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How a Business Development
Firm Can Help You at the BIO Conference
By Cori Gorman, PhD, MBA, DNA Gateway
International, LLP / DNA Bridges, Inc.
 An
expected 19,000-20,000 attendees at BIO 2006 in
Chicago makes this venue an attractive one for
developing contacts, customers and clients. Many
organizations and companies focus on the use of
the exhibit hall for this effort.
Selexis SA, a Switzerland-based biotech company,
first attended BIO in 2003. Even though Selexis
had the advantage of being part of the Swiss
pavilion, which helped to defray their costs,
they did not have the experience and know-how to
use the BIO conference to their advantage.
Selexis quickly realized that there was more to
BIO than having a booth in the exhibit hall and
that they needed to do more to get the most out
of their investment in the conference.
Selexis contracted San Francisco based DNA
Gateway International, LLP to help them develop
a successful strategy for using the BIO
conference to the maximum efficiency.
The multi-tiered strategy developed by DNA
Gateway International for Selexis includes:
1. Representation at the exhibit hall space:
It's great to have a spot in the exhibit hall.
However, the space must be adequately staffed
with knowledgeable people who can effectively
promote the company. Due to costs and human
resources, this can often be a challenge for
small to medium size companies. DNA Gateway
International has represented Selexis at BIO
exhibit booths in the US and Europe.
2. One-on-one partnering: DNA
Gateway International has counseled Selexis on
how to use the one-on-one partnering (BIO
Partnering System) to its advantage. Key tasks
that DNA Gateway International has performed for
Selexis at the BIO business forum include:
a. Developing an on-line
corporate profile which effectively highlights
both the Selexis' strengths and benefits of
its business to target partners.
b. Developing the partnering
strategy for Selexis. This effort includes
reviewing the partnering company list and
highlighting the companies that best fit the
Selexis preferred customers' profile.
c. Taking an active part in
responding to requests for meetings managed by
the BIO Partnering System.
d. A senior-level DNA Gateway
International member participates in
one-on-one partnering meetings. Since it's
often best to have two team members take the
partnering meetings, DNA Gateway International
acts as a team member for Selexis and takes
meetings either with the Selexis CEO, Igor
Fisch. In some cases, DNA Gateway
International represents Selexis alone
enabling Selexis to meet with more companies.
e. DNA Gateway International
develops and updates the Selexis pitch for use
during partnering and during company
presentations.
3. Pre-arranged meetings: The DNA
Gateway International team also schedules
pre-arranged meetings for Selexis outside the
business forum. This approach has value for a
numbers of reasons: a) It allows Selexis to meet
with an entire team from the potential customer
company. b) Meetings taken outside the business
forum allow for greater in depth discussions
since these meetings are not as restricted by
the business forum format that only allows for
30 minute discussions. Selexis used this
approach to their advantage in closing a license
agreement with Diosynth.
4. Social event management: And finally DNA
Gateway International keeps track of the
invitations Selexis receives for the social
events held on Monday evening at BIO. Typically,
Selexis receives 30-40 invitations. While we
think one focus of these sessions should be fun,
there are other considerations to be taken into
account: Is the party hosted by a company where
you want to develop contacts? Are the geographic
areas such as Asia or Australia that you would
like to learning more about?
Selexis SA
Selexis SA provides innovative and proprietary
solutions for boosting recombinant protein
production thus decreasing the manufacturing
costs associated with recombinant protein drug
production. Like many small companies Selexis
looks to make contact with companies who could
be potential clients.
Selexis has used the partnering sessions to not
only meet new customers, but also to follow up
with current clients. The one-on-one partnering
meetings were used in the finalization of an R&D
license by Amgen.
Selexis CEO, Dr. Igor Fisch, says “the high
level of the technology understanding, as well
as business knowledge, has allowed DNA Gateway
International to perform as 'team' members of
Selexis at the BIO conferences.”
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