Frequently Asked Questions

The Pistoia Alliance is a global, not-for-profit alliance of Life Science and Healthcare organizations, including pharmaceutical companies, technology vendors, publishers, and academic groups, working together to lower the barriers to innovation in R&D. We do this through pre-competitive collaboration: bringing together organizations that would normally compete to solve shared, industry-wide problems.

It means working together on challenges that don’t give any single company a competitive edge to solve alone, things like common data standards, shared ontologies, or industry-wide best practices. By tackling these foundational problems collectively, member organizations save time and cost, and the whole industry benefits from faster, more reliable R&D. Competitive work, like drug formulas or proprietary algorithms, stays entirely separate.

The Alliance was conceived in 2007 & incorporated in 2008 by a group of life science organizations seeking to address common R&D informatics challenges and has grown into a global membership organization spanning pharma, biotech, technology providers, publishers, and academia.

Yes. We are 501(c)6 not-for-profit organization funded primarily through member subscriptions, with additional support from project funding.

The Alliance is led by an executive team and guided by a board drawn from member organizations.

About Us

Since its incorporation in 2008, the Alliance has expanded from a small group of life science organizations addressing shared informatics challenges to a global community of member companies. We’ve grown from a handful of foundational projects (like HELM in 2013 and the Unified Data Model in 2018) to a portfolio spanning data standards, AI/ML collaboration, regulatory compliance, sustainability, and patient-centric R&D. Our annual conferences and specialist communities now span Europe, North America, and the Asia-Pacific region.

No. Although the Pistoia Alliance is legally headquartered in Wakefield, Massachusetts and incorporated as a U.S. nonprofit, it is a global organization. Our membership spans Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, and beyond. We were founded in 2007 by international representatives from AstraZeneca, GSK, Novartis, and Pfizer, and today we serve a diverse, multinational community of member organizations. Our events, projects, and communities operate on a global scale.

The Pistoia Alliance was founded in 2007 and formally incorporated in 2008 by representatives from four major pharmaceutical companies: AstraZeneca, GSK, Novartis, and Pfizer. These organizations shared a vision that the life sciences industry could achieve more together by collaborating on pre-competitive challenges. Since then, the Alliance has grown to include member organizations across pharma, biotech, technology, publishing, and academia.

The Pistoia Alliance was founded in 2007, which means it has been operating for approximately 19 years (as of 2026). The organization was formally incorporated in 2008 by representatives from AstraZeneca, GSK, Novartis, and Pfizer, and has grown significantly over that time from a small collaborative effort to a global alliance of member organizations.

The primary purpose of the Alliance is to streamline non-competitive elements of the pharmaceutical and associated industries’ research and development workflow Membership is open to organizations across the life sciences ecosystem: pharmaceutical and biotech companies, technology and software vendors, scientific publishers, and academic or research institutions. Government bodies and regulatory agencies also participate in specific initiatives.

[Insert current tier structure, Corporate, Vendor, Academic/Non-profit, and what each includes: project participation, voting rights, event access, etc.]

Membership fees vary by organization type and size. Contact our membership team at membership@pistoiaalliance.org for a tailored quote.

Membership fees are typically based on organization size, type, and revenue. If your organization is early stage or pre-revenue, discuss your situation with our membership team, Contact membership@pistoiaalliance.org to explore options that fit your stage.

Membership fees for academic institutions and not-for-profit organizations are typically lower than for commercial companies, reflecting their mission-driven focus. [Insert specific nonprofit pricing tier or fee structure.] For a customized quote based on your organization’s size and needs, contact membership@pistoiaalliance.org.

Yes. Academic institutions, research organizations, and universities are welcome to join the Pistoia Alliance as members. Academic membership is often offered at reduced rates compared to commercial companies, reflecting the mission-driven nature of research institutions. Academic members participate in projects, communities, and events just like other member organizations. For details on academic membership pricing and benefits, contact membership@pistoiaalliance.org.

The Pistoia Alliance recognizes the importance of supporting emerging innovation in life sciences Membership fees are typically based on organization size, type, and revenue. If your organization is early stage or pre-revenue, discuss your situation with our membership team, contact membership@pistoiaalliance.org to explore options that fit your stage.

Reach out to our membership team to discuss your organization’s goals and the right membership tier, then complete the application and onboarding process. contact membership@pistoiaalliance.org.

Individual membership is available for those subject matter experts who are self-employed, sole-proprietor or retired. Should they join an organisation or employ others the membership is void and they have to join at a membership company level.If you’re interested in getting your organization involved, contact membership@pistoiaalliance.org.

Membership is organization-wide, so multiple people across your company can participate, researchers, scientists, informatics teams, project managers, and leadership. We recommend designating a primary contact or membership coordinator who can help coordinate participation across your teams and keep everyone informed of opportunities.

