🍁 BIO 2026 gave Canada a lot to be proud of!
We kicked off the week with a packed Canada Pavilion opening and no shortage of red and white. For a moment, it felt like Canada Day had arrived early in San Diego.
Throughout the week, the Canada Pavilion became exactly what we hoped it would be: a home base for Canadian companies, partners, governments, investors, and sector leaders to connect with the world.
And yes, we hope your feet enjoyed the cushy carpet. We consider it one of Canada’s quiet contributions to BIO.
A big thank you to the many elected officials and government leaders who joined us throughout the week:
- Premier Tim Houston
- Premier Rob Lantz
- Hon. Jamie Moses, Minister of Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation
- Parliamentary Assistant MPP Tyler Allsopp from the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
- Ritu Banerjee, Interim Head, Health Emergency Readiness Canada
- Minister of Health & Wellness, Hon. Cory Deagle
- Karen Oldfield, Interim President and CEO, Nova Scotia Health
- Lisa Thibeau, Deputy Minister of Health and Wellness, Government of Prince Edward Island
- Tracey Taweel, Executive Deputy Minister to the Premier and Department of Intergovernmental Affairs, Government of Nova Scotia
Your presence matters, it sends a clear message that biotechnology is a priority across Canada, one that supports health security, economic growth, and global competitiveness.
Here are a few highlights we’re still smiling about:
🍁 Hearing directly from international partners from the UK (Chris Molloy), Mexico (Dr. Javier Dávila Torres), Lithuania (Gražina Mykolaitytė – Nielsen), and Korea (IO Song) who see real alignment with Canada and clear opportunities to work with Canadian companies. With so many countries looking to build partnerships and collaborations with Canada, now is the time to carry that momentum forward. Country slides from the breakfast will be uploaded to the Canada@BIO page later this week.
🍁 A strong Coast-to-Coast Competition, with Anmol Nagpal from Nospharma taking home the win! We’ll see you at the 2027 BIOTECanada Investment Summit in Whistler! ❄️
🍁 The Pavilion Partner panels had people stopping, staying, and squeezing in wherever they could. The Pavilion was full, the conversations were strong, and it was exactly the kind of energy we hoped to see at BIO.
🍁 A soccer break to cheer on Team Canada, because BIO may be about business, but Canada still knows how to have fun. For a little while, the Pavilion became a mini watch party. ⚽
🍁 Thank you to our members John Lewis and Stephanie Michaud for taking part in the Canada-Sweden Oncology Exchange panel hosted by SwedenBIO. It was a proud moment to see their expertise shared in an international forum and a great reminder of the calibre of members we’re fortunate to work with.
To our members, partners, sponsors, speakers, Pavilion partners, and everyone who helped bring Canada’s presence at BIO 2026 to life: thank you. This week worked because Canada showed up together. We left San Diego energized, grateful, and more confident than ever in the strength of Canada’s biotech sector. 💚
Coming soon: a full BIO 2026 photo gallery! We’re compiling the best moments from a very full, very Canadian week.
Canadian Executive Networking Breakfast
At the 2026 Canadian Executive Networking Breakfast, our partners from the UK, Mexico, Lithuania, and Korea gave brief country presentations on their life sciences sectors, where they see alignment with Canada, and how Canadian companies can connect with them. These slides are a helpful starting point for anyone looking to follow up, explore new markets, or keep the conversations from BIO 2026 going.
Check them out here:
Pavilion Partners
The Canadian delegation at BIO continues to grow in size and diversity. Each year the industry uses the Canada Pavilion as an opportunity to showcase how important it is for industry and government to work in partnership to advance the Canadian biotech sector.
BIOTECanada is proud to recognize the organizations working with us to bring the Canada Pavilion to life at BIO 2026 in San Diego. These partnerships are instrumental in showcasing the strength and ambition of Canada’s biotech sector.
A big thank you to the Canada Pavilion Partners, meet them below
BIO 2026 Canadian Delegation Directory
Are you a Canadian biotech company heading to BIO 2026? Make sure you’re seen!
Submit your information through our official web form to be included in the Canadian Delegation Directory—the go-to resource for delegates looking to connect with Canada’s biotech leaders.
