BIO San Diego
In June 2026, San Diego will host the BIO International Convention, attracting more than 20,000 attendees, including more than 500 delegates from Australia. The American Australian Association and MTPConnect will present a celebratory welcome reception and dinner on Sunday, June 21.
BIO International Convention, the world’s largest biotech partnering event, is being held this year in San Diego.
With medical science a priority sector for Australia, BIO presents a unique opportunity to showcase Australia’s research and industry capabilities to international prospects and foster strategic relationships with the aim of securing partnerships, investment and revenues across the healthcare sector.
With a 500-strong delegation from Australia and a Team Australia focus, Australia’s innovative life sciences sector will be there to connect and do business with the international biotech industry, showcasing health and medical breakthroughs.
Featured Speakers
The Hon. Steven Marshall AO
President, American Australian Association
Mr. Marshall comes to the Association with experience as a prominent Australian political figure who served as the 46th Premier of South Australia from 2018 to 2022. During his tenure, he concurrently held the positions of Minister for Defense, Space, and Cyber, as well as Minister for the Arts, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs. Marshall led a strategic transformation of the state’s economy, focusing on future industries such as advanced manufacturing, space, and defense. His leadership was instrumental in positioning South Australia as a global hub for innovation, attracting significant investments in the tech, defense, energy, and film sectors.
Delian Asparouhov
Partner at Founders Fund and President and Co-Founder of Varda Space Industries
Delian is a Partner at Founders Fund and President and Co-Founder of Varda Space Industries. Varda is pushing the bounds of innovation in the orbital economy by manufacturing pharmaceuticals and advanced materials that can’t be made as effectively on Earth, revolutionizing biopharma production and enabling cutting-edge microgravity research. He also co-created the Hill & Valley Forum, which brings together leaders from Washington and Silicon Valley to strengthen collaboration on technology and national security.
The Hon Jaala Pulford GAICD
MTPConnect Chair, Former Victorian Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy
Jaala champions technology and innovation. As a former Member of Parliament and senior minister in the Victorian State Government, Jaala supported small businesses to modernise, partnered with global biotechs advancing rare disease treatments, and oversaw establishment of the medical cannabis industry. Since leaving politics, Jaala has continued this work in the life sciences sector, joining MTPConnect’s Board in 2023 as Chair, and holding positions as non-executive director and advisor with appointments in the higher education and health and medical sector. Jaala is Chair of the Children’s Cancer Foundation, and a non-executive director at the Tech Council of Australia, and WaveWise Analytics. She is a past Vice Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Melbourne and member of Monash University’s Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health Advisory Council.