Venture Leaders Biotech 2026: Captain's blog by Patrice Zeis, co-founder of GlioCART

In early June, the Venture Leaders Biotech 2026 team set out for Boston with a focused mission: to connect with leading investors and experts in one of the world's top hubs for Medtech and Biotech. Today, we welcome Patrice Zeis, Team Captain and COO of GlioCART, as he shares his firsthand experience and key takeaways from the week-long roadshow.

The Venture Leaders Biotech program started a few weeks before the actual roadshow when we all met in Zurich for a full-day kick-off event. The investor and business development roadshow took place in Boston from May 31st to June 5th, 2026.
 

Day 1 – Monday, June 1

What a first day! We kicked off the roadshow with a welcome session by NEMIC (New England Medical Innovation Center), which provided a comprehensive overview of the US regulatory environment, including the reimbursement landscape, and introduced Boston as a leading biotech and investment hub. This was followed by our first pitching session with Insight Partners. The feedback for our startups was very positive across the board, with valuable input on how to further sharpen their pitches. Next on the schedule was a fireside discussion with Knightsbridge Advisers, offering perspectives on the current market environment, the investment landscape, and how AI is shaping both society and startup opportunities. We concluded the day with another pitch session at RA Capital, an inspiring end to an intense and highly valuable first day.

Edwige Guinet, Boris Sevarika, and Jan Nelis at the legal lunch workshop at Arnold & Porter

Day 2

We were invited to Curie.Bio to pitch our stories in a longer format, which was very well received by both the Venture Leaders and Curie.Bio teams. We then attended an insightful legal lunch workshop hosted by Venture Leaders partners Kellerhals Carrard and Arnold & Porter, followed by a regulatory workshop led by SEQENS. The day concluded with a visit to SOPHiA GENETICS, a great source of inspiration and a strong role model for Venture Leaders Biotech startups.

Day 3

The morning of day 3 was reserved for individual meetings, while in the afternoon, we participated in a workshop organized by the Innovation Office of the University of Basel with industry experts.

Tim Keys, Aaron Petruzzella, and Özgür Genç

Day 4

We kicked off with a pitching round with Novartis Venture Fund. As a team, we then reflected on the key learnings from the roadshow so far, followed by a legal session with Arnold & Porter. We concluded the day with the Arnold & Porter Pitchfest, another opportunity to present our companies and receive valuable feedback.

Day 5

Due to our return to Switzerland, the summary of the 5th and final day of our Venture Leaders Biotech Boston Roadshow comes with a slight jet lag. We started the day with a visit to Biognosys, a Swiss-founded biotech company. Next, part of the team visited Cure Ventures, while others met with Asymmetrex®. 

Til Schlotter and Patrice Zeis

Key takeaways from the Venture Leaders Biotech roadshow 2026 in Boston:

1. You can’t improvise your entry into the US market. Finding the right path requires careful preparation. — Edwige Guinet, Visienco

2. AI is refining biotech, and its potential for drug discovery is real. — Jan Nelis, Immitra Bio

3. Commercial viability must be considered from day one. Strong technology alone is not enough. — Boris Sevarika, NanoZymeX

4. One of the biggest benefits of the Venture Leaders program is building relationships with US stakeholders and fellow Swiss entrepreneurs alike. — Arne Schneuing, Baio Labs

5. The US market values bold, differentiated science. The discussions with investors were excellent. — Tim Keys, Baxiva

6. The quality of work coming from Swiss startups is clearly recognized during the program. — Özgür Genç, Translation-X

7. The Boston Roadshow delivers strong feedback, real connections, and great exposure to the biotech ecosystem. — Aaron Petruzzella, Biodelphis Therapeutics

8. The Roadshow provides a great opportunity to connect with the US biotech ecosystem and improve our go-to-market strategy. — Chloé Albietz, Bioscibex

9. Venture Leaders Boston provides early insight into the US market, from initial business connections to engagement with investors and industry leaders. — Til Schlotter, UNOMR


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