Life Science Networks’ PharmaSource and CDMO Live are being acquired by Life Science Connect (LSC), a US-based life sciences media business and portfolio company of Latticework Capital Management and Edgehill Management.
These leading brands serving the biopharma outsourcing sector will now become part of the world’s leading biopharma outsourcing platform, in a partnership bringing together PharmaSource, CDMO Live Europe, CDMO Live Americas and external manufacturing leaders with LSC’s established media platforms, including Outsourced Pharma and the CDMO Leadership Awards.
Together the brands will form a new events division within LSC, combining deep editorial expertise with significant scale and resources.
Life Science Networks was founded in 2023 by media and events entrepreneurs Luke Bilton and Chris Kilbee. In the wake of Covid-19, the pair identified a gap in the market for content and events focused on biopharma outsourced manufacturing and rapidly built a portfolio of partnering events, digital media and executive communities reaching 50,000 industry professionals.
“To build and grow our events division, our approach is to start with great people, entrepreneurs with a vision of how to provide specific audiences with actionable content and connections to others in the community who can help them,” said Jon Howland, CEO at Life Science Connect. “Chris, Luke and their team represent that approach and we are excited to see what they will build.”
CDMO Live was recognised as ‘Best Event Launch’ at the international Association of Event Organisers (AEO) Awards, held recently in London. The award citation described CDMO Live as “a highly distinctive launch built around a clear, buyer-focused model,” noting that its “emphasis on curated engagement and strong community foundations delivers real value and sets it apart from more traditional formats.”
“Over the last three years we’ve created brands we’re incredibly proud of, with a team that’s been instrumental in making it happen,” said Bilton and Kilbee. “Life Science Connect shares our vision for building a pharma events business that connects this remarkable sector with exceptional networking, content and experiences, and joining forces helps us get there much faster. What we can build together by combining our strengths is genuinely exciting.”
Bilton told EW: “We haven’t had much time to reflect – the last three years have been a blur. Chris and I started this with a laptop and a podcast microphone, no investors. We published our way to an audience of 50,000, ran a pilot virtual event as proof of concept to fund our first venue contract, and went from there to launching events in Europe and the United States. Winning the AEO Award for Best Event Launch was the first time we’d come up for air.
“The next chapter is genuinely exciting. Joining forces with the talented Life Science Connect team, and working alongside someone like Doug Emslie, gives us the resources, reach and experience to keep building much faster than we could do alone.
“It’s often said, but absolutely true: now is the time for event builders. If you have a community worth serving and a willingness to back yourself, take the leap. With the tools available now, the barrier to building something real has never been lower. Not every idea lands – but isn’t that the fun of it?”
The portfolio’s growth will be accelerated by the investment that LSC brings, along with its AI-enabled technology platform to connect biopharma professionals to the information and suppliers they need to help bring life-improving products to the patients who need them.
Both Bilton and Kilbee will continue in their roles, leading the new events division as senior vice-presidents alongside LSC’s existing team.
CDMO Live Americas 2026 will take place 20-21 October, 2026 in Boston, and CDMO Live Europe will take place 26-27 May, 2027 in Rotterdam.
Source: www.exhibitionworld.co.uk
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