The Oregon Bio 2025 Conference and Innovation Showcase, held on September 29–30, brought together more than 200 leaders from industry, academia, government, and nonprofits to explore the latest in bioscience innovation, policy, and workforce development.

Part of the conference, the Innovation Showcase Pitch Challenge connects researchers and entrepreneurs with industry leaders in the bioscience trade through fast-moving pitch competitions that demonstrate how basic and translational research create the knowledge base that enables commercial innovation in health care. Judges evaluated pitches on criteria including problem statement, solution/value proposition, business model, business team, and milestones, with additional People’s Choice honors recognizing audience favorites.

Three Knight Campus–affiliated startups earned top recognition: Nataliia Shchotkina, research assistant and Rosaria Haugland Postdoctoral Fellow, received the Early-Stage People’s Choice Award for SokoLife; Danielle S.W. Benoit, chair of the Department of Bioengineering and Lorry Lokey Chair and Professor, won the Early-Stage Judges Award for AsteriaRx; and Craig Stolarczyk, senior staff scientist, received both the Later-Stage Judges and People’s Choice Awards for SynPlexity.