This live, searchable directory is featured on an interactive touch-screen in the heart of the Canada Pavilion, and published on our website where it’s continuously updated before and throughout the event.
Canadian Events @ BIO
View All Events
Schedule these dates/times in your calendar, and watch this space for further updates as they become available. All times are Pacific Daylight Time.
Monday June 22
7:30am – 10:00am : Dual Use & Defence: Ontario’s Life Sciences & Clinical Trials Superpower
Location: OMNI San Diego Hotel at the Ballpark
Description: A panel + networking breakfast exploring Ontario’s clinical trials capacity and innovation in dual-use biotech. Join Clinical Trials Ontario (CTO) and Life Sciences Central (LSC)[powered by MaRS, OBIO® and TIAP] for a morning of connection and conversation at the BIO International Convention 2026. Register HERE
8:00am – 10:00am : The Coolest Hotspot Networking Breakfast
Location: Hard Rock Hotel
Description: Open only to biotech companies with innovative pipeline
8:00am – 10:00am : Most Favoured Nation Manitoba’s Opportunity
Location: OMNI San Diego at the Ballpark
Description: By invitation only
10:30am – 12:00pm : Pharma Reverse Pitch at BIO 2026
Location: Hard Rock Hotel
Description: CQDM is proud to invite members of the Canadian life sciences ecosystem to an exclusive event organized in partnership with Investissement Québec International. This event offers a unique opportunity to engage directly with leading global pharmaceutical companies.
In an interactive format, participating pharma partners will present their strategic priorities, R&D focus areas, and collaboration needs. The session will be followed by a dedicated networking period designed to foster high-quality, targeted discussions.
We are pleased to confirm the participation of eight major pharmaceutical organizations:
- Amgen
- Daiichi Sankyo US
- ONO PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD.
- Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
- Pfizer
- Sanofi
- Servier
- Johnson & Johnson
Registration: https://luma.com/9oekfbly
Attendance is subject to approval (limited capacity)
12:00pm: Exhibition Hall opens
2:00pm: Canada Pavilion Opening 🍁
Location: 🍁 Exhibition Floor (Booth 1721)
Hosted by: BIOTECanada and the Canada Pavilion Partners
Description: Join us alongside distinguished pan-Canadian political leaders as we officially open the Canada Pavilion.
3:00pm: Quebec Pavilion Opening 🍁
Location: 🍁 Exhibition Floor (Booth 1717)
4:00pm: Regional Presentation – Ontario Fireside Chat🍁
Location: 🍁 Exhibition Floor (Booth 1721)
Description: This discussion will focus on the core drivers behind a competitive and resilient biotech ecosystem, and how Ontario brings these elements together to support companies at every stage of growth. Key themes will include:
- Ontario’s stability and security as a destination for global life sciences companies in today’s evolving market
- The province’s skilled talent pool and world class research infrastructure that enable companies to scale innovation from discovery to global distribution
- The importance of partnerships and collaboration in driving economic growth and fostering innovation
4:30pm: Rendez-vous Québec🍁
Location: 🍁 Exhibition Floor (Booth 1717)
Description: Invest Quebec International and the Quebec Government Office in Los Angeles warmly invite you to Rendez-Vous Québec, a cocktail reception celebrating the opening of the BIO 2026 International Convention.
Hosted at the Québec booth, this informal gathering brings together investors, biotech leaders, innovators, and ecosystem partners to kick off BIO 2026 in a convivial setting. Join us to reconnect with existing partners, meet new members of the global life sciences community, and discover Québec’s dynamic biotech and life sciences ecosystem. In booth reception – Register HERE
6:00pm: Life Sciences BC International Networking Reception ( Invite Only)
Description: There is a waitlist for this event: Join the waitlist HERE
6:00pm: Exhibition Hall closes
Tuesday June 23
7:00am – 8:30am: Canadian Executive Networking Breakfast (For BIOTECanada Members)
Hosted by: BIOTECanada. By invitation only.
7:30am – 9:00am: Panel & Networking Breakfast : How Can Emerging Biotechs De-Risk and Scale Through Smarter Partnerships?
