Program
The BioBusiness Masterclass runs once a year starting each October.

Save the dates for the 2025/2026 edition
Module 1: 22-24 October 2025
Module 2: 19-21 November 2025
Module 3: 21-23 January 2026
Module 4: 18-20 February 2026
Module 5: 18-20 March 2026
Module 6: 29 April – 1 May 2026
The Teachers
You’ll learn from over 40 seasoned life sciences entrepreneurs, experienced lecturers, and professional coaches. These experts are not just instructors — they are your gateway to a valuable and experienced biotech network. They will be available to answer your questions and offer guidance throughout your journey.
The Modules
The Masterclass consists of 6 modules. Each module consists of two full-day courses and two evening sessions. Business and personal growth challenges are discussed in small peer groups, supported by professional coaches. These coaches guide participants in discovering their strengths and weaknesses, providing tools to aid in their personal development process.
Modules
Please see below more information about each module of the BioBusiness Masterclass 2024.
Module 1: Entrepreneurship and Business Plan
After an inspiring start, it’s up to the participants to present their business cases. Participants select the most interesting business cases and groups are formed. Each group works on one of the business cases during the BioBusiness Masterclass.
Date | Starting time | Program | Lecturer |
Wednesday October 16 2024 |
5.30 PM | Guest lecture | Wietse Mulder |
Thursday
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09.00 AM | Presentation business cases and forming of the teams | Chrétien Herben, Kees Recourt |
01.00 PM | Business plan development | Kees Recourt | |
07.30 PM | Personal development in peer groups |
Geerte Hesselmans, Hella Abma, Janneke van den Hoek
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Friday October 18 2024 |
09.00 AM | Teambuilding | Els Molenaar |
01.00 PM | Communication patterns | Els Molenaar |
Module 2: Intellectual Property Rights and Product Development
Well-protected findings are often a biotech company’s most valuable assets. Therefore, the second module gives insights into the European intellectual property system. Several IP experts, from industry leading legal firms, explain the basics of patents and licensing agreements. With this knowledge and support from the experts, the teams develop their intellectual property strategy to build or grow their business. A crash course on regulatory affairs and contractual strategies is also given in this second module.
Date | Starting time | Program | Lecturer |
Wednesday November 20 2024 |
5.30 PM | Guest lecture | Eline van Beest |
Thursday November 21 2024 |
09.00 AM | Intellectual property rights | Bruno Vandermeulen |
01.00 PM | Patent enforcement | Carine van de Brink | |
08.00 PM | Personal development in peer groups | Geerte Hesselmans, Hella Abma, Janneke van den Hoek | |
Friday November 22 2024 |
09.00 AM | Regulatory affairs and product development: Medical Devices & IVD | Jeroen Pieper |
01.00 PM | Regulatory affairs and product development: Pharma | Ineke Jonker |
Module 3: Business Development, Communication, and Personal Development
Experienced business developers take the participants along their routes to success. They explain what to do to close a successful deal and, even more important, what not to do. The guidance of these experts will help participants to further develop their own business development plan.
There is hardly a single topic more fundamental to the business process than communication. Participants will therefore discover more about their communication preferences during this third module and they will learn how to use this knowledge to communicate effectively with different target groups.
Date | Starting time | Program | Lecturer |
Wednesday January 29 2025 |
5.30 PM | Guest lecture | Eliane Schutte |
Thursday January 30 2025 |
09.00 AM | Know your customer | Stephan Botz |
01.00 PM | Negotiation | Chantal Suissa-Runne | |
08.00 PM | Personal development in peer groups | Geerte Hesselmans, Hella Abma, Janneke van den Hoek, Anne-Claire van Altvorst | |
Friday January 31 2025 |
09.00 AM | Personal strengths | Sandra Minnee |
01.00 PM | Flexible leadership | Sandra Minnee |
Module 4: Finance and Venture Capital
In this module the participants learn all the essentials of financial accounting. This helps the entrepreneurs and managers (to be) to read, understand, and effectively use balances, P&L statements, and cash flow statements. Examples from well-known life sciences companies will be used.
Then, one of the most essential questions for a biotech company will be asked: how to get financed? Several venture capitalists will explain their preferences and give elaborate feedback on the business cases. Their coaching is strict, but fair and is always highly valued by the participants.
Date | Starting time | Program | Lecturer |
Wednesday February 19 2025 |
5.30 PM | Guest Lecture | Markwin Velders |
Thursday February 20 2025 |
09.00 AM 1.00 PM
7.30 PM |
Financial Accounting Part 1 Financial Accounting Part 2
Personal Development in Peer Groups
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Friday February 21 2025 |
09.00 AM
01.00 PM |
Venture Capital
Business Plan Coaching |
Lieke Hamoen, Wouter Bax, Henk Vietor, Hans van den Berg, Thijs van de Munckhof, Pedro Tetteroo, Arwin Ridder |
Module 5: Leadership and Market Access
The fifth module focuses on improving participants’ leadership capabilities. Different leadership styles fit different people and different companies best. The participants will find out what fits them and their innovative companies best.
As (future) leaders the participants guide their companies in the preparation for market success. Useful tools for market place analysis and marketing management are dealt with in this fifth module as well.
Date | Starting time | Program | Lecturer |
Wednesday March 5 2025 |
05.30 PM | Guest lecture | Giel Hendriks |
Thursday March 6 2025 |
09.00 AM 01.00 PM 07.30 PM |
Market Access Digital Strategies Personal development in peer groups |
|
Friday March 7 2025 |
09.00 AM 1.00 PM |
Leadership Part 1 Leadership Part 2 |
Sandra Minnee |
Module 6: Media Training and Business Plan Presentation
The last module is all about presenting the business cases. The entire module is focused on providing tools for the perfect presentation. Media experts train the participants in how to deal with the media and mock presentations are given. The finale of the Masterclass is the presentation of the business cases to a jury of experts. The most promising start-up with the best business plan receives the BioBusiness Masterclass Award.
Date | Starting time | Program | Lecturer |
Wednesday April 30 2025 |
05.30 PM | Guest lecture | Daan Luining |
Thursday May 1 2025 |
09.00 AM
7.30PM |
Media training: interview training and theatre sports
Graduation, Class of 2024 |
and 4 professional coaches to be announced |
Friday May 2 2025 |
09.00 AM | Mock presentations business plans | Anne Claire Altvorst, Chrétien Herben, Kees Recourt |
01.00 PM | Business plan presentation | Jury of experts | |
05.00 PM |
Announcement of the Top 2 Business Plans |
BioBusiness Masterclass
Karpervijver 17, 3703 CJ Zeist, The Netherlands
office@biobusinessmasterclass.nl