The inaugural York and North Yorkshire Life Sciences Forum was opened by Geoff Davison, CEO of Bionow, the life sciences organisation behind the event. He introduced what promised to be a varied and fascinating programme of keynote speeches and panel discussions. It certainly lived up to its billing, reflecting the overarching objective of the day: to shine a light on the strength and vibrancy of the life sciences sector in Yorkshire, celebrate the partners and stakeholders involved, and promote achievements on both a national and international stage.
Keynote: Broughton Life Sciences
Chris Allen, our CEO, kicked off the programme with a keynote speech charting Broughton’s journey over the last 20 years - from start-up to leading global player in analytical testing and toxicology. Chris shared key insights into the business strategies that have shaped Broughton’s trajectory, including the Hedgehog Concept developed by Jim Collins in his Good to Great approach. It helped Broughton to evaluate growth opportunities through three critical lenses; being passionate and caring deeply about something (improving quality of life), being the best at something (to help clients deliver life-enhancing products to market, by providing the most trusted integrated services in the world) and driving our economic engine (making us economically viable and contributing to global communities).
Chris ended with several important takeaways: invest in people, maintain a focused and consistent business strategy, and recognise the value of trusted external support and advice.
Those who asked questions at the end of the session were rewarded with one of their very own hedgehogs to take away!
The State of the Possible
The first panel of the day, The State of the Possible, was chaired by David Holmes, Membership Manager at Bionow. Experts from Antigonie Biosciences, CPI, LabSkin, Mativ, Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber and Carter Jonas explored the challenge of achieving sustainable critical mass within the sector.
A lively and insightful debate followed. Panellists highlighted the importance of strengthening manufacturing capability, bringing together investors, businesses and support infrastructure, and scaling the strong clusters that already exist across the region.
A recurring theme was connectivity. A more joined-up transport infrastructure is essential, with east–west links seen as just as important as north–south routes. The discussion also touched on the importance of promoting Yorkshire’s quality of life — but with the clear understanding that this must be matched by the availability of highly skilled career opportunities.
Navigating Investment
The next panel, Navigating Investment, was chaired by Gordon Bateman, CEO and Founder of Climb UK. Panellists from PXN Group, Future Planet Capital, DSW Ventures, Mercia Ventures and Northern Gritstone discussed the realities of securing investment in life sciences.
Despite world-class research, scaling companies remains a significant challenge. Reduced foreign direct investment and intense global competition add further pressure. Key barriers include limited access to late-stage institutional capital, a cautious investor base, slow NHS adoption of innovation, high commercialisation costs, and regulatory constraints.
However, there are also clear areas of opportunity. There is growing momentum behind sector-specialist funds, particularly those supported by the British Business Bank — which is itself a shareholder in several of these vehicles. The Bank’s work to unlock pension fund investment through initiatives such as Long-term Investment for Technology and Science (LIFTS) was highlighted as a potential catalyst for change.
One effective approach discussed was partnerships between generalist funds and specialist scientific investors. These collaborations, combining financial strength with deep technical expertise, are increasingly viewed as viable routes to unlocking future growth.
The panel also examined the importance of scaling in the US, acknowledging the distinct investment challenges within that market. The session concluded with a thought-provoking exchange on opportunities in China, particularly the rapid growth of therapeutic innovation and the scale of hospital group contracts that can cover populations of more than 20 million people.
Spotlight on Talent
Another critical success factor for the sector’s growth is skills development. The Spotlight on Talent panel, chaired by Leigh Mills from the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, brought together panellists from Cogent Skills, Labcorp and Generation Research to explore challenges and opportunities in workforce development.
With many specialist professionals approaching retirement, ensuring continuity of expertise is a pressing priority. There was strong emphasis on expanding training in advanced therapies, data science and bioinformatics, as well as developing technicians and engineers to support innovation at scale.
Generation Research delivered an inspiring overview of its work widening access for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. The panel also reflected on the positive legacy of the Covid-19 pandemic, which accelerated the adoption of blended learning models across academia and industry. Apprenticeships were widely recognised as a robust and valuable pathway into the sector.
Further themes included equipping graduates with real-world commercial skills and the importance of employer-led training as both an effective entry route and a foundation for continuous professional development.
Quality of life was again identified as central to attracting and retaining talent. The panel agreed that promoting Yorkshire’s strengths as a place to live and work will be critical to building a sustainable, long-term workforce.
Keynote: Medicines Discovery Catapult
The afternoon keynote was delivered by Nicola Heron, Chief Strategy Officer at Medicines Discovery Catapult. She provided a compelling overview of the organisation’s role in de-risking the discovery of new medicines, providing access to technologies and expertise, reinvesting in the sector, and delivering impactful R&D partnerships.
The scale of impact is significant: £134 million in grant income raised, £1.8 billion in post-engagement investment secured, and collaboration across 374 R&D projects. These outcomes underline the organisation’s contribution to strengthening the UK life sciences ecosystem.
Industry Showcase
The keynote was followed by the Industry Showcase, featuring focused presentations from Peter O’Toole, Director of the Bioscience Technology Facility; Richard Hall, Managing Director of innovative design agency Pd-m International Limited; Dr Mike Raxworthy, Founder and CEO of Regenitherix; and Paul Orange, Head of Commercial at Labman.
Scaling Up
The day concluded with the Scaling Up panel, chaired by Jane Theaker, CEO of SpinXperts. Panellists from Abingdon Health, Aptamer Group, Climb UK and RMS UK explored the practical challenges companies face when moving from academic foundations to full commercialisation.
Valuable advice was shared for organisations at this stage of growth: implement repeatable systems and processes, engage specialist advisers, prioritise hiring and leadership development early, and commit to a clear, forward-focused strategic plan.
A recurring theme was the need to avoid over-reliance on founder-led decision-making. Overcoming the understandable - but ultimately counterproductive - “fear of letting go” was identified as a natural and necessary step in scaling successfully.
The session closed with final words of advice from the panel: get the fundamentals right before scaling, remain flexible, seek strong mentorship outside the business, and build with the company you want to become firmly in mind.
Broughton partners with organisations across pharmaceuticals, biotech and next-generation products to deliver trusted analytical testing, toxicology and regulatory services. Get in touch with our team to see how we can support your next stage of growth.