May 21, 2026
Builds Bio+ & Venture Café London Networking Event

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in partnership withBuilds Bio+ London Logo
In Partnership with the UK governmentUK Government Logo
One Triton Square Location
Located in the heart of Regent’s Place, 1 Triton Square brings together move-in ready labs, scalable workspaces, and on-site operational support within a vibrant campus.

Metascience: Salvation or False Hope?

Renaissance Philanthropy has created a partnership with Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), the UK government agency tasked with funding high-risk, high-reward research to unlock scientific and technological breakthroughs. Together, ARIA and Renaissance Philanthropy are working to identify frontier experts, nurture scientific entrepreneurship, and create ambitious, multi-sector collaborations that will help to shape the future of UK innovation.
Similarly, UCL Grand Challenges current themes – Climate Crisis, Mental Health & Wellbeing, Data Empowered Societies, Inequalities, and Intercultural Communication – span a range of global problems and disciplinary interests. The programme aims to maximise the positive impact of UCL’s research, education, and innovation on some of the biggest problems facing society.
So what’s new? And what works? BuildsBio, Renphil, UCL & Science Works joined together to explore some of the foundational challenges with metascience & the opportunities ahead as we optimise research productivity.

Event Details

Date:Thursday, May 21st, 2026
Time:6:00pm to 9:00pm
Location:One Triton Square,
The Knowledge Quarter,
London
VENUE SPONSOR:
British Land Logo

Event Pricing

FREE REGISTRATION

Registration Closed

Speakers

Sam Balch
Sam Balch
Director – UCL Grand Challenges
Director
Ronit Kanwar
Ronit Kanwar
Renaissance Philanthropy
Managing Director, Head of Strategy and Partnerships
Laura Ryan
Laura Ryan
Science Works
Co-Founder & Previous Analyst for the Tony Blair Institute
Dr. Victoria Austin
Dr. Victoria Austin
UCL Grand Challenges, Global Disability Hub CIC
UCL Pro Vice Provost
Peter Kolarz
Peter Kolarz
Research on Research Institute (RoRI)
Head of Programmes
Bennett John
Bennett John
British Consulate General New York
Sector Director, Capital Investment

Event Sessions

Connect: Pizza & Networking
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM BST
Connect: Pizza & Networking
Our Thursday Gathering was a space for attendees to make serendipitous connections and make things happen, featuring meaningful networking opportunities
Welcome remarks
7:00 PM – 7:10 PM BST
Welcome remarks
Introductions from Venture Café and BuildsBio
Panel: The Future of Science
7:10 PM – 7:40 PM BST
Panel: The Future of Science
Our panel discussed the future of metascience, what can be learned on both sides of the Atlantic, and what new funding models can do for UK science

Metascience London Event

This event has concluded. Thank you to everyone who joined us!
FREE REGISTRATION

Registration Closed