BIO Announces 2020 Start-up Stadium Winners

Annual competition takes place during BIO’s International Convention, this year held virtually – BIO Digital

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) today announced winners of the Start-up Stadium competition held during BIO Digital in June. Pre-recorded presentation videos submitted by 30 finalists were evaluated by expert judges with entrepreneurial, investment, start-up, economic development, capital formation, and academic backgrounds from both the public and private sectors. A total of five winners were chosen across three groups. Competitors from around the globe were judged on the strength of their commercially viable cutting-edge technologies and therapeutic solutions.

The winners are:
Mesentech Inc (Canada)
Obsidio, Inc. (South Carolina)
Sparrow Pharmaceuticals (Oregon)
Stem Pharm, Inc (Wisconsin)
Trials.ai (California)

“The benefits of participating in the Start-up Stadium competition go beyond winning a contest,” said Nareq Sagherian, BIO’s Managing Director of Investor Relations & Programming. “According to our surveys, even the companies that don’t win have been approached by investors who were either judges or audience participants listening to their presentation. These are opportunities that participating companies may not have had otherwise, and we are pleased with the enormous success of this interactive experience.”

Winning companies receive a one-year membership in BIO, a one-hour advisory discussion with two venture capital firms (Objective Capital Partners and H.I.G. Capital), four hours of complimentary legal services (Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP) and a “fast-track” accelerator application and nomination into the final selection phase for up to a $10,000 sequencing grant (Illumina Accelerator).

A full list of 2020 participants and judges can be found here.

About BIO

BIO is the world's largest trade association representing biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO International Convention, the world’s largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world. BIOtechNOW is BIO's blog chronicling “innovations transforming our world” and the BIO Newsletter is the organization’s bi-weekly email newsletter. Subscribe to the BIO Newsletter.