Biotechnology has always been a dynamic domain, but the world of finance that provides the fuel for the fire is just as vibrant. Trying to predict where the market for biotech investment is heading is always risky but for experts like Baker McKenzie’s Roel Meers, understanding where the market is moving is where he eats.

I spoke to Roel this week to unpack just where biotech funding stands in Q2 2025, to get a feel for the sorts of M&As, IPOs, and licensing deals we should be looking for in the second half of the year. We also talk about some alternative financing options for innovators and early-stage firms.

01:09                      Introducing Roel Meers

02:18                     Corporate finance and the life sciences

04:53                      Brussels, Europe, and beyond: Baker McKenzie’s global footprint

06:21                      Navigating life science regulations and regulators

10:33                      De-risking biotech investments in uncertain times

11:57                      How investors are minimizing risk in 2025

13:35                      Funding trends for biotechs in emerging hubs, including Benelux

15:58                      The deal types that will dominate 2025

17:35                      The therapeutic areas where deals are being done

19:16                      Trends in biotech in Europe, in North America, and in the Asia-Pacific

20:36                      Macroeconomics and biotechnology finance

22:54                      De-risking deals by lowering upfronts, increasing milestones

26:38                      What to consider when choosing alternative financing options

30:35                      When should biotechs bring in outside finance experts

33:47                      Looking beyond 2025 – what’s coming, and why

36:38                      How European biotechs can position themselves for funding success

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To dive deeper into the topic: 

• 2025 biotech funding tracker: recent highlights
• The ABC of biotech startup funding
• Top biotech grants and campaigns