Life Sciences in London: Strengthening the UK–US Innovation Bridge
During the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, Imperial Global USA, London & Partners, and Taylor Wessing hosted the event, Life Sciences in London: Building the UK–US Innovation Bridge. Bringing together leaders from industry, academia and government, the evening highlighted West London’s growing strength in AI-driven biotech and the vital role the location plays in connecting UK innovation to global markets.
The programme featured a keynote from Howard Dawber OBE, Deputy Mayor of London for Business and Growth, alongside a panel discussion exploring founder-led growth, translational science, and transatlantic scale-up. Speakers included founders from White City Innovation District companies – Ignacio Willats from Mytos and Anna Schaffgotsch from Impli – and Professor of Virus Genomics at Imperial, Paul Kellam. They reflected on how ecosystems like WestTech London — rooted in world-class research institutions, and benefiting from diverse talent and strong investor networks — are enabling life sciences companies to grow internationally, including into similarly innovation-focussed areas like the San Francisco Bay Area.
As Professor Kellam stated; “For anyone interested in the entrepreneurial side of healthcare, this is an incredible environment. It is not just about outcomes, it is about the journey and bringing the right people together along the way.”
The event also underlined the important role of Imperial Global USA. Imperial Global USA acts as a cornerstone of Imperial’s transatlantic network, uniting diverse stakeholders – industry leaders, government officials, alumni, and academic partners – around a shared mission of advancing scientific progress for today’s most challenging issues. For WestTech London, IGUSA is an essential partner in strengthening links between London and Silicon Valley, creating new pathways for entrepreneurs, researchers, and investors to engage with London’s innovation community.
As WestTech London continues to unite researchers and entrepreneurs around a shared mission for inclusive, innovation-led growth, events like this reinforce West London’s position as a launchpad for globally powerful life sciences companies – “You are suddenly in rooms and conversations that would otherwise be out of reach. The ecosystem comes to you, and that level of access accelerates relationships in a way that is incredibly rare” (Professor Kellam).
