1. In Vivo
  2. >>Global Vision

European Life Sciences Start-Ups Maintain Early Investor Allure

 
• By John Hodgson and Mike Ward

Venture capital investment in life sciences companies continues to rise. In 2017, biopharma and medtech start-ups raised $19.7 billion worldwide. European businesses retained a robust share of that global take and investors expect that trend to continue.

V1802_Euro-Start-UP-Feature-image.jpg

It has never been a better time for life sciences start-ups to raise money from venture sources. In 2017, according to data compiled by Informa Pharma Intelligence, venture capitalists invested a total of $19.7 billion in the sector across the globe – some $15.1 billion allocated to 512 biopharma-focused opportunities while $4.6 billion was invested in 107 medtech businesses. Europe’s share of the global take was nearly $4 billion, more than double what it was in 2013.

With new funds being raised and non-European investors looking for bargains, the prospects for European biopharma, medtech and digital health companies going forward looks fairly robust. (See Exhibit 1.) However,...

More from Global Vision

UK Bets On Regulatory Innovation As Competitive Advantage In Synthetic Biology

 
• By David Wild

The UK government has prioritized synthetic biology and created a "concierge service" for biotechs just as the US cuts science funding.

Chinese Firms Build Obesity Clinical Pipeline But Face Wider Hurdles

 
• By Xu Hu

Despite the ability to initiate clinical trials quickly and having strong manufacturing capacity, Chinese companies are facing multiple challenges in the obesity space.

Unpacking The Impact Of Trump’s Tariffs On Drug Pricing And Production

 
• By Ed Silverman

Big pharma plans to invest billions of dollars in US manufacturing to avoid tariffs proposed by the Trump Administration. However, the implementation of these plans may be delayed due to regulatory complexities and rising costs from tariffs, potentially impacting drug prices for consumers.

Barcelona’s S2 Xpeed Accelerates Hardware-Based Medtech Start-Ups From Prototype To Market

 
• By Marion Webb

S2 Xpeed is driving the rapid growth of medtech and hardware start-ups in Europe. Operating under a "sweat equity" model, the program helps early-stage companies move from prototype to manufacturing readiness in exchange for equity.

More from In Vivo

The 360 Degrees Of European Biotech Financing In 2025

 
• By Jo Shorthouse

Almost halfway through 2025, and financing for European biotech could be described as challenging. Market volatility, geopolitical instability and trade barriers all loom large in biotech CEO minds when pitching for funding. In Vivo talked to biotechs and investors to gain a realistic view of the current market for company funding so far this year.

Rising Leaders 2025: Pedro Valencia’s ADC Vision At AbbVie

 
• By Jo Shorthouse

From chemical engineering to cancer innovation, AbbVie's rising oncology leader is advancing next-generation ADCs to tackle difficult-to-treat tumors with a patient-centered approach.

Leaders At The Frontier: Conversations From SynBioBeta 2025

 
• By David Wild

Mini-profiles of five synthetic biology companies and their leaders from SynBioBeta 2025 reveal how AI integration, data-driven platforms and interdisciplinary teams are revolutionizing drug discovery and manufacturing.