This thought-leader discussion is about technologies that are disrupting the life sciences and health innovation sectors today & tomorrowAbout this Event
About the Event
The Creative Disruption Forum is a high-level, interactive gathering built for executive leaders, senior researchers, startup founders, and biotech investors.
The Quantum Horizon Meets Real-World Science
We are witnessing a transformative shift in health innovation. While emerging paradigms like quantum computing promise to fundamentally redefine how we process biological complexity in the future, biopharma leaders today need actionable, deployable technologies to de-risk pipelines, accelerate drug discovery, and improve clinical outcomes now.
The Latest & Future Technologies Impacting Health Innovation and Life Sciences bridges the gap between tomorrow’s deep-tech horizons and today’s high-impact biological and computational breakthroughs. Hosted at ARC West London as a flagship London Life Sciences Week event, this interactive forum brings together biopharma executives, tech bio founders, investors, and academic leaders for unscripted, Chatham House Rules discussions on what is genuinely working, where the bottlenecks lie, and how to build scalable healthcare solutions.
From physical molecule-to-protein target engagement (such as CETSA® platforms) and human-relevant New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) to real-world AI applications in lead optimization, this event delivers an unfiltered "boots on the ground" look at modern translational science.
Why You Should Attend:
Ground Your Strategy in Real-World Tech: Move beyond theoretical hype to evaluate proven technologies transforming R&D pipelines today—including next-gen sequencing (NGS), advanced cell & gene therapies, and biophysical target-engagement assays.
De-Risk Your Clinical Pipeline: Discover how New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), organ-on-a-chip systems, and cellular shift assays are replacing legacy models, reducing Phase II/III failure rates, and delivering more efficacious molecules into the clinic.
Unfiltered "Boots on the Ground" Insights: Hear directly from SME CEOs and biopharma R&D directors on integrating AI into discovery pipelines—sharing candid case studies on what works, what has failed, and how to avoid costly missteps.
Connect Across the West Tech District: Engage directly with key anchors across West London’s innovation ecosystem, including Imperial College London, White City Innovation District, Paddington Life Sciences, Nexus, and ARC Group.
Actionable Peer-to-Peer Workshops: Participate in interactive afternoon breakout sessions designed to co-create practical strategies for scaling deep-tech venture navigating regulatory pathways for NAMs, and optimizing R&D data.
Who Should Attend:
- Biopharma & Biotech Executives (CEOs, CSOs, CTOs, R&D Directors): Looking to de-risk discovery pipelines, adopt next-generation analytical platforms, and integrate computational tools effectively.
- Tech Bio Founders & SME Leadership: Seeking real-world feedback on scaling ventures, securing investment, and overcoming wet-lab validation bottlenecks.
- Venture Capitalists & Deep-Tech Investors: Eager to identify high-growth opportunities across both near-term biopharma technologies and long-term deep-tech frontiers.
- Academic Researchers & Translational Scientists: Interested in commercializing spinouts and bridging the gap between basic research and clinical reality.
- Clinical & Regulatory Leaders: Exploring FDA/MHRA roadmaps for NAM adoption, advanced diagnostics, and cell/gene therapy pathways.
Draft Agenda
09:00 AM – 09:45 AM | Registration, Breakfast & Networking
Arrival, registration, and informal networking over breakfast.
09:45 AM – 10:00 AM | Welcome & Opening Keynote
- Welcome: Deb Spencer (ARC West London)
- Opening Address: Prof Tony Sedgwick & Graham Combe
- Opening Keynote: The Future Promise of Quantum & Deep Tech in Healthcare — An inspiring overview of next-generation computing horizons before grounding the day in actionable, deployable technologies.
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM | Panel 1: De-Risking Pipelines — Target Engagement & New Approach Methodologies (NAMs)
Unpacking intracellular target engagement in live cells (e.g., CETSA® and biophysical mass spectrometry) alongside microphysiological systems (organ-on-a-chip, 3D organoids) to confirm compound binding and improve translational success before clinical entry.
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM | Keynote Panel: What Is Being Funded Today vs. Tomorrow?
Top VCs and life science investors discuss capital allocation across biological platforms, NAMs, and computational deep-tech, detailing how target-engagement data impacts valuation and Series funding.
11:30 AM – 11:50 AM | Refreshments & Networking Break
11:50 AM – 12:25 PM | Fireside Keynote Interview: AI in Drug Discovery — Separating Hype from Clinical Reality
An unscripted interview with a global biopharma R&D leader on deploying computational tools in active discovery, integrating predictive models with wet-lab data, and cutting timeline costs in lead optimization.
