Deutsche Messe says it has recorded a high level of international interest in this year's European Biotechnica Award, to be presented on 12 October 2006 at Biotech CEO Conference in Zurich
Deutsche Messe says it has recorded a high level of international interest in this year's European Biotechnica Award.
Deutsche Messe board member Stephan Ph Kuhne, who has special responsibility for the award, commented: "We have received entries from some very interesting companies in the field of biotechnology and the life sciences".
Some 16 companies from eight countries have submitted entries for the coveted prize.
Worth a total of euro40,000, the prize is regarded as the most lucrative biotech award in Europe.
The decision on the final winner will be taken shortly before the award presentation itself on 12 October 2006.
The winner receives prize money of euro20,000, while the remaining euro20,000 will go to the three finalists in the form of non-cash benefits.
Deutsche Messe will be presenting the European Biotechnica Award to successful biotech companies for the fourth time this year.
As Kuhne explains: "The aim of both the international trade show Biotechnica and the European Biotechnica Award is to provide the European biotech sector with a wide variety of opportunities for engaging in a dialogue on economic, political and social aspects pertinent to biotechnology".
The award is dedicated to companies involved in the biotechnology sector and the life sciences that have excelled in the development of innovative products and services, as well as related concepts and business ideas.
The organisers encourage SMEs in the fields of biotechnology and the life sciences to take part if they fulfil certain criteria: the company must be based in Europe, have no more than 350 employees, have a total annual turnover that does not exceed 50 million Euros and finally, must be an independent business already well-established on the marketplace.
The jury assesses market appeal and business potential, the company's scientific and technological relevance, its innovativeness, marketing concepts, the realization of the business model and the professionalism of the company management.
The fourth presentation of the award will take place in a prestigious evening ceremony in the Park Hyatt hotel in Zurich on 12 October 2006.
The event will be held immediately after the Biotech-CEO Conference organized by the German Stock Exchange (Deutsche Borse) and DZ BANK.
Many notable guests have been invited to the presentation, including CEOs, politicians and scientists from Europe's biotech sector.
Keynote speakers include Peter Hug, board chairman of F Hoffmann-La Roche, Basle.
Other invited speakers are Annette Schavan, German federal minister of education and research, Berlin; Ernesto Bertarelli, chairman of Serono International, Geneva; and Werner Wenning, chairman of Bayer, Leverkusen.
As board spokesperson for Deutsche Messe, Kuhne outlined the concept behind the award: "By organising this presentation in Zurich we will be fulfilling our aim of flying the standard at different European locations in the alternating years when the biennial trade show Biotechnica does not provide a platform".
He added that "co-operation with the German Stock Exchange and the Swiss biotechnology federation SBA has generated important synergies for the award".
One of the chief goals of the annual European Biotechnica Award and the biennial international flagship fair Biotechnica is the development of effective biotech networks.
The next Biotechnica will be inviting companies and research establishments to take part in a top level exchange of ideas and findings in Hannover from 9 to 11 October 2007.
