Ebru Uzun

A Swiss deeptech founder and CEO contacted me this week. He's active in drug discovery and is doing all the “right” things: great science, strong partnerships, clear vision for how to industrialise his technology. Yet he is struggling with something far more basic: unrealistic expectations from clients about the probability of clinical success and the time, capital and discipline it really takes to get there. He openly admitted that he and many of his CEO peers (founders, scientists, doers) are making the same mistakes in how they organise and manage their companies. They aren't naïve, but they are all being pushed through the same standardised ‘support’ machinery: incubators, accelerators, growth programmes and generic advisors that recycle identical templates regardless of whether you build a food app or a platform technology for fragment‑based drug discovery. Across Europe, several post‑mortems on deeptech and life sciences ventures show the same pattern: → Short, workshop‑heavy accelerator formats not designed for multi‑year experimental and regulatory cycles. ​ → “One‑size‑fits‑all” mentoring that ignores the realities of lab capacity, clinical development, CMC, and market access. → Advisors incentivised to sell more projects, not to challenge weak assumptions about probability of technical and clinical success (PTS), portfolio design or capital efficiency. Founders are over‑optimistic about what can be achieved with a given budget and timeline, governance remains immature, and decision‑making is driven by pitch‑deck narratives rather than by realistic development and #CashRunWay. Everyone is “supporting innovation”, yet very few players take real ownership of helping founders make hard trade‑offs early. At LifeScience Services, the mission is different. We sit on the same side of the table as founders, executives and “doers” and building tailored solutions that reflect: → The true probability of success of their assets, not the fairy tale needed for the next pitch. → The operational constraints of European life sciences (funding gaps, lab space, access to specialised talent and infrastructure). → The governance, financial and ERP backbone required to scale in a capital‑disciplined way. That means helping teams: → Translate scientific strategy into realistic development plans and portfolio governance. → Design operational processes that decision‑makers actually use. → Challenge “nice” narratives when they conflict with data, risk and capital structure. If you are a founder or executive in biotech, medtech or deeptech in Switzerland or the EU who feels trapped in generic advice and copy‑paste playbooks, reach out. Our support is shaped around your specific pipeline, constraints and goals and not around someone else’s template (btw, they laughed they had the same powerpoints... just with different company logos). ​ If this post resonates to you, get in touch! https://lnkd.in/dsAjV--t

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Last month, Sven Vollenbruch, Managing Director at Slate, spoke at KPMG’s Future Summit 2025 in Munich to discuss opportunities in the German market as a business location for international investors. Alongside leaders from Daiichi Sankyo and NVIDIA, Sven discussed why Germany remains a compelling investment location, where international capital sees the most opportunities and obstacles, the gap between government plans and practical impact, and what urgent changes are needed to make Germany more competitive and ready to lead the industries of the future.

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🔗 Switzerland’s role in Johnson & Johnson’s global life sciences partnerships   An article in the new #SwissBiotechReport 2025 highlights how Switzerland supports the global innovation strategies of companies like Johnson & Johnson. It offers a #CaseStudy in how strong ecosystems can enable cross-border collaboration in healthcare:   🏢 Johnson & Johnson is one of the largest US employers in Switzerland, with operations at nine sites in seven cantons. 🔬 The country’s life sciences environment, marked by academic strength, talent availability, and export focus, has been a key factor in driving R&D partnerships and supporting supply chain resilience. 🤝 Notable collaborations, such as with ETH Zürich and University of St. Gallen - HSG, Swiss CDMOs, and startups, demonstrate how companies leverage Switzerland’s position for both European and global operations.   📄 Read the full interview between Switzerland Global Enterprise's Sirpa Tsimal (Director Investment Promotion) and J&J’s Leila Schwery (Bou-Diab) (VP Manufacturing & Technical Operations) and Michael R Huebner (Director, Early Innovation Partnering) here: https://lnkd.in/dc2BkqsZ   📘 Explore the full Swiss Biotech Report 2025 here: https://lnkd.in/gfkz7FH #WhySwitzerland #SwissInnovation #SwissTech #LifeSciences #BioTech Swiss Biotech Association EY scienceindustries Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property IGE IPI Swiss National Science Foundation SNSF, Biotechnet Switzerland Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences SATW Swissmedic SIX Switzerland Innovation Presence Switzerland swisstech Swissnex Basel Area Business & Innovation Greater Geneva Bern area (GGBa) Greater Zurich Area St.GallenBodenseeArea Standortförderung Kanton Aargau Lucerne Business Standort Promotion in Obwalden Brigitte Fäh Economic Promotion Valais Dominique Von Rohr

