Life Sciences

Supporting life sciences businesses and investors through complexity, growth and value realisation

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Life Sciences

The life sciences sector spans a diverse range of business models - from therapeutics and drug development to medical technology, diagnostics, digital health and specialist services.

Each brings distinct scientific, engineering, regulatory and commercial challenges. Development timelines, capital requirements and routes to market vary significantly, but all require careful alignment of strategy, funding, operations and governance.

The UK remains a global centre for life sciences innovation. However, translating innovation into sustainable commercial success requires more than technical excellence. It requires robust financial foundations, forward planning, and the ability to ensure the business is prepared for each stage of its development.

We support life sciences businesses, their management teams, Boards and investors in navigating this environment. We help them make informed decisions, manage risk and ensure they are ready for what comes next.
 

Our approach to working with life sciences

We build long-term relationships with life sciences businesses and their stakeholders, supporting them as they grow, evolve and take on increasing complexity.

As organisations develop, expectations - whether from investors, regulators or Boards - become more demanding. Our role evolves accordingly, bringing together broader capabilities and deeper technical expertise to help businesses prepare for these expectations - supporting maturing operating models, stronger governance and well-informed decision-making.
 

A sector-led approach across diverse business models

Our life sciences team reflects the diversity of the sector.

We work with:

  • Biotechnology and therapeutics companies
  • Medical technology and device businesses
  • Diagnostics and digital health platforms
  • CROs, CDMOs and specialist service providers
  • Pharmaceutical and large-cap organisations
  • Investors, including venture capital, institutional investors and private equity.
 

Our UK team includes over 100 professionals with experience spanning life science leadership, scientific research, engineering-led businesses and commercial advisory. This enables us to tailor our approach to the specific dynamics of each sub-sector and anticipate the challenges that typically arise as businesses progress.
 

Supporting every stage of your development

While each sub-sector follows a different path, life sciences businesses typically move through a series of increasingly complex stages. Our approach is designed to support these transitions and ensure businesses are prepared for the demands of each phase.

  • Establishing robust financial foundations and governance frameworks
  • Supporting the development of financial plans that support early strategic decisions
  • Ensuring readiness for earlier funding rounds and stakeholder engagement
  • Strengthening financial reporting and internal controls
  • Aligning funding strategy with development timelines
  • Preparing for increased investor scrutiny and more structured decision-making
  • Building operational infrastructure to support international growth
  • Preparing for multi-jurisdictional activity, including clinical trials and product deployment
  • Ensuring organisational structures and processes are fit for increased complexity
  • Supporting sustainable revenue growth and operational performance
  • Preparing for strategic transactions, partnerships and licensing opportunities
  • Ensuring readiness for liquidity events, including IPO or sale

At each stage, the focus is on ensuring that strategic, financial and operational decisions are aligned and that the business is prepared for the next phase of its development.

Strategic, financial and operational insight

Life sciences businesses are required to make critical decisions under uncertainty whether relating to clinical outcomes, regulatory pathways or commercial viability.

We support founders, leadership teams, Boards and investors in:

  • Developing and refining strategy and long-term plans
  • Aligning funding requirements with business objectives and future milestones
  • Anticipating the implications of international growth and market entry
  • Identifying and managing financial, operational and regulatory risk


Our approach combines forward-looking insight with practical implementation helping businesses prepare for key inflection points before they arise.

Integrated capabilities aligned to sector needs

We have a range of specialists aligning their services to life sciences industry needs. These capabilities are delivered in an integrated way, aligned to each client’s stage of development and the requirements of what comes next. We provide coordinated support across the following areas:

  • Outsourced finance functions, including management reporting and payroll
  • Statutory accounts preparation and financial compliance
  • Scalable finance support as businesses grow in complexity
  • R&D tax incentives and innovation-related reliefs
  • Corporate and international tax structuring
  • Employment taxes and share schemes
  • Indirect taxes, including VAT
  • Ongoing compliance and reporting
  • Statutory audit and assurance services
  • Support for investor, Board and regulatory requirements
  • Enhancing financial reporting credibility and governance
  • Preparing businesses for increased scrutiny as they mature
  • M&A advisory, acquisitions and disposals
  • Fundraising and capital structuring support
  • Financial due diligence (FDD) and commercial due diligence (CDD)
  • Valuations and financial modelling
  • Strategy consulting, including target market and competitive analysis, pricing strategy, and prioritisation of growth opportunities (including therapeutic focus areas)
  • Private equity advisory across healthcare and medtech
  • Governance and internal controls
  • Regulatory compliance and reporting
  • Data privacy and cybersecurity
  • Supply chain and operational risk
  • ESG strategy, reporting and implementation
  • People advisory, including organisational design, workforce planning and reward
  • Digital and technology advisory, including scalable systems and data infrastructure
  • Business transformation and performance improvement

Experience with investors and private equity

We have significant experience working with investors across the life sciences sector, particularly venture capital, institutional investors and private equity firms.

We support both investors and portfolio companies through transactions, value creation initiatives and exit processes - helping ensure businesses are well-positioned for investment, growth and realisation.


International growth and inward investment

International activity is central to the life sciences sector—whether through clinical trials, manufacturing, capital raising or commercial expansion.

We support:

  • UK-based businesses expanding internationally
  • Overseas businesses establishing and growing operations in the UK and Europe


Our global network, spanning more than 160 countries, allows us to provide coordinated cross-border support, helping businesses prepare for the operational, regulatory and financial demands of international markets.

Why BDO

Businesses choose BDO as their adviser because we bring deep sector expertise across all life sciences sub sectors, combined with a clear understanding of how challenges evolve as organisations grow.

We take a lifecycle led approach, aligning our support to increasing scale, complexity and ambition—from early development through to expansion and exit. Our clients value our integrated delivery across outsourcing, tax, deals, risk and consulting, ensuring joined up advice rather than siloed solutions. We are known for providing forward looking, commercially grounded insight that supports confident decision making, and for building long term relationships that adapt alongside our clients and their stakeholders, as their businesses evolve.

We work with life sciences businesses and investors at every stage of development. If you would like to discuss your strategy, growth plans or upcoming challenges, please get in touch.


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Ian Oliver

Ian Oliver

Audit Partner - Life Sciences Sector Specialist
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