September 2023 |
| Gastech | Singapore | 5-8 September 2023 |
| GITEX 2023 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 16-20 October 2023 |
If you have questions about the OTF programme or application process, the EIC Community Helpdesk is the designated contact point. The EIC Community platform contains the full schedule of open calls, programme details and guidance documents.
Implications for companies and the wider EU innovation ecosystem
Participation in high profile trade fairs is an established market development tactic that can accelerate lead generation and visibility. For EIC awardees, the programme offers subsidised access to markets that are otherwise costly to enter. At the same time, trade shows are only one element of international expansion. Converting contacts into commercial partnerships typically requires sustained sales effort, regulatory planning and local market adaptation. Measuring the programme's impact requires tracking tangible follow up such as signed agreements, pilot projects, distribution deals or fundraising that result from trade fair interactions.
From a policy perspective, the OTF Programme sits within a broader EU effort to support deep tech scaling and global presence for European innovators. The EIC plays a visible role in convening and de-risking early internationalisation steps. Observers should however avoid equating inclusion in a pavilion with business success. The true test for participating companies will be their ability to use the fair as a springboard for concrete partnerships and revenue growth.
Further reading and contacts
For background on the EIC OTF Programme 2.0 and ongoing EIC International Trade Fairs activities consult the EIC Community platform and the EIC International Trade Fairs Programme pages. For enquiries about the BIO delegation or the OTF calls, use the EIC Community Helpdesk and select the relevant event category.