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12. BioRiver Boost! 2025
December 11, 2025, Cologne
Network and business contacts that matter
FOR STARTUPS
YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT THE BIORIVER BOOST! SUPPORT?
Become a sponsor too! We will be happy to inform you.
Please call us: +49 211 316 0610
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What is the BioRiver Boost!
- Feedback from the market
- The BioRiver Boost! Award
- Membership of BioRiver e.V.
- Coaching
- Pitchtraining PR
- BioRiver Boost! is a competition for start-up projects and very early-stage start-ups to present themselves to the industry, which has been organised once a year since 2004 by the industry association BioRiver -Life Science im Rheinland e.V..
- These companies and investors make up our 2025 jury: BAYERPharma, BAYERCropScience, Qiagen, LONZA and UCB.
- The three best start-ups from all areas of life sciences will be awarded the BioRiver Boost! award. You will also receive customized coaching from experienced managers, professional marketing support and a one-year free membership of BioRiver e.V.
- Approx. 2 years before to approx. 2 years after the start-up: in this phase, young companies particularly benefit from participating in BioRiver Boost! This means that scientific start-up projects are also invited to apply.
- Founders are invited to apply via the online form from now until November 10, 2025. After the deadline, the jury will select the 8 best applications as finalists. The finalists will be invited to professional pitch training in Düsseldorf to prepare for their presentation.
- December 11 is the day of the decision. All finalists present themselves with an 8-minute pitch and then answer questions from the jury and the expert audience. The jury meeting will take place on the same day, where the winners will be chosen. The award ceremony for the winners is the festive conclusion of the day.
- Start-ups from all areas of life sciences and biotechnology are invited to apply.
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Get to know the jury
Dr. Bettina Möckel
QIAGEN GmbH, Vice President
Corporate Business Development
Chairwoman of BioRiver e.V.
Curriculum Vitae
Current position
QIAGEN GmbH, Vice President Corporate Business Development
Dr. Karl-Heinz Schneider
BAYER AG,
Head of Clinical DS
Manufacturing WUP
Curriculum Vitae
Current position
BAYER AG, Head of Clinical DS Manufacturing WUP
Dr. Karl Collins
Bayer Crop Science
Director Ecosystems Open Innovation (EMEA)
Curriculum Vitae
Industrial career
2015 – 2021 Laboratory Manager, Medicinal Chemistry, Bayer Pharmaceuticals
2021 – 2023 Director, Science Education Foundation, Bayer Foundation
2023 – Date Current role
Dr. Volker Vogel
Director Strategic Business Development
Curriculum Vitae
Current position
Associate Director Business Development bei der Lonza Cologne GmbH.
Joined Lonza Group in 2008 in various roles in marketing, innovation management and business development; previously worked at amaxa GmbH and QIAGEN GmbH in product management.
Education:
Graduate biologist specialising in cell and molecular biology
Dr. Anna Lisa Picciolo-Lehrke
UCB Pharma GmbH
Head of Business Development Neurology
Curriculum Vitae
Anna Lisa Picciolo-Lehrke, PhD, is Head of Business Development Neurology at UCB. She was the Head of Business Development for the recent acquisitions of Zogenix, Ra Pharma and Engage as well as the recent partnerships with Roche and Novartis. Anna Lisa has a proven track record in partnering and licensing spanning 20 years of professional experience. Prior to joining UCB, she was a member of the business development and licensing team at Schwarz Pharma. Since then, Anna has held various business development and licensing roles at UCB. Previously, she worked at the Technology Transfer Office of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg, where she was responsible for the protection and commercialisation of research results from DKFZ research activities. Anna Lisa studied biology at the University of Bielefeld and received her doctorate from the DKFZ in Heidelberg in 2001. She is active in industry associations (e.g. board member of the Pharma Licensing Club Germany) and is a member of the supervisory board of Apontis Pharma AG.
Dr. Caroline Fichtner
High-Tech Gründerfonds
Principal
.
Curriculum Vitae
In addition to her experience in the VC sector, biophysicist Dr. Caroline Fichtner worked for many years at the Max Planck Institute for Bioinorganic Chemistry in Mülheim an der Ruhr. At HTGF, the authorized signatory is responsible for the financing and development of technology start-ups in the life sciences sector.t
Dr. Thomas Raueiser
NRW Bank
Head of the Life Science und Cleantech Team
.
