This roundtable discussion was organised as part of discussion series ‘Transformations - How pharmaceutical innovation is changing healthcare’. The discussion focused on how to improve the ecosystem for pharmaceutical innovation in Europe and touched on several aspects, including EU's support for health innovation, the importance of research networks and collaboration as drivers for innovation and finally, SMEs contribution to biopharma innovation. The discussion highlighted the need to create bridges between researchers and companies, as well as the positive role the EU can have in supporting pharmaceutical innovation. Fabian Zuleeg, Chief Executive at the European Policy Centre (EPC), Emmanuel Chantelot, Head of International Government Relations at Shire Pharmaceuticals, Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, Director for Health at the DG Research in the European Commission, Phil Vickers, Global health of R&D at Shire Pharmaceuticals, Dominique Farge-Bancel, Head of the Internal Medicine and Vascular Pathology Unit at the Saint Louis Hospital, Paris and Thomas Saylor, President and CEO at Arecor Limited took part in the roundtable.