
Golden Ticket Benefits
Eligibility Snapshot
Companies working on research and development in the fields of:
Oncology
Therapeutic approaches for breast, genitourinary, gastrointestinal and thoracic cancers and hematological malignancies (multiple myeloma and lymphoma) using small molecules, ADC with improved/differentiated payloads, and bispecific antibodies, including immune cell engagers.
Out of scope: Cancer vaccines, Oncolytic viruses, Cell therapies, Radiotherapy
Anti-infectives
Antivirals for the treatment or prevention of respiratory viruses, and treatments for hepatitis B and herpes viruses.
Internal Medecine
Therapeutic approaches for obesity, renal and cardiovascular indications, sickle cell disease, anemia - with a focus on strategies improving red blood cell health – and clonal hematopoiesis.
Out of scope: Increase of brown fat thermogenesis, Alteration of gut microbiota, Nutraceutical approaches, Rare renal diseases and genetic cardiomyopathies, Cell therapies.
Vaccines
Viral and bacterial pathogens with high unmet medical need, with a focus on prevention across life stages.
Immunology and inflammation
Therapeutic approaches for auto-immune, inflammatory, and fibrotic diseases with a focus on approaches targeting tolerizing mechanisms and immune cell depletion strategies that restore immune homeostasis.
Transformative oral small molecule or brain-penetrant large molecule therapeutics for Alzheimer’s disease.
Out of scope: Inhaled therapies for respiratory diseases, Topical therapies for dermatological conditions, Ex vivo cell-based therapies.
Innovative technology platforms
RNA-based platforms; Vaccine platforms (mRNA, polysaccharide conjugation, recombinant protein); In situ tissue/cell-targeted delivery systems; Protein homeostasis; Multi-specific antibodies; Innovative screening technologies for drug discovery; Enabling platforms for improved biologic CNS penetration; Biological hypothesis generation via LLMs or KGs; AI + Omics + MPS to predict clinical safety.

The Application Process
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Submit the online application by November 12, 2024
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A subset of applications will be identified as finalist by the contest judges by
December 31, 2024
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Finalists will present their company & scientific concept at a live event that will be scheduled at the end of January or the beginning of February 2025. The exact date will be communicated before the end of 2024.
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Up to 3 awards will be granted
Good luck!
Judging Criteria and Judges
The Committees will judge all Applications based on the following criteria:
Quality of the science and scientific rationale: description of the scientific rationale and of the unique technical features of the proposed solution, summary of proof-of-concept data
Unmet need and differentiation of the proposed approach: (i) description of the problem/unmet need that the technology addresses and of the adequation of the proposed solution to the unmet need and (ii) description of the differentiation of the proposed solution within the international competitive landscape
Execution capabilities of the Participant’s team: biographies of the founders, description of the composition of the Participant’s team, description of a road map for the project
Sustainability and impact of the Participant’s activities on the environment and society
Motivation for coming to BioLabs Hôtel Dieu
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What is the Novo Nordisk Golden Ticket – Biolabs European Award?Golden Tickets are vouchers that Novo Nordisk can award to a startup company of their choice and provide that company with one lab bench for one year at two of BioLabs European hubs, either in Heidelberg, located in Germany or Paris in the hospital setting of Hôtel-Dieu, located in France. The value of a Golden Ticket prepays the cost of one (1) single bench, one (1) single desk and Biolabs membership for one person for one (1) year. The value of a single bench may be applied towards fees for a private lab in either Biolabs Heidelberg or Paris, pending availability at the time of their desired start. The Golden Ticket winner must pay the difference between the larger space and the value of the single bench covered by their Golden Ticket. If there are no benches available, the value of the golden ticket will be extended while the company remains on the waitlist for a bench. The winner will receive priority admission or renewal for one year’s use of a lab bench and access to all shared facilities at Biolabs Heidelberg or Paris, and opportunities to engage with Novo Nordisk scientific and business executives.
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What is Novo Nordisk searching for?Please refer to section above: What is Novo Nordisk searching for?
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How do I know if I am eligible for a Golden Ticket?Golden Tickets may be awarded to either startup companies that are interested in joining the Biolabs European community (either in Heidelberg or Paris) or current Resident Companies. To be eligible to participate to have the opportunity to receive the Award, the Applicant must: 1. Be an independent entity (SME); 2. Submit a complete Application; 3. Represent and warrant that the Applicant has read and agrees to abide by all requirements of terms and conditions ; 4. Not be affiliated with or employed by Novo Nordisk or Biolabs including as an employee, contractor, officer or director of Novo Nordisk or Biolabs and including as an immediate family member of Novo Nordisk or Biolabs (including parents, spouses, children, siblings or any individual residing in the household of a Novo Nordisk, officer or director (whether or not related)); 5. Not be an academic institution such as a college, university or school.
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When will I be able to use my Golden Ticket?Winning teams will be invited to present their company & scientific concept at a live event in Paris on March 11, 2025 Companies must be financially and scientifically ready to start the program within three months of receiving the ticket and to execute the submitted research plan.
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Where can I find more details on Novo Nordisk’s areas of focus for external innovation?Please refer to our Novo Nordisk creatioNN website page
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How to apply and what should the application contain?Fill in our application form and submit it latest until January 20, 2025. The application should give an overview on your project, describe unmet medical need, solution, scientific principal, key data supporting the scientific principal and mechanism of action, the research plan and what is the key milestone to reach within one year, team competency, initial business and funding strategy, and IP status. You are also required to provide a non-confidential deck (max. 10 slides).
Contact Us
If you have any questions about, BioLabs Hôtel-Dieu or this Golden Ticket, contact
If you have any questions about BioLabs, contact