Curriculum Vitae
Thomas holds a doctorate in equity syndication and a diploma in business administration from the University of Cologne as well as a master’s degree in international management (CEMS MIM) from the Copenhagen Business School and the Université de Louvain.
The hosts: LONZA Cologne and BioCampus Cologne
Apply now for the BioRiver Boost! with your innovation.
Lonza is one of the world’s largest contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) specializing in the healthcare industry. We work with a broad spectrum of customers – from emerging biotechs to global pharmaceutical companies – to translate their therapeutic discoveries into life-saving and life-enhancing treatments for their patients. Our vision is to be the pioneer and global leader in the CDMO industry, setting the pace with cutting-edge science, smart technology and lean manufacturing
Our site in Cologne develops, produces and markets life science research tools for non-viral gene transfer products for primary cells and difficult-to-transfect cell lines.
BioCampus Cologne is a technology park for future technologies in Cologne. Here, pioneering companies find the ideal environment for sustainable development and innovation. Start-ups, scale-ups and corporates come together here and form a community in the heart of the innovation and technology region in Cologne’s Rhineland.
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Our sponsors
Platin Sponsor
City of Düsseldorf
The Economic Development Agency is the central point of contact for all companies, whether you need support for foreign companies with residence law issues or relocating a business within the city. From start-up to expansion to the question of company succession – our experienced experts will help you with the next steps in all phases of your business.
KölnBusiness - The partner for a strong economy
Whether you are setting up a business or expanding, dealing with questions about funding and financing, communicating with the city administration or searching for commercial property: we support you in all business and administrative matters.
Qiagen
Whether you are setting up a business or expanding, dealing with questions about funding and financing, communicating with the city administration or searching for commercial property: we support you in all business and administrative matters.
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The BioRiver Boost! – The final event is a Startup-Event.NRW.
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Partner
BioRiver Boost! is supported by partners who help to continuously expand the BioRiver Boost! community continuously.
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Winners and finalists of previous competitions. BioRiver Boost! since 2004.
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Important dates
10.11. End of the application period
21.11. Notification of the selected 8 finalists*
2./3.12. Pitch training for finalists
11.12.. BioRiver Boost! 2023 2025
12.12. Press release*
*These dates may be postponed by 1-2 days.
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Event registration
Participate as a life science expert and start-up promoter in the audience.
Participation fee: 70,-€ plus VAT
For members of the BioRiver and founding team: free of charge
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Agenda / Schedule
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08:30 a.m. | Registration at the gate
09.00 Uhr
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Refreshments
09.00 Uhr
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09:30 a.m. | Opening 11th BioRiverBoost!
09.00 Uhr
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Welcome: Dr. Bettina Möckel, Chairwoman of BioRiver
09.00 Uhr
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Greeting by the hosts: LONZA Cologne and BioCampus Cologne
09.00 Uhr
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Bonne chance: Winner of the BioRiver Boost! 2024 award
09.00 Uhr
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10:15 a.m. | Pitch 1: followed by Q&A
09.00 Uhr
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10:30 a.m. | Pitch 2: followed by Q&A
09.00 Uhr
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10:45 a.m. | Pitch 3: followed by Q&A
09.00 Uhr
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11:00 a.m. | Pitch 4: followed by Q&A
09.00 Uhr
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11:15 a.m. | Coffee break
09.00 Uhr
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11:45 a.m. | Pitch 5: followed by Q&A
09.00 Uhr
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12:00 p.m. | Pitch 6: followed by Q&A
09.00 Uhr
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12:15 p.m. | Pitch 7: followed by Q&A
09.00 Uhr
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12:30 p.m. | Pitch 8: followed by Q&A
09.00 Uhr
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13:00 hrs | Lunch break
09.00 Uhr
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14:00 hrs | Networking session / Jury meeting
09.00 Uhr
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2:45 p.m. | Reverse Pitch 1: Venture Capital
09.00 Uhr
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3:00 pm | Reverse Pitch 2: LONZA Cologne
09.00 Uhr
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3:15 pm | Reverse Pitch 3: Early phase investor
09.00 Uhr
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3:30 p.m. | Reverse Pitch 4: Corporate
09.00 Uhr
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3:45 pm | Award Ceremony
09.00 Uhr
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16:00 hrs | Closing Remark
09.00 Uhr
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subs.| Networking
09.00 Uhr
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Venue
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