Connect with key
biotech players from
across Central Europe

Wojciech is an expert in healthcare systems, global healthcare policies and international business. He serves as Chairman of the Healthcare Council, Executive Committee and Board of Directors Member, EuropaBio; and also acts as Global Executive Director & Head of Public Affairs, Southern & Eastern Europe, Russia, Central Asia, Novartis. His passion is to deliver access and best healthcare outcomes to patients around the World.

In his talk, Wojciech will focus on Global – EU Biotech Competitiveness, Biotech Act and related measures to support biotech industry in the European Union.

Investor Panel Discussion

Representatives from VC funds and investment vehicles of major companies actively investing in Life Sciences in the CEE region will discuss current trends and share their recommendations for early-stage companies.

The panelists are:

David Flores, CEO, BioCentury
Ingrid Kelly, Partner, xista science ventures
Marek Tyl, Business Development Manager Europe, Eppendorf SE
John Murray, VP Global Business Development, SanaClis

Hannah leads the bioscience team and works with university inventors to commercialize their research. With the help of programs developed by Venture Partners, The University of Colorado Boulder has seen a record of 35 new startups in 2024, the second most by any U.S. university ever. Hannah has over a decade of experience in strategic licensing and IP management in life sciences from various U.S. institutions and holds a Ph.D. in Microbiology from The University of Texas at Austin.

Title of the talk: Hannah will share how the team grew its inventor-founder friendly resources that enabled many university inventors to embrace the entrepreneurial path.

The Pitch session is an essential part of Prague.bio Conference. Twelve top-tier startups and scientific projects will compete for the title of Best Presentation, and also, thanks to the IOCB Tech Foundation, €6,000 in prize money. The first 6 participants are:

1. Biopolycore

SignaCell – Signaling biopolymers with active structure and surface architecture

2. DIANA Biotechnologies

Ultra-Sensitive PCR platform for sepsis pathogen detection from whole blood

3. University Hospital Hradec Kralove

Antiepileptic effect of a novel N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors antagonist

4. HeartBeat.bio AG

Unique human-centric and AI-driven TechBio platform for unlocking innovation in heart failure drug discovery.

5. IOCB Prague – Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences

STING-ADC for cancer therapy

6. LipidEra Therapeutics

Pioneering breakthrough therapies for lipid-related conditions

The next six projects in the Prague.bio Conference 2025 Pitch session:

7. Masaryk University

RNAutrix: Accelerating drug discovery – A platform for RNA-based drug screening and beyond

8. Molecule 46

Unique kits for separation and diagnostics of undamaged sperm

9. RIANA Therapeutics

Targeting the undruggable – first-in-class transcription factor inhibitors for cancer treatment

10. Technical University of Liberec

Nanoflexion: Advanced nanofiber technology to improve postoperative outcomes

11. Tuari Therapeutics

Developing new GTPases inhibitors for KRAS-addicted cancer

12. University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague (UCT Prague)

KidneyGuard: enzymatic biosensor platform

Who could give you better advice than those who have been in your shoes? Executives from emerging companies in the region will share their experiences from the early days of their start-up journey and offer insights on how to survive and thrive.

The panel will be moderated by Liliana Unachukwu (Deep tech builder and Start-up Advisor) and the panelist are:

• Michael Krebs, CEO, HeartBeat.bio
• Marian Kupculak, CSO, Sensible Biotechnologies
• Pawel Zolnierczyk, CEO, iQure Pharma
• Vaclav Navratil, CEO, DIANA Biotechnologies

Michael Krebs, HeartBeat.bio

Michael is a co-founder and CEO of HeartBeat.bio, a startup developing the first high-throughput human organoid screening platform for cardiac drug discovery. He has more than 20 years of experience as a founder, startup manager and executive board member at several fast-growing life science organizations in Germany and Austria. Prior to that, Michael worked for 8 years in auditing, corporate finance and management consulting. He also has a degree in Business Administration from Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt and an Executive MBA in Mergers & Acquisitions from University of Muenster.

Marian Kupculak, Sensible Biotechnologies

Marian is Co-founder and Chief Science Officer of Sensible Biotechnologies, a biotech startup pioneering the design and manufacturing of mRNA therapeutics using living cells. With a background in biochemistry, Marian earned his undergraduate degree in Bratislava, Slovakia, followed by research internships at the Vienna Biocenter and the University of Gothenburg. He later completed a DPhil in Biochemistry at the University of Oxford, where he studied DNA repair and genomic stability in human cells. In 2024 he was selected into Forbes 30 under 30 list in Slovakia. 