Location: Hard Rock Hotel
Description: This panel explores how emerging biotechs can de-risk development and accelerate value creation through smarter partnering strategies. It highlights how specialized partners can deliver targeted expertise across key stages—from discovery to commercialization—enabling faster decisions, more efficient capital use, and stronger investor-ready data. The discussion will also showcase Québec’s deep expertise across the biotech value chain. Register HERE
9:00am: Exhibition Hall opens
10:00am: BC Showcase Regional Presentation 🍁
Location: 🍁 Exhibition Floor (Booth 1721)
Description: The showcase will highlight British Columbia’s life sciences ecosystem and feature brief remarks from Life Sciences BC, Clinical Trials British Columbia, and Acuitas Therapeutics. The program will begin at 10:00 am and conclude with a BC life sciences ecosystem attendee photo.
10:30am: Regional Presentation 🍁
Location: 🍁Exhibition Floor (Booth 1721)
Description: Hosted by: Bioscience Association Manitoba (BAM)
11:00am: Regional Presentation – Atlantic Advantage 🍁
Location: 🍁Exhibition Floor (Booth 1721)
Description: Atlantic Canada offers a compelling combination of innovative life science companies, world-class scientific talent, internationally recognized research institutions, and competitive operating environments. The region has a deep-rooted culture of collaboration between industry, academia, and government, accelerating the path from discovery to commercialization.
6:30pm: BIO Coastal Connection Reception
Description: Hosted by the Atlatnic Canada Bio Industries Association. A curated business networking event with the warmth of an East Coast welcome. Attendance is by invitation only. Invited guests are companies, partners, and investors interested in doing business in Atlantic Canada.
6:30pm: Exhibition Hall closes
Wednesday June 24
9:00am: Exhibition Hall opens
10:00am – 11:30am: Coast-to-Coast Competition: A company pitch event 🍁
Location: 🍁 Canada Pavilion Exhibition Floor (Booth 1721)
Hosted by: BIOTECanada and Mintz
11:00am – 12:00pm: Future-Ready Solutions to the Global Biomanufacturing Talent Challenge
Location: BIO Breakout Session 31C
Moderated by: Penny Walsh, CEO of Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences (CASTL)
Description: The biomanufacturing workforce challenge is not national – it is global. No single country or stakeholder can solve it alone. The National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) Program unites leading training and education organizations from Canada, the USA, Senegal, South Korea, Australia, and Ireland in a powerful international alliance. Together, these partners are collaborating, innovating, and scaling workforce development models to address the global skills shortage. By leveraging this network, members share expertise, align talent development with industry needs, and shape the future of a truly global biomanufacturing sector. Similarly, as demand for biomanufacturing talent increases within each country, no single stakeholder can meet the challenge alone. This session will highlight how partnerships between industry, academia, and training organizations bridge skills gaps and help ensure a sustainable talent pipeline.
2:00pm – 3:00pm: Canada-Sweden Oncology Exchange
Location: Swedish Pavilion (Booth 3417)
Hosted by: SWEDENBio and BIOTECanada
Description: Join BIOTECanada and SwedenBIO for a Sweden-Canada oncology event at BIO, hosted at the Swedish Pavilion. This session will feature a panel of leading experts from Canada and Sweden, bringing together perspectives from industry, research, healthcare, and innovation to explore shared priorities and emerging opportunities in oncology.
The panel discussion will be followed by informal networking, offering delegates a chance to connect, exchange ideas, and strengthen cross-border collaboration within the life sciences ecosystem. This event highlights the strong and growing partnership between Canada and Sweden and their shared commitment to advancing innovation in cancer research, commercialization, and treatment.
SPEAKERS:
- Mats Hansen, CEO at Spago Nanomedical
- Martin Andersson, Co-founder and CSO at Sprint Bioscience
- Dr. Stéphanie Michaud, President & CEO of BioCanRx
- Dr. John Lewis, Founder & CEO of Entos Pharmaceuticals
- Moderator: Marjo Puumalainen, International Director of SwedenBIO
No registration necessary. More details to come!
6:00pm: Exhibition Hall closes
Thursday June 25
9:00am: Exhibition Hall opens
4:00pm: Exhibition Hall closes
BIO Resources:
Canada @ BIO Newsletter
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2026 BIO Newsletters