Strivenn - Life Science Strategic Marketing For The AI-Era

Competitive positioning, AI-enabled preparation, and Expert-led engagement separate Winners from the Pack

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, December 3, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Research from 100 exhibitors at ELRIG Drug Discovery 2025: A Festival of Science identified how life science vendors can outperform competitors in 2026. The study, conducted by Strivenn, in partnership with ELRIG, found strategic preparation delivers measurable advantage, and most vendors are leaving opportunity on the table.

Partnership in Action
Sanj Kumar, CEO of ELRIG, described why the partnership matters: "ELRIG is far more than a scientific learned society - it's a vibrant community of researchers and companies that empower them. Understanding what exhibitors really need allows us to deliver value far beyond booth space. That's why we partnered with Strivenn. These findings will directly shape how we support our vendor community in 2026 and beyond."

Opportunity #1: Competitive Differentiation
Whilst more than 60% of exhibitors cite lead quality as a top challenge, only 14% bring competitive battle cards to events. This gap creates a clear first-mover advantage for vendors who arrive prepared with evidence-based positioning tools.

"Those who invest in building robust competitive intelligence assets will have higher-quality conversations and stronger conversion rates," notes Dr Matt Wilkinson, Founder of Strivenn, and lead author of the report. "When a prospect asks, 'How do you compare to your competitor?’ having a structured, evidence-based answer separates leaders from followers."

The opportunity: Vendors who develop competitive battle cards and train booth teams to use them effectively will stand out immediately in a sea of generic pitches.

Opportunity #2: AI as Your Marketing Buddy
Despite nearly 70% expressing optimism about AI, only 7% currently identify as power users. This creates a significant opportunity for early adopters to use AI as a "marketing assistant", sharpening competitive messaging, developing battle cards, and personalizing follow-up at scale.

Current AI adoption blockers are operational rather than strategic:
• 44% cite data-quality issues
• 36% cite governance concerns

Yet, 38% of individuals are already experimenting with AI even when no official programme exists, demonstrating strong appetite for adoption. Forward-thinking organisations can channel this enthusiasm into structured programmes that deliver competitive advantage whilst managing compliance.

AI can help vendors prepare smarter, from drafting competitive positioning to personalizing post-event outreach: "The vendors who move from ad hoc AI experimentation to governed, strategic implementation will unlock measurable advantages in personalisation, efficiency, and customer insight," Dr Wilkinson concludes.

The opportunity: Establish formal AI governance and pilot programmes now to turn latent enthusiasm into operational advantage.

Opportunity #3: Expertise-Driven Personalisation
The research reveals exactly what drives post-event action, and it's not generic follow-up emails. Two variables consistently move prospects forward:
• Access to technical experts who understand the researcher’s specific problem
• Bespoke follow-ups that demonstrate contextual proof of value

Generic "thank you for visiting our booth" emails fail to convert. Personalised, expert-led engagement wins consistently.

The opportunity: Those who invest in booth-to-follow-up workflows that capture conversation context and route potential users to technical experts will see measurably higher conversion rates.

Room to Differentiate
Exhibitors rate the current commercial climate at 3.08/5, with expectations rising only modestly to 3.32 for the 12-month outlook. In neutral market conditions, differentiation matters more than ever.

"The winners in 2026 won't be those with the biggest booths - they'll be those with the sharpest execution," notes Dr Wilkinson.

Download the Full Report

About the Research Team
The survey was conducted by Dr Matt Wilkinson, Dr Jasmine Gruia-Gray, Dr Lynne Trowbridge and Charlotte Wilkinson via at-booth interviews at ELRIG Drug Discovery 2025 in Liverpool.

About ELRIG
ELRIG is a not-for-profit learned association serving the drug discovery community by bringing them together to learn, share, connect, innovate, and collaborate on an open-access basis. The community encompasses over 22,000 early drug discovery researchers from industry (pharma, biotech, CRO), academia, and life science suppliers. All events are free-to-attend, supported by life science suppliers taking sponsorship opportunities.

About Strivenn
Strivenn is an intellectually creative marketing consultancy that helps life science companies translate technical brilliance into emotional, market-winning narratives - powered by AI but rooted in human insight. With a BSI-certified AI Management Systems Practitioner at the helm, Strivenn brings product and commercial strategy, storytelling, and governance to life science companies ready to scale smartly.

Matt Wilkinson
Strivenn
+44 7861 714033
matt@strivenn.com
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