ELRIG Drug Discovery Survey Identifies Three High-Impact Areas for Life Science Exhibitor Success

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

London, UK — December 3rd, 2025 — 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 buddy", 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. "Acting on these insights now will have measurable advantages by Q2 2026."

Download the Full Report

Access the complete findings including segment analysis, competitive intelligence frameworks, and AI adoption roadmaps: https://strivenn.com/hubfs/ELRIG-DD-2025-Exhibitor-Survey-Results.pdf