Slovakia at the Decompress Brunch in Boston

In the iconic Kendall Square in Boston – the heart of biotechnology innovation – the Decompress Brunch event took place from June 20 to 23, 2025. We co-hosted this event together with the Cambridge Innovation Center and Austria, with the aim of supporting the biotechnology ecosystem.

The first speaker was Christa Bleyleben, former Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment (MOITI). In her speech, she emphasized the importance of international cooperation in biotechnology and medtech, highlighting the crucial role of public-private partnerships in developing innovation ecosystems, fostering technology transfer, and supporting business partnerships.

She also presented the Cambridge Innovation Center as a dynamic platform for supporting startups and innovation projects, outlining several current initiatives that help companies develop their products and services. She invited Austrian and Slovak companies to make use of this platform to take full advantage of growth opportunities and international collaboration that this environment offers.

The second speaker was Austrian Ambassador to the U.S., Petra Schneebauer. She thanked all participants for attending and emphasized the importance of strengthening transatlantic ties between Austria, the U.S., and Slovakia. She also acknowledged the potential for cooperation in biotechnology and innovation, stressing that initiatives like Decompress Brunch play a vital role in developing this dynamic sector. The ambassador also played a key role in the establishment of the direct flight between Boston and Vienna, which significantly enhances and facilitates business connections between the regions.

The third speaker was Vladimír Lackovič from the Slovak Investment and Trade Development agency , who presented Slovakia’s innovation and investment potential – a country with high-quality universities and a talented workforce. He highlighted how inspiring it is that Slovak companies are carrying out numerous research and development projects, passionately working to improve the world around us. This energy and boldness firmly place Slovakia on the global biotech map. He noted that Slovakia’s participation at the Bio2025 fair in Boston demonstrated how many partnerships are formed during such events, and these connections are key to achieving desired outcomes in the biotech field.

The event attracted over 80 guests – including investors, researchers, and representatives of biotech companies. Slovak companies, actively engaged in the biotech ecosystem, were also present. The networking, knowledge-sharing, and exchange of experience right from Boston confirmed that Slovakia has a lot to offer on the global biotech stage.

To further support the biotech sector, we plan to expand our activities in the U.S., with SARIO maintaining a more frequent presence in Boston thanks to our assigned expert. At the same time, we are deepening cooperation with the Cambridge Innovation Center to strengthen ties and create new opportunities for Slovak companies and innovations in this dynamic sector.