by Philippa Clark, Director of Business Development, One Nucleus

I have been thinking a lot about One Nucleus’ recent visit to the Flanders-UK Partnering in Ghent, Belgium, partly because it was such a great couple of days, but mostly because it reminded me how energising it can be to step into another ecosystem and see how people are approaching similar challenges from a different perspective. The trip was organised with VIB and Biovia, and from the moment we arrived, it felt as though we were stepping into a community that genuinely wanted to connect, share and learn alongside us.

What I enjoyed most was the ease of the conversations. People spoke openly about their science, their ambitions and the realities they are navigating. There was no sense of performance or reserve, just a willingness to exchange ideas and compare experiences. It created a feeling of connection that you do not always get when you bring two groups together for the first time, and it made the whole visit feel refreshingly natural.

The feedback afterwards echoed that same sentiment. Delegates told us how valuable it was to meet peers who were working on similar problems but within a different environment. Others said that the visit helped them to see new possibilities for collaboration simply because they were exposed to approaches they would not normally encounter. Several people described the experience as energising, which is always a sign that something meaningful has happened.

As I reflected on the visit, a few themes stayed with me. These were the moments that shaped how I thought about the trip on the journey home:

• The reminder that innovation grows best in environments where people feel able to share honestly rather than present a polished version of their work.
• The value of seeing how another ecosystem supports its companies, which can highlight the strengths and potential gaps in your own approach.
• The sense that both the UK and Belgium are navigating similar pressures, yet each has distinct strengths that could support the other if we continue to build these relationships.
• The feeling that collaboration does not need to be complicated to be effective and that sometimes the simplest exchanges spark the most interesting ideas.

Spending time with VIB and Biovia reinforced how much can be achieved when organisations choose to collaborate with openness and generosity. Their willingness to share insights and create space for genuine exchange made the visit feel purposeful rather than transactional. It was a reminder that ecosystems are at their strongest when they look outward and invite others in.

For us at One Nucleus, the trip also connected closely with the work we do through our Going for Gold programme. Many of the conversations in Belgium reflected the same themes we see in that community, where companies benefit from widening their networks and gaining exposure to different ways of working. A key part of Going for Gold is giving companies access to data-rich platforms that help them identify potential collaborators, investors and partners, not only here in the UK but across global ecosystems. The visit to Belgium felt like a real demonstration of why that matters, because stepping into another environment often reveals opportunities that are simply not visible when you stay within your own. It showed how powerful it can be when organisations have the tools and the confidence to look outward and connect with people who bring fresh perspectives and lived experience.

As we look ahead, I hope we continue to build on the relationships formed during this visit. There is real value in keeping these conversations alive and finding ways to bring our communities together more often. The enthusiasm we saw in Belgium made it clear that there is appetite on both sides to explore what we can achieve when we work more closely together.

The trip was a reminder that borders may define geography, but they do not need to define the limits of our collaboration. When ecosystems choose to connect, share and support one another, the possibilities expand in ways that are difficult to predict but always worth pursuing. If any of these reflections resonate, I would love to continue the conversation, whether through our Going for Gold programme or simply by keeping these cross-border connections alive and growing.

We will be continuing to build these kinds of international connections through initiatives such as the One Nucleus Boston Bootcamp. You can learn more here.