Asia Life Sciences Programme
The programme will be conducted through a mixture of live and online sessions. Some elements will be dual online/live, relevant materials captured from these events, written, spoken and/or visual, will be made available through the Go Asia portal.
Asia Life Sciences programme
The programme will be conducted through a mixture of live and online sessions. Some elements will be dual online/live, relevant materials captured from these events, written, spoken and/or visual, will be made available through the Go Asia portal.
About the programme
The Asian market for life sciences is rapidly advancing on several fronts including healthcare, agritech and synthetic biology. Asia faces enormous challenges modernising its healthcare sector while supporting an aging population. This presents tremendous market opportunities including specialised medical devices, in vitro diagnostics (IVD), new pharmaceutical, personalised medicine, etc.
In agriculture food security remains a top priority in Asia in the face of growing environmental challenges. Western technology and expertise is sought after to improve yields, efficiency, and sustainable practices, including the areas of soil, seed, data science and associated applications.
Asia is embracing new fields, including synthetic biology, the engineering of biology, these offer exciting new opportunities to better heal, feed, and fuel humanity while supporting the transition to a low carbon economy.
Programme goals
The goal of this programme is to take companies on a journey to:
- Determine if Asia is the right market for your life science technology, including research & exploring the competitive and regulatory landscape, and how to approach your specific sector;
- Prepare for market entry by developing a smart Asia business and technology readiness plan that considers your go-to-market, financing and localisation strategy and plans;
- Talk to industry experts, potential partners, and early-stage clients and then to visit Asia during the Life Science Bootcamp to better feel the business and opportunity landscape;
- Explore the practical considerations of setting up a life sciences company including corporate structuring, hiring talent, accessing grants & investment in the Asian context; and
- For those companies that successfully pass the preceding stages and demonstrate they are ready to land, to register and start building your business with on-going support from us.
Who is it for
This programme is aimed at companies with a strong life science innovation, a proven track record of success in their own markets, a strong motivation to enter the Asian market, and time to commit to the programme. We will consider:
- The quality of the science and innovation;
- The strength of the international IP and market opportunity;
- Internationalisation potential to Asia and motivations;
- Technology development and market traction to date;
- Track record of the current team and core Asia team;
- Quality of the Asia entry plan and pitch deck..
Programme regions
Mainland China's vast and rapidly evolving economy, coupled with its consumer market, innovation potential, and strategic manufacturing capabilities, is a magnet for foreign companies looking to expand their global footprint. It offers an attractive destination for growth and new opportunities.
The life science industry in South Asia, covering countries like India is an enticing prospect for foreign companies. Government initiatives, including supportive policies, tax incentives, and a focus on research and development, further contribute to the region's appeal as a favorable environment for foreign companies in the life sciences.
The life science industry in Southeast Asia, encompassing pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and healthcare, presents a compelling opportunity for foreign companies due to its strategic location and government support. Governments in the region offer incentives such as tax benefits and streamlined regulations to attract foreign investments.
Hong Kong's life science industry presents a compelling opportunity for foreign companies seeking a strategic foothold in Asia. Hong Kong is an ideal destination for foreign companies looking to leverage its dynamic market and innovation ecosystem in the life sciences sector.
Programme structure
This programme consists of 4 stages.
Understand Asia’s swiftly changing life science landscape, navigate opportunities and mitigate risks. Avoid the common pitfalls.
Practical guidance on Asia market research. Develop Asia entry plans that address business model & teams, market entry strategy, localisation, competition, etc.
Visit Asia, have a fully immersive experience, meet key market players, government organisations and local experts. Link to new partners. Address intellectual property protection and regulatory issues.
Develop a financing plan. Decide on corporate structure. Register the entity in Asia, set up banking & accounting, deal with registered capital, make taxation and legal arrangements. Establish your Asia credentials.
The first stage is open to everyone, qualifying participants will be invited by the organisers to subsequent stages. Consultancy services will be available in selected territories after completion of the programme.
What to expect?
Companies participating in the Asia Life Sciences programme will need to pass a number of assessments to determine suitability for advancement to each subsequent stage of the programme.
Our goal is to tailor the programme as much as possible to each company’s sector and specific requirements. The early stages of the programme will address a more general life sciences audience. As companies advance through the programme, they will receive increased one-to-one mentoring from Asia life science market and technical experts, as well as matchmaking services.
Companies that advance past the first 2 stages will be invited to visit Asia for a 10-day subsidised Life Science Bootcamp programme that will enable them to gain a firsthand feel for the ecosystem players and opportunities. This is a very important step for most companies to help them better understand the Asian context and to make a better-informed decision about landing in Asia.
A few companies may also be offered various early-stage funding packages to get them started including grants, angel funding, and convertible notes, which may be supplemented based upon meeting various investment criteria and milestones. Post landing, a variety of grant and investment opportunities will be presented including regular investment roadshows, grant applications and competitions.
Companies that are admitted into our final stage, the Asia Life Science Accelerator programme, will be eligible for up to 3 months of free services to help them land, set up their banking, tax, and legal structures, establish an office (generally within one of our accelerator facilities), recruit a core team, set up basic operations, and start business development activities.
What we ask from you
Companies participating in this programme are expected to attend the general training sessions, though the first stage sessions are not mandatory. Of course, we expect participants to schedule for individual training, mentoring, matchmaking and roadshow sessions, to be respectful of time and to notify us if they are unable to attend for any reason.
Companies are invited to submit their slide decks and complete forms on our online platform and to update them throughout the programme to reflect their Asia entry plan including technology solutions & applications, market analysis & entry and business model.
We also invite companies to participate in roadshows. Roadshows are part of this competitive programme assessment to determine if participants can advance to the next stage of the scheme.
Companies to communicate in a professional manner; conduct themselves in a legal and ethical way; to be respectful of instructors, other participants and Asian experts. Note that new markets present unexpected challenges which require preparation and patience as we try to solve problems on your behalf.
Free
Programme includes
4 Stages
Target sector audience
Healthcare delivery, Biotech, IVD, Medical devices, Precision medicine, Pharma, Synthetic bio, etc.