Nucleate Kick-off x Belgium

Nucleate is the world's largest student-led biotech organisation, founded at Harvard and MIT and now active across the US and Europe. On 29 October, Nucleate arrives in Belgium. Our mission: make life science entrepreneurship feel natural and accessible for bachelor and master students, PhD researchers and postdocs — giving them the knowledge, connections and confidence to explore what their research could become beyond the lab.

Rather than explain how science becomes a company ourselves, we asked the people who do it. Three moderated panels, a keynote, and a reception where you can talk to all of them directly.

Free to attend. Registration required.

15:00 · Arrival & registration

15:30 · Introducing Nucleate Belgium

15:40 · Official welcome
Gedeputeerde Gunther Coppens, Deputy for Economy, Province of Vlaams-Brabant.

15:50 · Panel 1 · Ecosystem
How research institutions turn scientific excellence into companies — and who a researcher should talk to, when.
Paul Van Dun (General Manager, KU Leuven Research and Development) · Jérôme Van Biervliet (Managing Director, VIB) · Annick Verween (Head of biotope) · Ann Van Gysel (CEO, Biovia). Moderated by Marek Piprek.

16:35 · Panel 2 · Intellectual Property
Publish first or file first. The most expensive mistakes happen before anyone thinks about a company.
Ellen Crabbe (Partner, Brantsandpatents) · Visnja Popovic (European Patent Attorney, VIB) · Daphné Derouane (Head of IP Patient Solutions, UCB). Moderated by Grigoria Tsaka.

17:20 · Coffee break

17:40 · Panel 3 · Venture Capital
What investors look for at each stage, what makes them pass, and what makes a life-science pitch land.
Erika Wallace (Head of EMEA Innovation Economy Group, JP Morgan Private Bank), Christina Takke (Managing Partner, V-Bio Ventures) · Vincent Lenders (Investment Associate, Qbic) · Laurenz Govaerts (Director, EQT Life Sciences). Moderated by Marie-Pauline Orban.

18:25 · Keynote
Michel Detheux, CEO, Muna Therapeutics.

18:55 · Closing & networking reception
Drinks, food and open networking with investors, patent attorneys, founders and partners.

Who should come
Bachelor and master students, PhD researchers, postdocs, early-stage founders and ecosystem partners. No business background expected; nothing assumes you already have a company.

This event is sponsored by financial means of the Flemish Government.

Questions about the programme or registration? Write to [email protected]