You can contact our membership team at membership@pistoiaalliance.org with your organization’s name, and they’ll confirm your membership status and provide details about your current subscription. You can also check the member directory on our website

• A seat at the table in shaping pre-competitive projects and standards
• Early access to project outputs, tools, and ontologies
• Participation in specialist communities and working groups
• Access to member-only events, conferences, and networking
• Visibility and influence over the industry direction on shared R&D challenges

Pistoia Alliance members gain access to a global community of pharmaceutical, technology and life sciences R&D professionals, with valuable opportunities to build relationships, share knowledge and learn from peers across the industry.

Member employees can contribute their expertise to collaborative Alliance projects, working alongside peers from across the life sciences community to develop shared solutions, standards and resources. They may contribute directly to project teams, help shape activities through project Steering Committees, or remain connected to emerging topics through Communities of Interest. Members also receive access to project outputs, shared resources and the practical knowledge generated through these collaborations.

Member organisations can also choose to become a funder of a specific Pistoia Alliance project. Project funding is separate from the annual membership fee and usually provides a deeper level of involvement in the work.

Funding organisations typically nominate representatives to join the project’s Steering Committee. This enables them to help govern the project, agree priorities, contribute to key decisions and shape its direction and outputs. Their employees may also participate directly in the project team, contributing expertise, use cases, data, testing or practical feedback.

Membership provides access to two major annual conferences, held in Europe in the spring and the USA in the autumn, alongside webinars, workshops, smaller specialist forums and other networking events. Events such as the Life Science Informatics Forums are intentionally limited in size to encourage meaningful discussion, relationship-building and knowledge exchange.

Members also benefit from discounted rates for Pistoia Alliance training, helping employees develop skills in areas relevant to modern life sciences R&D. In addition, member organisations and their employees are eligible to enter relevant Pistoia Alliance awards and recognition programmes, providing opportunities to showcase their work, celebrate innovation and raise the profile of individuals and teams across the community.

Members have access to the Pistoia Alliance resource library, which brings together recordings, presentations, reports, guidance, project outputs and other practical materials developed through Alliance activities. This gives employees a valuable source of on-demand learning and enables them to revisit content from webinars, conferences, training and collaborative projects.

The onboarding timeline depends on your organization type and complexity, but most new members complete the application and full onboarding process within 4 to 8 weeks. This includes initial consultation, membership agreement review, and getting set up with access to member resources and communities. Membership start date is considered from the date you sign the membership agreement and is a commitment to pay the invoice for membership Contact our membership team at membership@pistoiaalliance.org to discuss your specific timeline.

Membership is renewed annually upon confirmation by the member. Renewal payment is due on the one-year anniversary of the member’s original date of joining as defined by the date of the membership joining form. Contact membership@pistoiaalliance.org for details.

Time commitment varies depending on your level of involvement. At minimum, designating a membership coordinator to stay informed and attend occasional events requires minimal effort. Active participation in projects or steering committees typically involves commitment from several employees per month per project, though this is flexible and depends on the project scope and priorities. Many organizations start with light involvement and scale up as they see value. Discuss your capacity and goals with your membership contact to find the right engagement level for your teams.

Here is a link to the current Pistoia Alliance Roadmap where you can see all of the current projects and communities that the alliance is working on. Regular webinars are featured on the events page of the website.

Notable past outputs include HELM (Hierarchical Editing Language for Macromolecules), an open-source notation standard released in 2013, and the Unified Data Model (UDM), an open format for exchanging compound synthesis and biological testing data, first released in 2018. A link to all the previous Alliance deliverables is here

A new project begins with an idea for addressing a shared challenge or opportunity in life sciences R&D. Ideas can be submitted through the Pistoia Alliance website.
First, the idea enters business case exploration. At this stage, the proposer works with potential supporters to define the problem, identify the intended deliverables and describe the benefits the project could create.
The idea then moves into business case development. The Alliance carries out outreach to interested organisations, brings relevant stakeholders together through discussions or community roundtables, and develops the proposal in greater detail.
Where there is sufficient member interest, the project progresses to project initiation. Funding organisations are confirmed, the final scope is agreed, and a project charter and delivery plan are created.
The project then becomes a member-funded Pistoia Alliance project, supported by participating organisations and delivered collaboratively through its project team and governance structure.

Here is a link to the current Pistoia Alliance Roadmap where you can see all the current communities that the alliance is working on. Regular webinars are featured on the events page of the website. To get involved in project or community please contact the Project Manager listed on each of the individual pages.

Member organizations can propose new pre-competitive projects by contacting our project team or submitting an idea through this webpage. Your proposal should outline the industry challenge, potential impact, and which member organizations might collaborate. The Alliance will then work with you to scope the project, confirm member interest, and take it through our approval process. For details on submitting an idea, reach out to projectinquiries@pistoiaalliance.org or your membership contact.

Member organizations can propose new projects by identifying an industry-wide, pre-competitive challenge and reaching out to our project team. Submit your idea with details about the problem you want to solve, the potential impact, and which member organizations might be interested in collaborating. The Alliance will help you scope the project, gauge member interest, and move it through our approval and launch process. Start by contacting projectinquiries@pistoiaalliance.org or your membership contact with your project idea.

