THELANTERNSUMMIT2026

A US-China techbio summit for early and growth-stage companies, held in Shanghai on October 26-27, 2026. Founders, investors, pharma leaders, CROs and clinical partners in one room to accelerate medicine across borders. Biotech now has two accelerators: AI compresses the discovery loop, and China compresses the research, trial and execution loop at extraordinary speed and lower cost. The bridge between big pharma and China already exists. The Summit builds it for early and growth-stage founders.

From the Western side, early and growth-stage biotech and techbio founders and the investors backing them. From the Chinese side, the partners who can help them accelerate: world-class CROs, IIT hospital networks, principal investigators, industrial parks, NewCo dealmakers, large pharma, start-ups and venture capitalists.

46% of all new drug molecules that began human trials in the first half of 2025 originated in Chinese biopharma companies, according to Goldman Sachs. Big pharma has already built its bridge to China. Early-stage founders have not. The infrastructure that makes China the fastest place in the world to run experiments, preclinical work, CMC and trials is open for business, but it cannot be navigated from a distance. The Summit exists to close that gap in person, in Shanghai, at the center of the ecosystem.

A curated, balanced room means every conversation is with someone who belongs in it: founders who are serious about China, and Chinese partners who are serious about working with Western companies. A conference can maximize how many people attend, or the odds that any two of them are worth the other's afternoon. We have chosen the second.

Two tiers, priced by role. Founders: $1,500 Early Bird, $2,200 from September 28. VCs, pharma and service providers: $3,500 Early Bird, $4,500 from September 28. A ticket includes both summit days: all panels, the Deal Room and curated 1:1s, lunches, evening receptions and the cultural experiences. The optional Day 3 Suzhou BioBAY field trip is a $300 add-on, 150 places, first come first served.

Request an invitation on this page. We review requests on a rolling basis; if accepted, you receive a registration link, and we may ask for a short call. Early Bird pricing ends September 27, 2026, so request early.

Each invitation is individual. Note your colleagues in your request and we review them together. Sponsor packages include multiple passes; ask us for the sponsorship deck.

Tickets are non-refundable but transferable to a colleague at the same organization with advance notice. Email contact@thelanternsummit.com with the new attendee's name and email.