Event Highlight: Life Sciences Entrepreneurship Conference: UK-HK Perspectives on Innovation and Collaboration

Co-hosted by the Hong Kong Life Sciences Society and the British Consulate General Hong Kong, with the support of Invest Hong Kong, the “Life Sciences Entrepreneurship Conference: UK-HK Perspectives on Innovation and Collaboration” was successfully held on 12 May 2026.

The event was honoured to have Mr Chris Woodward, Director General, Trade and Investment, British Consulate-General Hong Kong, to deliver the Opening Remarks, together with Welcome Remarks from Prof Ken Wong, Executive Director of HKLSS. 

The programme began with an inspiring Keynote Address on “The Importance of Hong Kong as a Life Sciences Hub” by Dr Adiran Cheong, Chair - Medical Council, Bioworld Ventures. With a focus on AI driven drug discovery, diagnostics and medical devices, and next generation therapeutics, the Conference featured three insightful Panels and a Fireside Chat session, “From Innovation to Collaboration — Opportunities, Challenges and Pathways”. Moderated by Hong Kong-based investors and entrepreneurs, the panels explored the evolving life sciences ecosystems in both the UK and Hong Kong, highlighting opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and investment that transcend distance. Our diverse lineup of speakers, comprising UK company representatives, HKLSS advisors, and esteemed local experts, all generously shared their perspectives, enriching discussions and reinforcing the strong and growing ties between the two regions.

Mr Andy Wong, Head of Innovation & Technology and Life & Health Sciences from Invest Hong Kong, wrapped up the evening with thoughtful Closing Remarks.

The event brought together over 200 attendees, including leading experts, entrepreneurs, and innovators from the UK and Hong Kong, to explore the current landscape and future trends of life sciences entrepreneurship.

A heartfelt thank you to all speakers, panellists, and moderators for their valuable insights. Speakers are listed in order of their sessions:

[Panel 1] AI-Powered Drug Discovery and Healthcare Platforms: Human vs AI: Redefining Discovery and Delivery

• Dr Nik Sharma, CEO & Co-Founder, BioCorteX
• Ms Warda Rezig, Chief Technologist, BloodMatch
• Dr Jaishree Naidoo, Co-Founder, CEO, Envisionit Deep AI 
• Dr Shama Rahman, Founder & CEO, NeuroCreate
• Moderator: Ms Scarlett Chen, Managing Partner, Verge HealthTech Fund

[Panel 2] Innovative Diagnostics and Medical Devices: From Improving Detection to Making Smarter Decision

• Mr Dabriel Choi, Founder & CEO, EveryBaby
• Dr Martin Wickham, Chief Innovation Officer, Reacta Healthcare
• Dr Renata Redondo Bonaldi, Co-Founder & CEO, SleepUp 
• Moderator: Dr Lydia Leung, CEO, Belun Technology

[Panel 3] Novel and Precision Therapeutics: Expanding the Therapeutic Toolbox

• Mr James Lister, Managing Director, Brain Feed Therapeutics
• Dr Hazel Jones, Chief Strategy Officer, Laverock Therapeutics
• Dr Mandeep Sehmi, Head of Business Development, Scancell PLC
• Dr Fiona Li, Co-Founder, CEO &, CSO, VasoDynamics 
• Moderator: Ms Lisa Cai, Portfolio Manager — Pivotal Life Sciences; Director, Group CEO Office, Nan Fung Group

Fireside Chat: From Innovation to Collaboration — Opportunities, Challenges and Pathways 

• Ms Lisa Cai, Portfolio Manager — Pivotal Life Sciences; Director, Group CEO Office, Nan Fung Group
• Mr Tony Hickson, Chief Business Officer, Cancer Research UK and Cancer Research Horizons, UK
• Mr Emmanuel Hui, Chief Executive Officer, Tiger Jade Pebble Accelerator
• Mr Qiang Lyu, General Manager of Hong Kong and Macau, AstraZeneca
• Prof Stephanie Ma, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research); Jimmy and Emily Tang Professor in Molecular Genetics, The University of Hong Kong
• Mr Ed Tam, Managing Director, New Frontier Group; Chief Executive Officer, United Family Healthcare International Medical Service; Vice-Chairman, New Frontier Group (Hong Kong)