The Activator | Semi-Final Pitch Day 2026
What happens when some of the most ambitious biotech founders in Germany step onto the stage to pitch?
Join us for the Nucleate Germany Activator Semi-Final Pitch Day, an exciting milestone in the Activator — Nucleate's flagship program supporting the next generation of biotech entrepreneurs.
Over the past months, emerging teams have been shaping breakthrough ideas at the intersection of science, innovation, and real-world impact. Now, nine selected semi-finalist teams will pitch their ventures live in front of a jury, mentors, investors, and members of the life science community.
This is more than a pitch event. It's a chance to discover bold ideas early, meet the people building the future of biotech, and connect with researchers, founders, operators, and investors who care about translating science into impact.
Expect a high-energy afternoon and evening featuring:
an exclusive BioLabs lab tour to kick things off
a welcome and introduction to Nucleate Germany and the Activator
a spotlight on Munich's brand-new BioLabs space with Max Pöhlmann
live pitches from 9 semi-finalist teams
winner announcements live from our jury
networking with founders, mentors, VCs, experts, and invited guests
and an informal after-party at a nearby beer garden to continue the conversations in a more relaxed setting
Agenda
13:30 — BioLabs Lab Tour & Informal Networking (invite only: write us for registration) Kick off the day with a tour of the brand-new BioLabs lab space in Munich, followed by informal networking.
16:30 — Welcome & Nucleate Germany Intro A brief introduction to Nucleate Germany, the Activator program, and its role in supporting early-stage life science entrepreneurship and venture creation.
16:40 — BioLabs Intro with Max Pöhlmann A short introduction from BioLabs highlighting the new Munich lab space, their role in supporting biotech founders, and their connection to the broader life sciences innovation ecosystem.
16:50 — Semi-Final Team Pitches | Part 1 The first four teams take the stage — 8 minutes each to pitch their ventures to the jury and audience.
~17:25 — Short Break
~17:35 — Semi-Final Team Pitches | Part 2 The remaining five teams pitch their ventures.
~18:20 — Jury Deliberation & Winner Announcement Our jury selects the standout teams and announces the winners live on stage.
18:30 — Networking Reception Connect with participating teams, expert mentors, sponsors, invited guests, and members of the broader life sciences and venture community.
21:00 — Official End of Main Event
21:00 onwards — After-Party Activator teams, mentors, VCs, and key guests are invited to continue the evening at a nearby beer garden for drinks, conversation, and informal networking.
Whether you're curious about the next wave of biotech innovation, looking to connect with the German life science ecosystem, or simply want to hear visionary founders pitch what could become tomorrow's defining companies, this is the place to be.
Come for the science, stay for the ideas, and meet the people turning them into reality.
We curate the guest list to bring together the right mix of founders, investors, and operators — apply early to be part of it.
Proudly supported by VOSSIUS, WuXi AppTech, BioLabs and Bio Molecule.
About Nucleate:
Nucleate is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the next generation of biotech leaders. With chapters spanning 41 geographic regions and participation from over 280 academic institutions, Nucleate sparks new intellectual communities and embeds emerging talent within a global biotech community. Through open-access educational programming, Nucleate helps democratize biotech innovation — removing barriers and helping founders concentrate on building transformational technologies. Visit www.nucleate.org for more information, and visit https://nucleate.org/privacy-policy/ to read our privacy policy.
We want to thank our HQ supporters for championing our open-access mission and empowering the next generation of biotech entrepreneurs!
Platinum: Eli Lilly and Company, Genentech, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, MilliporeSigma
Philanthropic Support: Lyda Hill Philanthropies
Preferred Partners: Pillar VC, Amino Collective, Fenwick, Excedr, Mercury, Brex, Fedsprout, Browne Consulting
In-Kind Support: AcademicLabs, Lens.org