Welcome to 2026 with One Nucleus
By Tony Jones, CEO, One Nucleus
It feels great returning to work when it is striking that many people are feeling more optimistic about the Life Science sector investment outlook at present than at this time last year, or indeed for most of 2025. Deal flow in terms of private investment, M&A and follow-on financings appeared to be on the rise through late 2025.
It may be too early to feel confident the bear market is over, investment will flow and growth will return consistently, but the signs look very encouraging. Heading off to San Francisco at the weekend, I would expect the mood music at JPM Week to be fairly upbeat.
It is certainly not all sunshine and flowers, however. The level of downsizing in research labs where available budgets have taken to targeting clinical-stage programmes, uncertainty remaining at key regulators and the geopolitical landscape still being somewhat unstable are still leading to a current oversupply of lab space, talent and pessimism in some quarters.
2026 is likely to be quite a discerning year, it feels. Investors and corporate acquirers may feel it is their market with ample early-stage companies and programmes to choose from, so the perceived quality threshold could be high, meaning some deal seekers will remain out of luck when it comes to getting deals over the line at valuations they aspire to achieve. With the bulk of investment likely to remain focussed on later-stage opportunities, the key word in 2026 may be EXECUTION rather than INNOVATION. Those highly innovative companies with the teams and plans to execute and scale therefore may well be the winners in this year of discerning investment.
We wish to see One Nucleus members ending up on the right side of the haves and have nots wherever possible by remaining focussed in the support we can bring to the table. Each activity is aimed at enabling our members to be the best version of themselves, contributing to the excellence of our members being noticed and/or placing our members in the right dealmaking environments.
One Nucleus 2025 Investments: With the support of the One Nucleus Board 2025 saw marked investment in the support we could provide to members, including:
- Subscription to both PitchBook and Biotechgate to enable our members to access leading commercial intelligence datasets to target their investment and business development outreach.
- Subsidising emerging company pitching and participation at Genesis 2025
- Continuing our partnerships with EBD Group and Life Science Nation to gain access and profile for our members at BioEurope and RESI conferences, respectively.
- Launching the Going for Gold initiative
- Increasing our business development team to offer greater support to members, particularly in London.
- Co-sponsored the BioCentury Grand Rounds Europe as part of the Regional Host Committee of stakeholders
Your Opportunity For Recognition: One Nucleus Annual Awards Deadline Approaching - Nominations for this year’s awards close on 22 January 2026. Purposefully selected categories to recognise excellence in every aspect of our One Nucleus ecosystem. There is no cost to enter, brief entry forms and a diverse judging panel that culminates in the select black-tie celebratory Awards Dinner held at the prestigious No 11 Cavendish Square, London.
Mark Your 2026 Diary: The next year is shaping up to be an exciting ride. The One Nucleus Events Calendar with international conference participation, BioBeat, ON Helix, Genesis and regular roundtables, dinners and special interest groups will provide first-class opportunities to connect with peers, share insights, pitch and raise your profile as your needs require. Check out the Dates for Your Diary and ensure to secure the page in your 2026 diary.
The Shifts That Will Shape Life Sciences in 2026 and Beyond: Check out Philippa Clarke’s new year blog where they share thoughts on why we need to align ecosystems for success in translating innovative new medicines and technologies into true patient benefit.
Stay Up To Date Remain informed of all One Nucleus updates, disseminate your company’s news, or track the announcements from other members, and make full use of our website, LinkedIn, or X pages. The news stream contains numerous updates from our community. Enjoy the read!
