DCAT Week 2020

Update: Unfortunately, due to the current COVID-19 situation, DCAT Week 2020 has officially been cancelled. At the time of publish, there are no plans for rescheduling, and the next event will be DCAT Week 2021.

America’s largest metropolis, New York City, comprises 5 boroughs sitting where the Hudson River meets the Atlantic Ocean. At the center of it all is Manhattan, a densely populated borough that’s known to be one of the world’s major commercial, financial and cultural centers. As many already know, there are endless places to discover in the Big Apple. Some of its iconic sites include famous skyscrapers such as the Empire State Building and sprawling Central Park. You can also find Broadway Theater staged among the neon-lit Times Square. If you’re an art lover, be sure to visit the significant works on display at the Met and the Guggenheim before feasting on special ethnic fare in districts like Chinatown or Little Italy. If you’ve already visited these places a time or two, then plan your next trip around one of this year’s best events in the pharma and biotech industries, DCAT Week 2020.    

The famous DCAT Week 2020 will be held from March 22nd - 26th at the Omni Berkshire Place in New York City, New York. DCAT Week is the premiere business development event for companies engaged in pharmaceutical development, biotech manufacturing and related industries. This annual event is organized and hosted by the Drug, Chemical & Associated Technologies Association (DCAT), a not-for-profit, member-supported, global business development association whose unique membership model integrates both innovator and generic drug manufacturers, suppliers of ingredients, development and manufacturing services, and related technologies. Held annually every March, DCAT Week ensures that members have a unique platform for high-level strategic meetings with key decision makers, timely educational programs, and most importantly, the best networking opportunities.

For such large scale events as DCAT Week 2020, it can quickly become overwhelming for a team of company attendees, particularly if limited in size. With so much potential ground to cover, making the most of your time and investment is key, so we’ve put a few tips together for planning out your time in New York City:   

Know the area and activities

DCAT serves as a global business development association whose unique membership model integrates well with multiple disciplines within the pharma and biotech industries, creating a great platform for all attendees to discover and explore new ideas, create unique business partnerships and learn about innovative technologies. The organizers at DCAT are committed to provide programs, events and services that help their members meet business objectives, expand their network of customers and suppliers, and gain insight into industry trends, markets, and other important issues impacting pharmaceutical and biotech development and manufacturing.   

Some of the highlights from DCAT Week 2020 will include:

• 10,000+ high-level industry professionals

• 700+ companies represented

• 50+ countries represented

• 1 in 4 attendees are C-suite executives

• 92% of attendees are high-level decision makers 

On Monday, March 23rd, DCAT Week’s Pharma Industry Outlook Program and Networking Reception is an invaluable resource for its in-depth market overview, sponsored by AMRI, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and West Pharmaceutical Services. You and your team will be able to get a comprehensive market assessment with the information you need to know to help guide your decision-making in the biopharmaceutical/pharmaceutical manufacturing value chain. Highlights of this program will be the current and projected performance of the global pharmaceutical industry for both innovator and generic drugs with key data on the leading therapeutic areas and growth prospects in developed and emerging markets. The market overview will be followed by a panel discussion on the growing number of drug candidates receiving Breakthrough Therapy and Fast-Track designations from the FDA and how these accelerated approval mechanisms impact development and commercialization timelines, including manufacturing.  

After a busy day of meetings, the Monday Night Meet-Up Networking Event, exclusively for DCAT member companies, is a fun, casual opportunity to catch up with colleagues, old and new. It’s the perfect time to mingle with other members before heading out for the rest of the week. With hundreds of members expected to be in attendance, it will be one of the largest networking events of the week. The rest of the week will be packed with speaker sessions, panel discussions, important networking functions, and the always popular DCAT annual dinner on Thursday, with more on that below.

For more details visit the DCAT Week 2020 agenda webpage for a complete list of all the activities taking place during the event. 

Identify the right companies to meet

DCAT Week is truly a unique platform. Unlike many trade shows or conferences, DCAT Week offers companies the opportunity to host private meetings with customers, suppliers and potential business partners in their reserved Business Meeting Space across nine sponsored hotels. Although those meetings are mostly pre-scheduled, DCAT Week’s activities and events offer additional opportunities for introductions, impromptu meetings and other business connections. From strategic corporate announcements to insights on the global trade environment to an overview of the pharmaceutical market, DCAT Week is one of the best platforms in the industry to gain insights on business intelligence, data and trends. The annual DCAT event is always a popular one, and tickets are usually limited so be sure to register your team as soon as possible. For more information, check out the registration webpage, and also don’t forget to choose one of the nine sponsored hotels that suits your business needs, with a link listed in the section above. 

In addition to all of the companies attending DCAT this year there will be more sponsors than ever to meet up with and potentially develop business relationships. Be sure to check out DCAT’s website for more information and a complete list of sponsors. 

Find out who’s going

No event can provide a more perfect atmosphere for networking than DCAT Week. From the events beginning Monday morning, through Thursday evening, there are multiple receptions, learning sessions and lounge spaces ideal for you to meet other members of the industry and maybe that business connection you have been trying to find. DCAT member company attendees can request Member Name Badges to make networking even easier. As a registered DCAT member, you will automatically become a part of many of the extra features the event has to offer. If your company plans to attend DCAT Week and you are not a DCAT member, it is strongly encouraged to become one ahead of time to take advantage of the exclusive member benefits offered before and during the event as well as the year-round benefits of membership.  

One of the most valuable features throughout DCAT Week are attending the education programs. DCAT Week 2020 education programs bring together leading industry experts who provide timely market analysis, best practices, and key insights on the issues shaping the pharmaceutical/biopharmaceutical industry, its manufacturing value chain, and related business functions, such as the sourcing, procurement, and supply management functions. The DCAT Education Committee and its task forces are responsible for developing a schedule of objective and topical sessions that are an important information resource for attendees. There will be plenty of speaker sessions to attend with interesting topics ranging from Private Equity's Expanding Role in the BioPharma Industry to Navigating China's Supply Challenges & Digitally Transforming Pharma. Be sure to check out DCAT Week’s official website for a complete list of speakers attending this year. 

On Thursday evening of DCAT Week, the organization will hold its annual black-tie event, the 94th DCAT Annual Dinner. A tradition since 1926, this event is held in the Grand Ballroom of the New York Hilton Hotel and draws over 2,000 dinner guests. The DCAT Annual Dinner has featured some of the most notable and interesting keynote speakers from a variety of backgrounds, including science, politics, entertainment and sports. This dinner event is a  great networking opportunity and not to be missed!

Footwear and attire  

This point is really worth mentioning, and since exploring DCAT Week 2020 can be such a lengthy task, please make sure to wear your most comfortable footwear and attire in order to stay strong and healthy during the activities and programs! You’ll want to be at peak endurance during this 5-day event, so be sure to drink plenty of water, and don’t miss out on any important speaker sessions, networking functions, and most of all, meetings!  

Meet up with Zymewire

Members of the Zymewire team will be attending DCAT Week, so if you would like to learn more about how sales teams from service providers around the world are putting their prospecting on autopilot so they can spend more time selling, let's chat!