Over 120 delegates gathered in Ireland’s National Institute for BioProcessing (NIBRT) for this inaugural event. This was an energetic initiative that provided an excellent opportunity for industry and academia to align and strengthen knowledge and links in the biopharma research space in Ireland. Through networking, presentations, poster sessions and a panel discussion, this meeting provided delegates with the most up to date information on topics such as research funding opportunities, industry insight, and presentations from a number of the country’s leading biopharma research teams. An address from Minister Damien English, Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation highlighted the importance of the research community within the biopharma landscape.