Why Startups Should Apply to Innovation AveNEW

Innovation AveNEW enables life science and technology startups to showcase their company, product, or service through Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) events.

Biannually, at the SLAS International Conference and the SLAS Europe Conference, innovators can connect with potential investors, collaborators, and customers through the program. Applications are reviewed by members of the AveNEW Review Panel, who assess startup status, market plan, and potential impact on the field.

Selected companies benefit from a kiosk on the exhibition floor, coverage of travel and accommodation costs for one representative, and exposure to thousands of SLAS attendees. Startups can also opt in to be considered for the Ignite Award, which recognizes the best emerging company within the program. The winner receives a $5000 cash prize and additional visibility through SLAS.

As the application deadline for the upcoming SLAS2027 International Conference, September 14, 2026, draws closer, Technology Networks spoke with former Innovation AveNEW applicants to explore how the program has supported their success.

Colin A. Cook, PhD. Technical founder and chief technology officer, XDemics Corporation.

“One standout moment was meeting with leaders of the most iconic companies in lab automation and realizing we had a shared vision. We wanted to transform 21st-century biology and medicine by combining advanced cultureware with automated liquid handling and AI data analysis. Meeting the unbelievably ambitious and brilliant scientists who were going to put these tools to work [was also a highlight].”

“[Our core focus is] empowering scientists with limitless cell culture to advance biology and medicine.

“Winning the SLAS Ignite Award catalyzed an unbelievable set of opportunities across customers, strategics, and funders. It has been nonstop since!”— Dr. Colin Andrew Cook.

“We’re so grateful for the mentorship and exposure that Innovation AveNEW gave us. It was the most impactful program I’ve ever had the chance to participate in. [For future applicants, I would say] do it. This is where the rubber meets the road. This is where product–market fit is discovered. Put your startup out there, benefit from mentor and judge feedback, engage with your customers, make partnerships, and hold on for dear life. It is going to be a whirlwind!”

Jeroen Verheyen, MSc. Co-founder and chief executive officer, Semarion.

“The most memorable moments were when visitors [to the Innovation AveNEW Space] suddenly understood the significance of what we had developed. Our SemaCyte^® platform turns adherent cells into barcoded, assay-ready reagents for more scalable, reproducible, and data-rich cell assays across drug discovery workflows. This represents a very different way of working with adherent cells. 

“People often needed a moment to get their heads around the idea that we could turn them into mobile, barcoded reagents. Once that concept clicked, the conversation would quickly shift from ‘What is this?’ to ‘Where could we use this?’

“Innovation AveNEW supported us at several different levels. The financial support was valuable because exhibiting at a major international conference is a significant investment for a startup. More importantly, the program placed us in a high-traffic area where visitors were actively looking for new technologies. People came to Innovation AveNEW because they were curious about what might change the way laboratories operate, which created a very different dynamic from having a small booth elsewhere in a large exhibition hall.

“The program generated early leads, contributed to new pharmaceutical projects, and helped initiate collaborative relationships. Winning the SLAS Europe Ignite Award in Barcelona was a particularly important moment. We received the award on the main stage around the closing keynote, in front of a substantial audience.

"Innovation AveNEW and the Ignite Award contributed to our visibility, credibility, and commercial momentum.” — Jeroen Verheyen.

“[For potential applicants] I would strongly recommend bringing something tangible. For an unfamiliar technology, a physical product, a clear visual workflow, or a compelling dataset can make an enormous difference.

“The strongest companies explain the whole story. They clearly define the unmet need before describing their solution, show why their approach is meaningfully different, provide evidence that it works, and explain who will pay for it. Finally, get the customer-facing version of the pitch right. The judges matter, but so do the scientists, partners, and decision-makers who will visit the booth throughout the conference.”

Sandra Jernström, PhD. Co-founder and chief business development officer, Vitroscope ASA.

“Innovation AveNEW is well-visited by tech scouts from a wide range of life science businesses. The traction and visibility one gets from attending is amazing. It really is one of the best conferences for a startup to attend—we constantly had people coming to our booth.

“One of the funniest moments was when a potential collaborator started pitching our technology to their own partners on our behalf.

“Another was seeing people's reactions when we demonstrated the software, which allows users to pre-define culture conditions based on clinically available data for a specific tissue type. The moment when they realized what the platform could do was fun to watch.”

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“[For potential applicants], don’t wait to apply; AveNEW is a really good way to validate your technology with potential customers. Instead of doing cold outreach, here you get to talk directly with people who are interested in your solution.

“Also, reach out to the SLAS community and/or people who have attended Innovation AveNEW before writing your proposal. They can help you get the right angle for application.”

Zehra F. Nizami, PhD. Principal scientist and head of business development and partnerships, PartitionBio.

“It was brilliant to be one of the many innovative companies at Innovation AveNEW, where we built up a healthy camaraderie and exchanged ideas. The zone itself was elegantly assembled, and we had tremendous foot flow and interest in our tech.

“Furthermore, we were very excited to be selected as finalists for the SLAS Ignite Award. With this honor came the opportunity to present a flash talk at the exhibition hall stage, which also led to many fruitful discussions with participants at SLAS. Our participation at the Innovation AveNEW coincided perfectly with what feels like an important inflection point for PartitionBio.”

“We had launched our flagship product about nine months earlier and were receiving positive customer feedback. Therefore, the timing was right to take this to an event and a society that focuses on automating and scaling up processes.”

“I would tell [potential applicants] not to hesitate for one moment. SLAS offers tremendous support to Innovation AveNEW participants, not just financially but also through their mentorship during the Ignite Awards application process. We received a lot of feedback and support, and we are excited to be a part of this enterprising, curiosity-driven scientific community.”