SME Platform - Europabio

About the Platform

Smaller companies are some of Europe's greatest innovators. From novel food and industrial processes to advanced therapies, smaller biotechnology companies are paving the way for a healthy and sustainable continent, addressing some of society's most pressing and complex challenges.

EuropaBio's Small and Medium-sized companies (SME) Platform connects smaller companies acting across all biotechnology sectors to share experiences, identify challenges and propose policy recommendations.

Throughout the year, the Platform holds informal discussions between SME leaders on EU topics that impact their ability to compete, launch products and provide services in Europe. The SME Platform creates supporting material to tell their stories, including reports, case studies and video and audio records.

Through EuropaBio, SME executives engage with European and national policymakers and relevant stakeholders to advocate for SME priorities and promote an innovative and competitive environment that allows smaller companies to thrive in Europe.

Priorities

The SME Platform priorities, legislative and non-legislative, include:

Ensuring intellectual property protection,
Reducing the regulatory burden, including lengthy risk assessments for industrial biotechnology products,
Improving market access for innovative therapies, fermentation products, and novel foods,
Voice for emerging market applications, such as cultured meat,
Improving access to financing and investment,
Technology transfer between academia, research centres, investors and companies,
Development of skilled professionals,
Revision of the general pharmaceutical legislation, with a strong focus on Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) and rare diseases,
EU Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative.

Priorities

The SME Platform has priorities developed with Members for work with Member and external SMEs throughout the year. Priorities in 2021 include:

Policy developments of significance to Healthcare and Industrial Biotechnology SMEs

Financial development pathways for SMEs
SME representation in the 25th EuropaBio Anniversary programme
Presentation of the Start Up City at the European Forum for Industrial Biotechnology