--- title: The challenges and opportunities for growth during a global pandemic description: Congenica's Chairman Andy Richards and CEO David Atkins join leaders from biotech / pharma sector to discuss the impact of pandemic in the last 18 months. image: https://blog.congenica.com/hubfs/Canva%20images/Andy%20Richards%2c%20Chairman%20Congenica.png --- - [Our Customers and Partners](http://www.congenica.com/our-customers) - [Our Product Portfolio](http://www.congenica.com/congenica-products) - **Inherited Diseases** - [Rare Disease](http://www.congenica.com/congenica-rare-disease) - [Inherited Cancer](http://www.congenica.com/congenica-inherited-cancer) - [Prenatal Health](http://www.congenica.com/congenica-prenatal) - [Carrier Screening](http://www.congenica.com/congenica-carrier-screening) - [Neurodevelopmental Disorders](http://www.congenica.com/congenica-neuro) - **Somatic Oncology** - [Solid Tumours](http://www.congenica.com/congenica-oncology) - **Pathogen** - [Pathogen Surveillance](http://www.congenica.com/congenica-pathogen-surveillance) - [Our Services](http://www.congenica.com/congenica-services) - [Clinical Interpretation Services](http://www.congenica.com/congenica-clinical-interpretation-services) - [Professional Services](http://www.congenica.com/professional-services) - [Customer Support](http://www.congenica.com/customer-support) - [Pharma Services](http://www.congenica.com/pharma-services) - Resources - [Publications](http://www.congenica.com/publications) - [Supporting materials](http://www.congenica.com/resources) - [News](https://blog.congenica.com/) - [Events and webinars](http://www.congenica.com/events-webinars) - [About us](http://www.congenica.com) - [Leadership Team](http://www.congenica.com/leadership) - [Quality](http://www.congenica.com/quality) - [Investors](http://www.congenica.com/investors) - [People and Vacancies](http://www.congenica.com/people) - [Contact us](http://www.congenica.com/contact) Login ##### Please select your location and reference genome: [America - GRCh37](https://us-37.congenica.com/) [America - GRCh38](https://us-38.congenica.com/) [Europe, Middle East, Africa - GRCh37](https://eu-37.congenica.com/) [Europe, Middle East, Africa - GRCh38](https://eu-38.congenica.com/) [Overview](https://blog.congenica.com) [The challenges and opportunities for growth during a global pandemic](https://blog.congenica.com/the-challenges-and-opportunities-for-growth-during-a-global-pandemic) ![The challenges and opportunities for growth during a global pandemic](https://blog.congenica.com/hubfs/Canva%20images/Andy%20Richards%2c%20Chairman%20Congenica.png) Blog # The challenges and opportunities for growth during a global pandemic 6/17/2021    |    0 min read ## 'The best of times, the worst of times'... Congenica's Chairman Andy Richards and CEO David Atkins join leading speakers from the biotech and pharma sector to discuss the impact of the pandemic and business over the past 18 months.   Bio Integrates Conference is an annual event that looks at the needs of innovative biotech and pharma companies that are developing the therapies of tomorrow.  The 2021 event was the second fully virtual Bio Integrates Conference that attracted more than 450 delegates to the keynote speaker sessions and panel debates, all addressing the conference themes of Connection, Projection and Reflection. ## Andy Richards opens the event Congenica's Chairman Andy Richards provided an opening statement that reflected the past 18 months and the impact of the pandemic on the industry, citing words from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, ‘The best of times, the worst of times’.   See Andy Richard's remarks in the film below.         ## Raising investment in a pandemic    Congenica's CEO David Atkins formed part of a panel comprising leaders who have successfully faced the challenges of raising investment and meeting milestones and build financial opportunities during a pandemic.   The group were asked: ‘What do buyers and investors look for in life science companies?’.   See the responses from David and the rest of the panel in the film below.     To find out more about Congenica's completion of its Series C funding round, raising US$50m/£39m during the pandemic, read the [full press release](https://blog.congenica.com/congenica-completes-50m-series-c-funding-round-to-advance-clinical-genomic-analysis-software-and-data-platform).    