In the high-stakes world of biotechnology, where billions are invested in research, talent is fiercely contested, and innovation is the currency of survival, a quiet revolution is underway—one not driven by science alone, but by strategy, storytelling, and a sharp sense of identity. Leading marketers in life sciences are discovering that brand—long dismissed as a cosmetic afterthought—is, in fact, a core driver of business value.
As the biotech sector navigates a wave of strategic pivots, acquisitions, and AI-fuelled transformation, brand has emerged not just as a veneer but as a vital lever for sustainable growth.
In a recent conversation with brand and marketing leaders from Eppendorf, Cytiva, and Owkin, we discussed how brand plays a transformative role during the industry’s most pivotal business moments. Here are the key takeaways:
Brand is emotional currency
“Brands are things that people are very, very emotional about,” said Conor McKechnie, Vice President of Marketing and Strategy at Cytiva. “That’s the whole point of the brand—to build an emotional connection.”
Cytiva, carved out of part of GE Healthcare Life Sciences in 2020, is perhaps the most vivid case study in how brand can catalyse a corporate rebirth. With six and a half thousand employees needing direction and unity post-separation, the company turned inward first, asking its people, “What do you want us to be?”
The result? A crafted identity rooted in stakeholder values, with a revived legacy.
“It was a once-in-a-career opportunity,” McKechnie recalled. “We knew we had to be intentional about the culture and the brand we wanted to become.”
“We communicated a mixed branding for at least six months on purpose to bring that GE Healthcare Life Sciences brand values and equity into the Cytiva brand. And we very, very quickly saw Cytiva go from zero in terms of brand power and brand premium up to maybe 5% - 10% shy of where GE Healthcare Life Sciences was before we announced the merger”.
Brand as a growth asset, not a cost centre
While CFOs often view brand as a nebulous expense, leading biotech marketers are flipping that narrative. McKechnie's approach was to talk about brand using the CFO’s own lexicon: capital allocation, pricing power, and operating margin expansion.
Brands are things that people are very, very emotional about. That’s the whole point of the brand—to build an emotional connection.Conor McKechnie
Vice President of Marketing and Strategy, Cytiva
“Brand premium is a tangible thing,” he said. “It allows you to ask for more price...but premium is not enough if nobody knows who you are. So you need brand power as well.”
Darius Meadon, CMO of AI biotech innovator Owkin, agrees. With $400 million in funding raised, he attributes much of the firm’s success to a carefully managed brand that balances humility with ambition.
“When investors look at AI in life sciences, firstly they want a brand that is humble but also ambitious enough to change the world,” he said. “We’re not just fixing tomorrow; we’re revolutionising how drugs are discovered. Secondly, was simplifying the science, not just the drug discovery and biology, but also the AI.”
Meadon faced a rare challenge: building credibility with both scientists and investors and engineers away from tech giants like Google. The key? Coherency and clarity across every touchpoint—from pitch decks to website design.
“Every document in the data room had to look the same. That builds trust,” he said.
Culture: brand’s internal mirror
One of the most powerful, and often overlooked, functions of brand in biotech is its influence on internal culture.
At Eppendorf, a life sciences firm with 80 years of heritage, Senior Vice President Corporate Marketing Andreas Hochberger stressed that change must begin from within.
“If you don’t do the cultural change management, you’re lost,” Hochberger said. “The internal effect should not be underestimated.”
After acquiring the Himac brand and assets from Koki Holdings Co, Eppendorf carefully maintained the original brand for years—not out of sentimentality, but out of respect for the pride and emotional connection held by employees. Hochberger’s team applied similar caution with the firm’s own startup-style innovation division: it kept the Eppendorf name but adopted a modern identity to attract digital-native talent.
“The future belongs to the brave,” he said, “but you need to bring the whole organization with you.”
Why investors are taking brand seriously
As venture capitalists and strategic backers grow more brand-savvy, biotech firms are discovering that distinctiveness, not just differentiation, is critical.
The future belongs to the brave, but you need to bring the whole organization with you.Andreas Hochberger
Senior Vice President Corporate Marketing, Eppendorf
“Investors pay attention to novelty, ecosystem strength, and the people,” said Meadon. “They know that brands attract other brands. They want to invest in companies building trusted, cutting-edge ecosystems.”
Even privately held companies like Eppendorf are beginning to quantify the contribution of brand. “I came up with a model where about a quarter of our top line is directly related to branding,” Hochberger explained. “That’s salience, trust, and pricing power.”
Advice for a sector on the brink of transformation
So what is the one piece of advice these brand leaders offer to peers facing strategic inflection points?
“Find champions within your organisation,” Meadon said. “You can’t do it alone.”
McKechnie added: “It’s not rocket science. But you must constantly measure, learn, and improve.”
Hochberger, urged boldness: “Create new types of excitement. Make it fun for you and everyone around you.”
In an industry driven by data, patents, and precision, the most human elements, emotion, storytelling, identity, may yet be the most powerful. For biotech firms eyeing the future, brand isn't just a logo. It’s a lever.
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