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FUTURE TRENDS IN CELL AND GENE THERAPY (2026–2030): CRISIS, OPPORTUNITY OR BOTH?/ After a turbulent 2024–25, I kept getting the same question: where does cell & gene therapy go next? This position paper tries to summarize a pragmatic roadmap for founders and investors. Our perspective is informed by recent experience, including our exit from Esobiotec (acquired by AstraZeneca). Thesis: The next five years will be shaped by four forces — in vivo delivery, cost curves (CMC), access policy, and China — with AI powering design, manufacturing, and clinical execution. From 2026 onward, expect fewer but “shocking” wins that reset expectations. What’s changing: ● From hype to hard problems. CAR‑T and gene therapy delivered real cures, now the frontier is solid tumors, larger genes, and scalable delivery. ● In vivo moves center stage. Recent landmark deals signal that editing or programming cells inside the body will define the next platform wave. ● Cost curves bend. Rapid CAR‑T (7–10 days), point‑of‑care manufacturing, and automated QC turn CMC into a core moat. ● Access vs. innovation finds rules. Hospital exemptions and right‑to‑try expansions will force clearer coexistence between academic access and commercial pathways. ● China changes the price and pace. Massive trial volume and lower costs put global pressure on CGT pricing, and open new cross‑border development routes. ● AI becomes non‑optional. From target and capsid design to bioreactor control and trial ops, AI is now a competitive baseline. Investor playbook 1️⃣ Back delivery (in vivo & non‑viral): the platforms that scale beyond bespoke products. 2️⃣ Build CMC + data moats: speed, reliability, and AI‑driven manufacturing as first‑order strategy. 3️⃣ Globalize early, design for access: partner with leading hospitals, plan China/EU routes, and align incentives (outcomes‑based models). Inside the paper you’ll find a 1‑page landscape map (p.1), a deal & signal table (p.9), and concrete takeaways for teams navigating the next cycle. 👉 Download/print the full paper: https://lnkd.in/dqzZX7ZX #celltherapy #genetherapy #biotech #venturecapital #AIinBiotech #CMC

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Shift in German biotech financing: What you need to know   In just one year, the landscape of biotech financing in Germany has dramatically changed. As we look at the first half of 2025, some clear trends have emerged:   - Decline in equity financing: The first half of 2025 has witnessed a big drop in equity financing. Venture capital funding has plummeted by 90% compared to the same time last year. Follow-on investments have fallen by 46%. With fewer funds available through equity, startups are feeling the pinch.   - Rise in debt financing: Despite the downturn in equity, the total capital influx was only down by 30%, thanks to a notable rise in debt financing. Established companies are complementing their equity financing with non-dilutive or dilution-limiting instruments to extend cash runway and achieve critical milestones - a shift in how both investors and companies are thinking about financing flexibility and diversification.   Are investors becoming more risk-averse? Is this a sustainable solution? Are you ready to pivot?   As we move forward, we will keep an eye on these trends and what they mean for the future of biotech financing. EY is committed to being a trusted advisor for life science companies, providing the insights and strategies needed to adapt and thrive.   #EYbiotech

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🔗 Switzerland’s role in Johnson & Johnson’s global life sciences partnerships An article in the new #SwissBiotechReport 2025 highlights how Switzerland supports the global innovation strategies of companies like Johnson & Johnson. It offers a #CaseStudy in how strong ecosystems can enable cross-border collaboration in healthcare: 🏢 Johnson & Johnson is one of the largest US employers in Switzerland, with operations at nine sites in seven cantons. 🔬 The country’s life sciences environment, marked by academic strength, talent availability, and export focus, has been a key factor in driving R&D partnerships and supporting supply chain resilience. 🤝 Notable collaborations, such as with ETH Zürich and Universität St.Gallen (HSG), Swiss CDMOs, and startups, demonstrate how companies leverage Switzerland’s position for both European and global operations. 📄 Read the full interview between Switzerland Global Enterprise's Sirpa Tsimal (Director Investment Promotion) and Johnson & Johnson ’s Leila Schwery (Bou-Diab) (VP Manufacturing & Technical Operations) and Michael R Huebner (Director, Early Innovation Partnering) here: https://lnkd.in/dc2BkqsZ 📘 Explore the full Swiss Biotech Report 2025 here: https://lnkd.in/gfkz7FH #WhySwitzerland #SwissInnovation #SwissTech #LifeSciences #BioTech Swiss Biotech Association EY scienceindustries Eidgenössisches Institut für Geistiges Eigentum Swiss National Science Foundation SNSF Biotechnet Switzerland Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences SATW Swissmedic SIX Switzerland Innovation Presence Switzerland swisstech Swissnex Basel Area Business & Innovation Greater Geneva Bern area (GGBa) Greater Zurich Area St.GallenBodenseeArea Standortförderung Kanton Aargau Wirtschaftsförderung Luzern Standort Promotion in Obwalden Nidwalden Tourismus Economic Promotion Valais

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