Health and biotech at the EIC: insights from the Conquering Cancer event
- ›Iordanis Arzimanoglou, EIC Programme Manager for health and biotechnology, presented the EIC's role in health and biotech at the Conquering Cancer event
- ›The event was organised by Business Angels Europe, the European Innovation Council and the Horizon Results Platform to connect EU-funded research with investors
- ›Beating Cancer is one of the five Horizon Europe Missions and served as the policy backdrop for the event
- ›EU-funded, science-led projects pitched to European investors to attract follow up funding and scale clinical or commercial development
Health and biotech at the EIC: what the Conquering Cancer event signalled
On 31 May 2023 the European Innovation Council featured in an investor-focused forum titled Conquering Cancer. The session included a short presentation by Iordanis Arzimanoglou, the EIC Programme Manager for health and biotechnology, and brought together project teams, angel investors and programme intermediaries. The stated aim was to bridge EU-funded science and technology outputs with private capital to accelerate development and market entry for cancer relevant innovations.
Event format and organisers
The event was organised jointly by Business Angels Europe, the European Innovation Council and the European Commission's Horizon Results Platform. It used a pitching format in which leading examples of EU-funded, science-focused research were invited to present to European investors. The objective was practical. Teams sought to make their case for further financing to move projects into clinical validation, scale up manufacturing, or reach markets.
What the EIC presentation conveyed and what it did not
The source material records that Iordanis Arzimanoglou gave a short presentation about the EIC's health and biotech activities. The public note does not provide a transcript or detail of specific announcements. From the EIC's known remit, such a presentation typically covers instruments and support pathways relevant to health innovators and a summary of services available to teams looking for funding or market support.
EIC instruments relevant to health and biotech
| Instrument | Type of support | Typical stage or purpose |
| EIC Pathfinder | Grants for early stage, high risk, high reward research | Breakthrough science and proof of concept |
| EIC Transition | Grants to mature technologies towards market readiness | Technology validation and market preparation |
| EIC Accelerator | Grants and blended financing including equity via the EIC Fund | Scale up of start ups and SMEs for market entry and growth |
| EIC Fund | Equity co-investments managed via fund mechanisms | Follow on financing to leverage private investment |
Why events like Conquering Cancer matter to the innovation ecosystem
Health and biotech innovations face long development timelines and complex regulatory pathways. Public funding under programmes such as Horizon Europe and instruments managed by the EIC are crucial in de-risking early phases. Investor forums give project teams exposure, help them refine investor pitches and make connections to potential co-investors. For the investor community, these events create deal flow and surface projects with public validation.
Key limitations and risks to bear in mind
Connecting science to capital is necessary but not sufficient. Several structural challenges remain in European health and biotech innovation. Clinical trials, regulatory approvals and manufacturing scale up require long lead times and significant capital. Investor risk appetite for preclinical or early clinical assets is limited. Fragmentation across member states in regulatory interpretation and market access can slow commercialisation when compared to larger, more integrated markets. Public programmes such as the EIC can help bridge early gaps but they do not remove the need for private follow on capital and stepwise clinical validation.
Practical advice for researchers and teams
If you are a researcher or startup in the cancer or broader health space and you aim to engage EIC instruments or investors consider the following. First, use available EIC support services including business coaches, grant writing assistance and the EIC's acceleration services. Second, plan development milestones that map to funding needs and investor expectations. Third, expect due diligence on regulatory strategy, data robustness and team capabilities. Finally, consider partnering with regional innovation actors and national contact points to maximise access to local follow on funding and clinical networks.
How to follow the Conquering Cancer session
The EIC published a short notice on the event and the organisation indicated that a full recording of the session is available. The EIC and the Horizon Results Platform are the appropriate places to find the video recording and further event materials. The public note about the session was published on 31 May 2023.
Bottom line
The Conquering Cancer event is an example of how EU research programmes, intermediary networks and investors are being brought together to accelerate health innovation. Such convenings are useful for exposing EU-funded projects to private capital and for signalling policy priorities such as the Beating Cancer mission. They are not a substitute for the hard work of clinical validation and commercialisation. Policymakers and funders should keep emphasising follow on financing, regulatory support and ecosystem connectivity if EU-funded science is to translate into widely available patient impact.