Pawel Zolnierczyk, iQure Pharma

Paweł is a physicist and business manager by training, as well as a driven and successful entrepreneur. He has raised over $20M from business angels, venture capital, and charitable organizations. He founded the oncology-focused university spin-off Onco-NX Ltd., which was sold in 2014. Currently, he serves as CEO of iQure Pharma, a clinical-stage biotech company advancing a novel therapeutic approach for CNS disorders by restoring glutamate homeostasis.

Vaclav Navratil, DIANA Biotechnologies

Vaclav co-founded one of the most promising Czech biotech startups DIANA Biotechnologies. Their method – DNA-linked Inhibitor Antibody Assay – can precisely detect a variety of diseases. Since 2018 DIANA Biotechnologies has raised €3.5 million in private investment and became the largest producer of COVID-19 tests in Czechia, delivering over 6 million PCR tests to date. Václav plays a key role in leading the company’s research and development efforts. He holds a PhD in Biochemistry from Charles University and has over a decade of independent scientific experience in biochemical and molecular biology research, primarily at the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences.

The third panel discussion will explore the timely and evolving impact of AI in drug discovery. Chaired by Chris Tame, CEO of TernaryTx, the panel will feature diverse perspectives from leaders across the ecosystem – including a major pharmaceutical company, an early-stage biotech, or a venture investor.

The following experts will participate:

• Kinga Matula, CEO, QurieGen
• Pavlina Koutecka, Senior scientific analyst, i&i Biotech Fund
• Jakub Lombersky, Director, ML Engineering, Intelligent Automation Engineering, MSD

Kinga Matula, QurieGen

CEO and co-founder of QurieGen, and Entrepreneur in Residence at Scope Discovery. Kinga is a biotechnologist and doctor of physical chemistry with over15 years of multidisciplinary research experience and deep expertise in single-cell multi omics. As a former oncology patient, she is passionate about bridging the gap between scientific innovation and real patient impact.

Pavlina Koutecka, i&i Biotech Fund

Pavlína is a senior scientific analyst at i&i Bio, a biotech VC fund, where she leads evaluations of AI-driven life science startups. Trained as a computer scientist with a focus on AI and bioinformatics, she previously conducted research at the Czech Institute of Informatics, Robotics and Cybernetics. She now brings deep domain expertise to venture decisions by sourcing startups, tracking trends, and supporting portfolio growth.

Jakub Lombersky, MSD

Jakub is an AI software engineering expert and product line tech lead with strong background in agile and business partnerships. He is currently leading three cross-functional teams under Hyperautomation & AI initiative with global impact on research, manufacturing, marketing and sales operating with multi milion $ budget.
His responsibilities include implementation of cutting edge technologies in Artificial Intelligence (OpenAI, GPT transformers, Llama2, AWS Bedrock, Computer Vision, Intelligent document processing, Virtual assistants, Chatbots, etc.).
Jakub is proficient in vendors solutions, custom SW engineering and agile product management and is crossing the bridge between business and tech teams. His expertise include SDLC and processes in pharma industry including GXP.

The future lies in integrating advanced data management platforms that simplify collaboration, ensure data integrity, and support faster decision-making. This is exactly where platforms like CDD Vault come in—streamlining workflows and enabling scientists to focus on discovery rather than data wrangling.

Antima Gupta, PhD. is an Application Scientist in the technical support team at Collaborative Drug Discovery based in the UK. With a decade of experience at the intersection of biological research and data science, she is dedicated to advancing the scientific community through the implementation of best practices in data management and the development of intuitive, streamlined workflows. Her dynamic, client-focused approach is underscored by a proven ability to tackle complex technical challenges with precision and clarity. She holds a PhD in Molecular Microbiology, where her research centered on high-throughput drug discovery for neglected diseases. 

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Workshop unpack key legal principles around employee inventions, disclosure procedures, and rights of universities versus researchers.

Diana Urbášková is a Czech attorney specializing primarily in biotech spin-offs, licensing, and technology transfer. She supports innovation by drafting various agreements and advising on intellectual property, corporate governance, and legal aspects of company formation and growth within research and biotech sectors.

Edita Bobčíková is a Czech lawyer specializing in corporate governance, IP, and legal support for startups. She supports innovative companies in navigating regulatory challenges and protecting their business interests, with a focus on growth and strategic development.

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