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Date: Thursday, May 7, 2026

Time: 9:00am – 5:00pm

Location: San Diego, CA

Prepare your strategy. Strengthen your story. Maximize your impact at BIO International 2026.

As you prepare for the BIO International Conference in June, the question isn’t just who you’ll meet, it’s whether your strategy will stand up to investor scrutiny.

Certara’s Biotech Forum is a strategic workshop designed for biotech executives, founders, and investors who want to sharpen their development plan, de-risk their program, and enter BIO meetings with clarity and confidence.

In a single focused session, we’ll address the early-stage decisions that most often derail promising programs and show you how to avoid them before you step into critical partnering and investor conversations.

Submit your request to register


Why attend before BIO?

Because at BIO, every meeting matters.

This workshop helps you:

  • Strengthen Your Investor Narrative
    Hear directly from investors and industry leaders about what drives funding decisions, current market expectations, and common red flags so you can refine your pitch with confidence.
  • Validate Your Lead Candidate Strategy
    Learn how to evaluate therapeutic potential and select the right clinical candidate with data-backed certainty.
  • De-Risk Your Development Roadmap
    Understand how to integrate science, regulatory strategy, and commercial planning into a cohesive, credible path forward.
  • Anticipate Tough Questions
    Gain cross-functional insights from biotech, pharma, venture capital, and Certara experts on how early decisions shape long-term success and how to defend them.
  • Access Targeted Expertise
    Engage in interactive networking sessions with specialists in modeling & simulation, clinical pharmacology, toxicology, regulatory, and commercial strategy to discuss your specific challenges.

Who should attend?

  • Biotech CEOs, founders, and executive teams preparing for BIO
  • R&D leaders refining development strategy
  • Venture and investment professionals evaluating early-stage programs
  • Business development teams preparing for partnering meetings

Walk into BIO ready

Whether you’re preparing to pitch investors, secure partnerships, or advance your clinical strategy, this forum equips you with actionable insights, expert guidance, and strategic clarity, so you can make every BIO conversation count.

Agenda

9:00 – 10:00 AM
Registration & Networking Breakfast
10:00 – 10:15 AM
Welcome & Framing: The hidden cost of poor strategy

Discover how early missteps in development strategy can derail timelines, erode investor confidence, and prevent launch success.

10:15-11:15 AM
Early-stage biotech investing

Gain insider perspective on current trends, common pitfalls, and what investors really look for in emerging biotech companies.

11:15 AM – 12:00 PM
Getting the right clinical candidate

Learn how to identify and evaluate therapeutic potential to select the right candidate with the greatest chance of success.

12:00 – 1:00 PM
Meeting the experts + Networking Lunch

Secure your spot for one-on-one sessions with Certara experts and connect with peers over lunch.

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Designing a de-risked development plan

See how to build a development roadmap that balances science, regulation, and commercial potential to deliver on investor expectations.

2:00 – 2:45 PM
Panel Discussion: Cross-functional perspectives

Hear from biotech leaders, investors, pharma, and Certara experts on how early strategic decisions shape risk, speed, and fundability.

2:45 – 3:45 PM
Expert Networking: Meet the Specialists

Join interactive breakout stations with Certara’s experts in modeling, clinical pharmacology, regulatory, and commercial strategy to explore solutions for your challenges.

3:45 – 4:00 PM
Closing Remarks & Next Steps

Recap key insights and learn how to continue the conversation with Certara’s experts.

Speakers will be announced in the following weeks.

Submit your request to register