Fostering a new dialogue to improve access to finance for European biopharma SMEs

Abstract

This article reviews the current economic crisis as it impacts upon European biopharma SMEs and their ability to secure investment and funding. In particular it presents an analysis of a broader, pre-crisis structural problem in Europe related to the lack of institutional investors for Europe's life sciences venture capital funds and the impact this has both on the funds available for investment by VCs into Europe's biotech companies, and the effect on the type and stage of biopharma companies able to raise money. This article also presents an overview of an on-going stakeholder dialogue to address these issues and the proposals raised so far for possible solutions.