The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) today announced that Kayothera Inc. is the winner of the Start-up Stadium competition held during BIO Digital in June. Pre-recorded presentation videos submitted by 16 finalists were evaluated by expert judges with entrepreneurial, investment, start-up, economic development, capital formation, and academic backgrounds from both the public and private sectors. The 2021 Start-Up Stadium also featured two live sessions for finalists to present quick pitches on a virtual stage and network with judges and BIO Digital attendees. One winner was chosen across four focus areas: Diagnostics, Food and Agriculture, Platform Technology, and Therapeutics and Vaccines. Competitors from around the globe were judged on the strength of their commercially viable cutting-edge technologies and therapeutic solutions.
“As part of BIO’s commitment to growing the biotechnology ecosystem, 2021 Start-Up Stadium successfully increased awareness of these 16 innovative start-up finalists to hundreds of potential investors and development partners,” said Bernard V. Fallon, BIO’s Managing Director of Industry Research, Investor Outreach, and Education. “Given the diversity of exciting technologies presented and in biotech investors’ specialties, BIO has already received feedback on dozens of equity investment conversations for finalists proceeding as outputs from the Start-Up Stadium contest, beyond the prize benefits that will go to this year’s one winning company, Kayothera.”
The winning company receives a one-year membership at BIO and a “fast-track” accelerator application and nomination into the final selection phase for up to a $10,000 sequencing grant (Illumina Accelerator).
“The start-up stadium was a fantastic opportunity to craft Kayothera’s narrative while reaching a broad audience of stakeholders in the cancer immunotherapy field,” noted Mark Esposito, CEO of Kayothera Inc. “We made several high-value investor introductions through the Start-up stadium that have led to fruitful discussions since the event.”
A full list of 2021 Start-Up Stadium participants and judges can be found here.
Press release authored and released by BIO: Link