BIO2016: The 2016 BIO International Convention Closes In San Francisco - Event Sets New Record For Partnering Meetings

35,700 Partnering Meetings Held During the Convention

15,937 Industry Leaders Attended World's Largest Biotech Gathering

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The 2016 BIO International Convention, the global event for biotechnology, concluded today at Moscone Center in San Francisco. The gathering brought together the people, companies and innovations that help fulfill the promise of biotechnology through healing, fueling, and feeding the world. This year’s Convention hosted 35,700 partnering meetings, a new record for the event. Organized by the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), the event drew 15,937 industry leaders from 76 countries and 48 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“With more than 1,100 life sciences companies and more than 80 independent and university affiliated research institutes, we offer abundant opportunities in research, development, manufacturing and commercialization.”

“This year’s BIO International Convention was a tremendous success, and together we challenged ourselves to imagine a better world for patients, for the environment and for society. We were thrilled to be back in San Francisco with industry, government and academia from across the globe to pursue biotechnology’s potential to solve some of the world most pressing problems,” said BIO President & CEO, Jim Greenwood. “From our outstanding keynote speakers, to the record number of partnering meetings, the 2016 Convention was a resounding success. This event continues to provide biotech leaders with the opportunity to showcase the best of our industry and form connections and partnerships that will drive growth in the sector for years to come.”

The Convention featured dynamic keynote discussions. On Tuesday, Greenwood moderated a candid discussion with actor, producer, musician, and philanthropist Will Smith and Dr. Bennet Omalu, the forensic pathologist Smith played in the movie, “Concussion.” Wednesday’s keynote featured the Honorable Newt Gingrich, former CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley and former senior advisor to President Obama, Stephanie Cutter.

Educational programming included over 800 speakers in 157 sessions which addressed the latest business opportunities, breakthroughs in medicine, diagnostics, the environment, energy production, food and agriculture and more. For session highlights, visit www.biotech-now.org.

The top 15 largest international delegations included (in alphabetical order):

		• Australia			• Japan
		• Belgium			• Netherlands
		• Brazil			• South Korea
		• Canada			• Spain
		• China			• Switzerland
		• France			• Taiwan
		• Germany			• United Kingdom
		• India

Several U.S. Governors attended this year’s event, including California Governor, Jerry Brown, Virginia Governor, Terry McAuliffe, Iowa Governor, Terry Branstad and South Dakota Governor, Dennis Daugaard. They were joined by numerous legislators and economic development officers representing states and municipalities from across the country.

The BIO Business Forum hosted a record-breaking 35,700 One-on-One Partnering™ meetings with more than 3,400 companies participating and featured 192 company presentations.

The BIO Exhibition featured more than 1,800 exhibitors with 50 international, regional and state pavilions and seven product focus zones. The Innovation Zone, featuring Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grantees from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) has tripled in size since its inception in 2014.

BIO would like to thank San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and his team for their hospitality and support leading up to and during the 2016 BIO International Convention. BIO also thanks our regional partners: California Life Sciences Association, Biocom and Southern California Biomedical Council.

"We were excited to host the 2016 BIO International Convention in San Francisco this year, enabling industry leaders, government officials and others from around the world to see the contribution our great state has made in helping to heal, fuel and feed the world,” said Sara Radcliffe, President and CEO of the California Life Sciences Association (CLSA). "As the voice of California's life sciences sector representing over 750 members up and down the state, California Life Sciences Association was honored to be a regional host and partner for the 2016 BIO Convention. We look forward to welcoming attendees back to the Golden State next year for the 2017 BIO International Convention in San Diego."

The 2017 BIO International Convention will take place June 19-22, 2017 in San Diego, California at the San Diego Convention Center.

“We are looking forward to welcoming BIO back to California and to showcase Southern California’s vibrant biotech sector,” said Joe Panetta, President and CEO of BIOCOM. “With more than 1,100 life sciences companies and more than 80 independent and university affiliated research institutes, we offer abundant opportunities in research, development, manufacturing and commercialization.”

The 2018 BIO International Convention will take place June 4-7 in Boston, Massachusetts at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. The 2019 BIO International Convention will take place June 3-6 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

The BIO International Convention helps support BIO programs and initiatives. BIO works throughout the year to create a policy environment that enables the industry to continue to fulfill its vision of bettering the world through biotechnology innovation.

For BIO 2016 videos, photos and more, visit convention.bio.org.

About BIO

BIO is the world's largest trade association representing biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO International Convention, the world’s largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world. BIOtechNOW is BIO's blog chronicling “innovations transforming our world” and the BIO Newsletter is the organization’s bi-weekly email newsletter. Subscribe to the BIO Newsletter.

Upcoming BIO Events

BIO Animal Biotech Summit
September 21-23, 2016
Bethesda, MD

BIO Investor Forum
October 18-19, 2016
San Francisco, CA

BIO Latin America Conference
October 26-28, 2016
Grand Hyatt São Paulo, Brazil