BioNJ, the life sciences trade association for New Jersey, has officially announced the lineup for its 16th Annual BioPartnering Conference, scheduled for May 12.
The event will take place at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City.
Building on the momentum of last year’s event—which drew nearly 600 attendees from 16 states and 13 countries—BioNJ said that this year’s conference is shaping up to be a truly international affair. Delegations from Canada and Israel are already registered to attend.
“Built to spark meaningful connections with future partners and investors, this year’s Conference is set to be our most impactful yet,” Debbie Hart, president and CEO of BioNJ said. “We are thrilled to once again partner with J.P. Morgan, Morgan Lewis, and CoreWeave to advance the development of new therapies for Patients.”
The conference is designed to facilitate the “next wave of innovation” through several core tracks:
- 1:1 Partnering: Dedicated time for private meetings between startups and investors.
- Company Pitches: Nearly 90 trailblazing companies in biotech, digital health, and healthcare will present their work to a room of active investors.
- Industry Connections Desk: In a “speed-dating” format, entrepreneurs can schedule one-on-one office hours with business development reps from global giants including Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co., Bristol Myers Squibb, Pfizer, Novartis, and Teva Pharmaceuticals.
This year’s plenary sessions reflect the rapidly changing healthcare landscape of 2026. Expert panels will tackle critical topics, including:
- AI Integration: Moving from algorithms to real-world clinical impact (featuring CoreWeave).
- Regulatory Strategies: Navigating evolving FDA approval paths to maximize value while minimizing risk.
- Exit Strategies: Balancing value-building with preparation for M&A and potential exits.
- Investor Reverse Pitches: Where seed and growth investors pitch their firms to the innovators.
The 2026 roster includes top-tier analysts and legal experts, such as John Lakso (J.P. Morgan), Jackie Berman (Morgan Lewis), Corey Sanders (CoreWeave), and Emilio Ragosa (DLA Piper). The event will also feature insights from emerging leaders like Sepehr Rahimi of Chorah Labs and Louise Ruihau Liu of Hill Research.
Event details
- Date: Tuesday, May 12, 2026
- Location: Liberty Science Center, Jersey City, NJ
- Registration: $475 for BioNJ Members; $575 for non-members. Click here to register.
