Nine EIC‑backed pharma and biotech start-ups pitched to 50 investors at EIC ePitching on 14 May 2025
- ›Nine EIC Accelerator‑backed pharma and biotech companies presented at an EIC ePitching on 14 May 2025 to about 50 investors.
- ›Presenting companies spanned drug discovery, cancer immunotherapies, blood brain barrier delivery, BCI therapeutics, neuroplasticity modulators and muscle regeneration.
- ›Investors emphasised the need for clear unmet medical needs, in vivo proof of concept, strong IP and credible commercial strategy.
- ›Start‑ups reported immediate benefits from visibility and new contacts while investors valued the EIC curation as a deal flow source.
- ›The session was organised under the EIC Investor Readiness and Outreach Programme, part of EIC Business Acceleration Services which connects EIC awardees with investors and other market actors.
EIC ePitching spotlights nine biotech and pharma start-ups to European investor community
On 14 May 2025 nine companies supported by the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator presented their science and business plans during an ePitching session organised by the EIC Investor Readiness and Outreach Programme. The online event drew roughly 50 investors from venture capital funds and corporate investors active in life sciences. The session is one of the EIC Business Acceleration Services activities intended to raise visibility for EIC awardees and to accelerate their investor outreach.
Who pitched and what they are developing
The cohort brought together a mix of therapeutic modalities and technology approaches. The group included small molecule drug developers, immuno‑oncology companies, delivery platform specialists and an early therapeutic brain computer interface developer. The companies are at different stages, from preclinical programmes to clinical stage development.
| Company | Core focus | Technology or modality |
| ATXA Therapeutics Ltd | Cardiopulmonary diseases | Novel small molecule antagonists of the Thromboxane Receptor |
| CONNECTA Therapeutics | CNS disorders linked to neuroplasticity dysfunction | Clinical stage neuroplasticity‑modulating therapeutics |
| ErVimmune | Oncology | Cancer vaccines and T cell based immunotherapies targeting cold tumours |
| Gate2Brain | Targeted brain delivery | Peptide‑based platform to shuttle cargoes across biological barriers |
| Hemispherian | Aggressive cancers including glioblastoma | First‑in‑class small molecules targeting TET2 enzyme |
| Hoba Therapeutics | Pain and sensory neuron disorders | Novel therapeutics (company based in Copenhagen) |
| Inbrain Neuroelectronics | Neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease | Therapeutic brain computer interface that delivers stimulation to neural networks |
| MyoPax | Muscle degeneration and regeneration | Muscle regeneration therapies to restore function |
| Panntherapi | Chronic neurological diseases | Targeted drugs that activate only under pathological conditions |
What the founders said about pitching and value of the event
Participants described the ePitching format as an accelerator for investor contact and a useful wake up call for refining messages. Several founders noted the unusual mix of expertise in the investor audience and the direct introductions that followed the session.
Investor reaction and what investors told the entrepreneurs
Investors at the event emphasised practical criteria that determine their interest. They praised the EIC portfolio for attracting teams with strong scientific foundations but said that science must be complemented by clear translational evidence and sound commercial positioning.
Organisers provided the selected companies the chance to pitch to a jury and a wider investor audience that included representatives from a long list of venture investors active across Europe and beyond. Names present included 3 Bio Future Health Fund, AdBio Partners, Biovance Capital Partners, Buenavista Equity Partners, Curie Capital, Eir Ventures, Diffusion Capital Partners, Granatus Ventures, HTGF, iBionext Growth Fund, Impact Shakers Ventures, Indaco Venture Partners, InVivo Partners, IQ Capital, Kurma Partners, Life Science Valley Wachstumsfonds, MEDIN VC, Mérieux Partners, NLC Health Ventures, Novo Holdings, Panakes Partners, Seroba Life Sciences, Ship2B Ventures, Singapore Economic Development Board, Sofinnova, Super Capital, TVM Life Science Management, V‑Bio Ventures, Verve Ventures, and Yaya Capital.
Technical concepts in the pitches and what they imply
About the EIC Investor Readiness and Outreach Programme and BAS
The ePitching session sits under the EIC Investor Readiness and Outreach Programme which is part of the EIC Business Acceleration Services. The programme offers investor readiness coaching, benchmarking, pitch deck reviews and curated introductions. It organises ePitchings and Investor Days to connect EIC Accelerator awardees with sector‑relevant investors and corporates. The EIC uses these activities to increase the visibility of funded projects and to help companies prepare for commercial and fundraising milestones.
What this means for founders, investors and the European life sciences ecosystem
The event exemplifies how public support and curated investor outreach can bring early stage European life science projects in front of relevant capital providers. Founders benefit from exposure, feedback and potential introductions. Investors benefit from a curated deal flow and easier screening when projects already carry EU recognition or grant support.
At the same time this kind of activity does not replace the hard work of translation. Most of the companies present are at preclinical or early clinical stages where scientific validation, regulatory planning, clear IP and commercial strategy remain determinants of long‑term success. Investors who attended reiterated that in vivo evidence, well defined clinical paths and protection of freedom to operate are non negotiable inputs for follow‑on financing.
Practical takeaways and prudent caveats
For entrepreneurs: use events like this to refine the narrative that links science to patient benefit and to the market. Prepare clear milestones that can be objectively evaluated by investors. For investors: treat EIC curation as a valuable filter while still performing rigorous due diligence, especially on translational robustness and regulatory pathways. For policymakers: continue supporting both discovery science and the investor matchmaking infrastructure while recognising that public grants lower but do not eliminate technical and market risk.
The 14 May ePitching is part of a larger sequence of EIC BAS activities. For companies supported by the EIC Accelerator, these sessions can create useful momentum. The next steps for most presenting companies will be to follow up investor conversations, present additional evidence of target engagement and safety, and to narrow which partnerships or financing routes best fit their development timelines.
Disclaimer
This article reconstructs and expands on information supplied about the EIC ePitching held on 14 May 2025. It includes direct statements made by company representatives and investors during that event and adds contextual explanation of technical concepts and the EIC support ecosystem. It does not constitute investment advice.