We’re still knee-deep in our follow up activities from the San Francisco conferences and receptions.
Specifically, we spent the bulk of our time at the rapidly-growing Biotech Showcase at the Parc 55. EBD has summary videos and statistics that will tell you all about the conference.
So it’s impossible for us to prepare an extensive review of the JP Morgan conference or the other conferences taking place simultaneously.
However, there were a few key themes that emerged even from our somewhat limited participation:
Party Like It’s 1999: When we wrote about the hot IPO market in August, we didn’t think it would last much longer. Certainly not beyond the Fourth Quarter of 2013.
Sell Sell Sell: The media tends to focus on a narrow set of stories (hot IPOs, earnings, big venture rounds, and clinical trial failures). However, down in the trenches, the overwhelming theme is on acquiring assets (products, business units, companies) that are revenue-generating. Even products and companies with EBIDTAs that are borderline positive could find an audience in this environment.
In fact, one of our projects involving the acquisition of a parenterals facility/business garnered a lot of attention in San Francisco because executives are looking for revenues.
In addition, the interest for liberating on-market, under-marketed products from Big Pharma remains very high, as it was in 2013.
You Have To Get Out More: We make it a point to attend as many receptions as possible while there. It’s a critical aspect of the entire week. Yet we still find a lot of individuals who prefer to spend their evenings in the quiet calm of their hotel rooms with room service and a wide-screen TV.
This is a mistake.
Next year, do yourself a favor and plan your evenings strategically. Keep on eye out on Twitter for a directory to all of the evening receptions. Bring your business cards and network as much as possible.
Remember, you can always sleep on the plane ride home.