BornGlobal Valparaíso: Uniting Biotech key players Across Latin America

More than 200 people attended the third version of BornGlobal, which was held on April 3^rd and 4^th in Valparaíso, Chile, following two successful events in Uruguay and Costa Rica in 2023.

For two days, the participants enjoyed high-level conferences and workshops, given by leading Latin American and U.S. experts in biotechnology and the internationalization of biotech startups.

Among the speakers were Markus Schreyer, CEO and Managing Partner of The Ganesha Lab; Michael Burtov, renowned U.S. entrepreneur; Pablo Zamora, Executive President of Fundación Chile and co-founder of NotCo; and Alejandra Winter, Director of the Soft-landing Program at Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) Miami.

The participation of students, investors, entrepreneurs, and experts confirmed the interest generated by science, becoming a space to boost the growth and visibility of the industry, with topics such as business challenges, international expansion of startups, DeepTech developments, and the role of women in the industry.

Markus Schreyer referred to this networking instance for Latin American biotech exponents, saying that “we are delighted with the success achieved in our event in Valparaiso, and proud to have brought renowned experts, always thinking about the next challenge and the city in which we want to plant the seed of innovation to promote scientific and technological excellence throughout Latin America”. He concluded that “the participation and enthusiasm shown by the attendees highlight the potential of biotechnology in Latin America, and inspire us to move forward with our mission and commitment to transform science into a good business that impacts the lives of millions of people around the world”.

Regarding the event and the public, Michael Burtov, speaker at BornGlobal Valparaíso, also commented that “I am positively surprised with the development that biotechnology has had in Chile, and in this sense The Ganesha Lab is a fundamental partner to take it to the next level”.

“With this type of gathering they demonstrate their commitment to support startups with a scientific and technological foundation, reaching segments with great potential, but that in many opportunities do not have the opportunity to access conferences and activities at this level”, added the serial entrepreneur.

Regarding the meeting, Alejandra Winter, director of the Soft-Landing Program at the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) Miami, commented that “it is a unique opportunity to build a powerful ecosystem and it allows us to bring our mission closer to entrepreneurs that we would not otherwise have the opportunity to reach”.

Winter emphasized that “initiatives like this are crucial for the development of the ecosystem, in which The Ganesha Lab undoubtedly plays an essential role. Being part of BornGlobal Valparaíso and being able to present our work to a different, yet no less attractive audience, is an invaluable opportunity, which also helps us to ratify our commitment to help the internationalization of biotech startups”.

Diego Belmar, Chief Strategy Officer of Done Properly, who conducted the workshop “Exploring the World of Venture Capital: An Introduction to Private Investment”, said that “my participation in this event represents my own and The Ganesha Lab’s commitment to bring biotech development to Valparaiso, a region with great potential, where there is a lot of knowledge, great universities, as well as an important biodiversity, which provides the advantage of being a startup hub where new ideas can be transformed into good business for Chile and the world”.

He also added that “I believe that this kind of event adds immense value to all the stakeholders of the local ecosystem, which is certainly developing and growing with strong bases, which will allow them to generate an important impact on the country’s biotechnological ecosystem”.

One who felt very comfortable during the Inspiring Stories of Bioentrepreneurship panel was Eduardo Vasquez, who was born and lived until his university years in the Valparaiso Region and currently serves as CTO of Farmtastica. “Being from the region, I am certain that the talent exists, the academia exists. What is missing, is that more advanced instances approach the areas where science is being created, to show to them the path that can lead them to have a global impact; and definitely this event is a demonstration that The Ganesha Lab is committed to the development of biotechnology not only in Santiago, but also in Valparaiso and in all regions of the country”.

The event was very well evaluated by the attendees, who highlighted the importance of carrying out this type of activities in regions of Chile and the quality of the speakers, rating the event with a 9 out of 10.