The 2015 edition of BIO International Convention led us to Philly, where nearly 16,000 biotech industry leaders converged from around the world. As this was my first BIO I didn’t know what to expect. Despite all the preparation from my colleagues in OTT, the scale of the convention still amazed me.
The first thing you can’t help but notice is the sheer size of the event. Walking into the exhibit hall gave me a sense of awe, but those first few steps only presented a small portion of all that was happening. A wide variety of expertise, presentations, give-aways, and food were on display courtesy of more than 1,800 exhibitors. To put that number into perspective, if you spent one minute with each exhibitor, it would take you 30 hours to speak with each one!
Being an exhibitor in the Georgia Pavilion provided an opportunity for me to network with many people, from seasoned veterans of the biotechnology industry to students who were curious what a “tech transfer office” is. Conversations at the booths included patent reform in foreign countries, biosimilars legislation in Georgia, and “must-have” restaurants in Philly. One of the greatest things about being in the Georgia Pavilion, as the newest member of the Emory OTT team, was the opportunity to get to know fellow biotech colleagues in Georgia.
The networking didn’t stop with the exhibitor booths, it also included receptions, meals, and shuttle rides. BIO does a wonderful job of organizing receptions, such as the awesome Boyz II Men / The Roots / Kool & the Gang concert and delicious Reading Terminal Market tastings. Even outside of scheduled events you can engage in valuable conversations during informal gatherings or organize your own. The networking opportunities that can occur anytime and anywhere are a valuable component of the convention.
With the number of things occurring at BIO, it is impossible to experience everything, which meant I missed items like the keynote speakers, the live conversation from the international space station, and the cheese steak wars. Connecting with colleagues in the Georgia biotech industry, talking to ’people’ from around the country, and sharing my first BIO Convention with the OTTer, who drew quite a bit of attention by the way, made my first BIO International Convention one I will not soon forget.
– Quentin Thomas