Congenica’s CEO, David Atkins PhD, and Chairman, Andy Richards OBE, tell you more about Congenica and plans for the future in this [video](https://blog.congenica.com/our-plans-for-the-future-a-video-message-from-our-ceo-and-chairman).   [![Watch the video ](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/6863388/fd76ddc8-ed7f-428a-b91c-4cc41a89cb61.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/6863388/fd76ddc8-ed7f-428a-b91c-4cc41a89cb61)         --- ### Related articles ![The Road to Diagnosis: How Genetics Transforms the Lives of Rare Disease Patients](https://blog.congenica.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(8).png?width=320&height=192&name=Untitled%20design%20(8).png) 2/24/2023 #### [The Road to Diagnosis: How Genetics Transforms the Lives of Rare Disease Patients](https://blog.congenica.com/the-road-to-diagnosis-how-genetics-transforms-the-lives-of-rare-disease-patients) In recognition of Rare Disease Day, Congenica looks at the importance of a genetic diagnosis for patients and asks, what's next for rare disease? ![What’s it like to be a woman working in science?](https://blog.congenica.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Since%202016%2c%20the%20number%20of%20women%20working%20in%20STEM%20fields%20in%20the%20UK%20has%20increased%20by%20216%2c552%2c%20taking%20the%20total%20number%20over%20the%201%20million%20mark%20for%20the%20first%20time.%20Women%20now%20make%20up%2024%25%20of%20the%20STEM%20workforce%20i%20(2).png?width=320&height=192&name=Since%202016%2c%20the%20number%20of%20women%20working%20in%20STEM%20fields%20in%20the%20UK%20has%20increased%20by%20216%2c552%2c%20taking%20the%20total%20number%20over%20the%201%20million%20mark%20for%20the%20first%20time.%20Women%20now%20make%20up%2024%25%20of%20the%20STEM%20workforce%20i%20(2).png) 2/10/2023 #### [What’s it like to be a woman working in science?](https://blog.congenica.com/whats-it-like-to-be-a-woman-working-in-science) For International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we talk to three women at Congenica about their experiences of working in STEM. ![Professor Matthew Hurles discusses the Deciphering Developmental Disorders study](https://blog.congenica.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Deciphering%20Developmental%20Disorders%20(1)-1.png?width=320&height=192&name=Deciphering%20Developmental%20Disorders%20(1)-1.png) 2/8/2023 #### [Professor Matthew Hurles discusses the Deciphering Developmental Disorders study](https://blog.congenica.com/professor-matthew-hurles-discusses-the-deciphering-developmental-disorders-study) Professor Matthew Hurles, project lead for DDD study and Congenica founder, discsuses his projects, advancements in data analysis and interpretation ##### Congenica is available as a CE Marked IVD clinical decision support platform for clinical diagnostic use for inherited genetic disorders in the UK and EU, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey. In all other countries, ensuring compliance with relevant local, national and international clinical laboratory regulations is the responsibility of the laboratory. - [Privacy Policy](http://www.congenica.com/privacy-policy) - [Cookie Policy](http://www.congenica.com/cookie-policy) Log in to Congenica ##### Please select your location and reference genome: [America - GRCh37](https://us-37.congenica.com/) [America - GRCh38](https://us-38.congenica.com/) [Europe, Middle East, Africa - GRCh37](https://eu-37.congenica.com/) [Europe, Middle East, Africa - GRCh38](https://eu-38.congenica.com/) ![CE](https://blog.congenica.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CE.png?width=80&height=80&name=CE.png) ![ISO-27001](https://blog.congenica.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ISO-27001.jpg?width=80&height=80&name=ISO-27001.jpg) ![TR-Testmark_9000030872_EN_2024_CMYK](https://blog.congenica.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2023%20website%20images/TR-Testmark_9000030872_EN_2024_CMYK.png?width=80&height=80&name=TR-Testmark_9000030872_EN_2024_CMYK.png) ![HIPAA Compliant](https://blog.congenica.com/hs-fs/hubfs/HIPAA%20Compliant.png?width=80&height=80&name=HIPAA%20Compliant.png) Copyright © 2026 Congenica Ltd. 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