12:25 PM – 01:15 PM | Boots on the Ground: SME & Startup CEO Showcase
Fast-paced spotlight presentations and candid feedback from high-growth Tech Bio founders sharing practical case studies on hit identification, assay bottlenecks, and lessons learned from unsuccessful trials.
01:15 PM – 02:15 PM | Networking Lunch
02:45 PM – 03:45 PM | Interactive Workshop Breakouts
- Track 1: Deploying AI & CETSA/Biophysical Assays in R&D Pipelines — Closing the gap between in silico predictions and physical binding.
- Track 2: Translational Regulatory Pathways for NAMs & Organ-on-a-Chip — Working with regulators (FDA/MHRA) to reduce animal testing and speed up clinical entry.
- Track 3: Scaling Deep Tech & Bio Ventures in West London — Infrastructure, lab space, capital, and ecosystem growth across the West Tech District.
03:45 PM – 04:30 PM | Workshop Closing & Executive Summary
Synthesis of workshop takeaways, actionable strategies, and policy insights for sector leaders.
04:30 PM – 08:30 PM | Champagne Evening Reception, Keynote Talk & Networking
Champagne drinks reception and evening keynote designed to build lasting partnerships across the tech, healthcare, and life sciences ecosystem.
We promise that our #CreativeDisruption Forum will be like no other life sciences event or business network you have experienced. You will be walking out of the session inspired, educated and more connected.
ADMISSION FEE for Service Companies such as CROs, CDMOs, Law Firms and Patent Attorneys, Consultancy Firms = £120 - ALL-INCLUSIVE
ADMISSION FEE for Innovative Emerging Life Science Companies and Independent Consultants = £60
Investors can apply for free entry by writing to [email protected].
If you want to get involved in the programme please contact Graham Combe at [email protected]
Collaborative Drug Discovery (CDD) provides an intuitive software suite extensively used by creative biologists and chemists working in academic, biotechnology and pharmaceutical settings. Their flagship product, CDD Vault, enables researchers to intuitively organize and analyze both biological and chemical data, and to collaborate with partners through a straightforward web interface. CDD helps scientists register entities, track inventory, manage assay data, capture experiments, calculate Structure-Activity Relationships (SAR), and mine their data for drug candidates. CDD was founded in 2004 and presently serves thousands of researchers doing drug discovery all around the world. Learn more atwww.collaborativedrug.com
is a dynamic hub for innovation, located on the scenic riverside in Hammersmith, at the heart of West Tech London – one of the UK’s fastest-growing life sciences and tech clusters. Designed for companies at every stage of their journey, the campus offers a seamless pathway from concept to commercial success.
Start with Leap our incubator labs, run by Imperial Incubator, perfect for early-stage breakthroughs. Accelerate progress in Motherlabs, our fully serviced, flexible accelerator labs that removes the barriers to scaling. Then thrive in our grow-on fitted lab space or shell and core space, tailored for expanding teams and advanced R&D. For growing or established organisations, ARC West London also offers HQ-quality office space, enabling you to bring your science, leadership, and commercial teams together under one roof.
With direct connections to central London, Heathrow, and leading research institutions, the campus puts you in easy reach of world-class talent, collaborators, and investors. Add riverside views, high-quality amenities, Imperial and NHS partnerships, a curated programme of events and a vibrant community of pioneering companies, and you have a place where ideas aren’t just developed, they’re accelerated.
Company: Pelago Bioscience AB
Senior Management Team: Michael Dabrowski, founder and CEO; Daniel Martinez-Molina, founder and CSO; Kia Pedersen, COO. Company founded: 2013
Type: CRO/Service Provider for cellular based target engagement technologies
Location: Stockholm, Sweden Size: 53 employees Mission: All drug discovery projects should know their target(s) before entering clinical trials.
Key technology:Pelago Bioscience is a CRO that supports drug discovery, with expertise in target engagement in biologically relevant settings. Pelago Bioscience’s patented core technology, CETSA®(Cellular Thermal Shift Assay), provides confidence for early decision-making in all stages of the drug discovery pipeline.CETSA applications holds solutions from confirming target engagement and strengthening target validation, to hit generation for targets that are difficult to drug, selectivity profiling and elucidating the mechanism of action of compounds. CETSA enables greater understanding of how drugs perturb the biology in relevant models. Pelago’s extended team provide you with the insights you need to progress the right assets in your drug discovery pipeline.
Event venue
ARC West London, Manbre Road, London, United Kingdom
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.