Involvement ranges from light to intensive, depending on your organization’s capacity and interests. You can attend meetings and webinars as an observer, contribute expertise to working groups, serve on a steering committee to guide project direction, or lead a specific workstream. Many members scale their involvement over time, starting with observation and growing into active roles. Discuss your preferred level of engagement with your membership contact or the project led to find the right fit.

Funding organisations typically nominate representatives to join the project’s Steering Committee. This enables them to help govern the project, agree priorities, contribute to key decisions and shape its direction and outputs. Their employees may also participate directly in the project team, contributing expertise, use cases, data, testing or practical feedback.

A working group (or workstream) is a task-focused team that does the hands-on work of developing certain outputs, conducting research, or building solutions. You can participate in a working group without being on the steering committee, and steering committee members often also participate in working groups.

Projects will always have a steering committee but may or may not have working groups/workstreams depending on what is needed at the time. Both roles are important; steering is more strategic, working groups are more operational.

? Your membership contact or project manager is the best first point of reach, they can connect you with project leads and community coordinators based on your organization’s interests. Alternatively, you can reach out directly to projectinquiries@pistoiaalliance.org with details about which project or community area you’d like to join, and the team will guide you to the right working group.

The contribution required from each participating organisation varies depending on the size, scope and ambition of the project. Larger or more complex projects may require a higher level of funding, while smaller, more focused initiatives may require a lower contribution. The proposed funding model is set out during business case development so that interested members can decide whether to participate. As a not-for-profit we aim to cover the costs of each project through funding from our members but do not try to exceed that. If funding above the target is raised, then the excess is used either to expand the scope or rolled over to the next phase of the project.
If you’re interested in taking on a steering committee role for a specific project, discuss it with your membership contact or reach out to projectinquries@pistoiaalliance.org.

In general, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the Pistoia Alliance owns the outputs of projects and other activities. However, as stated in our bylaws, it is the good faith objective of the Alliance to make all deliverables available on the same terms to all Members and available to all non-Members on fair and reasonable terms and conditions, which may differ from those enjoyed by Members. In practice that means that, in the end, most project outputs are released under a permissive, open source type license.

We host a year-round mix of virtual and in-person programming, including our flagship European and US conferences, the Life Sciences Informatic Forums and the Life Science AI Exchange (LSAI Exchange), and topic-specific workshops (e.g., on LLMs, non-animal models, UXLS and CSCS).

Many of our online events are open to the public, with conferences and certain reserved for members. The Pistoia Alliance’s annual conferences are for members only. Some webinars and selected public events may be open to non-members, depending on the topic and format.
Members receive access to the full events programme, including conferences, member-only meetings, specialist forums and discounted training. Where places are limited, priority is generally given to members.

Visit our Events page for the current calendar, registration links, and sponsorship inquiries, or contact events@pistoiaalliance.org.

Yes,our major conferences and the LSAI Exchange programme run annually.

Webinars and virtual events are listed on our Events page, which shows upcoming dates, topics, and registration links. Most webinars are open to both members and non-members, though some may be member-exclusive or require registration to access. Visit our website or contact events@pistoiaalliance.org for the current webinar calendar and to register.

Past conference talks, webinar recordings, and speaker presentations are available on our Resource Library [link to resource library] on our website. Some content may be member-exclusive, while other documents are publicly available for a limited time. For specific talks or events, you can also contact events@pistoiaalliance.org and we can help you locate what you’re looking for.

Past webinar recordings are archived on our Resource Library [link to resource library] on our website. Many recordings are available to both members and non-members, though some member-exclusive webinars may have restricted access. Visit our Events page or Resource Library to browse by topic and date, or contact events@pistoiaalliance.org if you’re looking for a specific webinar.

Members receive regular updates about new projects, events, and community activities through email newsletters and the member portal. You can also subscribe to our newsletter on our website, follow us on LinkedIn for announcements, or check the Events page for the latest conferences and webinars. For project-specific updates, engage with your project steering committee or contact projectinquiries@pistoiaalliance.org to get on relevant mailing lists.

Most of our major conferences are for members. Specific eligibility and attendance policies vary by event, Check the event description on our Events page for details on who can attend, or contact events@pistoiaalliance.org if you’re unsure whether a specific conference is open to you.

We run original research (such as our annual Lab of the Future survey) tracking AI/ML adoption, barriers, and ROI across the industry, and convene pre-competitive projects, including a dedicated agentic AI initiative, to help define shared standards for how AI and AI agents should function in R&D settings. The Alliance also provides educational training resources focused on the application of AI/ML in the pharmaceutical industry.

FAIR stands for Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable, principles for data management that make scientific data usable across systems and organizations. Data must be FAIR in order to be AI-ready and poor adherence to FAIR principles is consistently cited in our research as a major barrier to effective AI adoption, which is why several of our projects (like our ontology work) are built around FAIR principles.

IP ownership varies by project type and is outlined in each project’s charter and member agreement. Some projects generate open-source outputs (like HELM) that are freely available to the industry; others produce standards or ontologies that are owned jointly by participating members; still others may have member-exclusive IP access periods before broader release. The specific IP terms are negotiated upfront and clearly documented. Review the project charter or contact your membership account manager to understand the IP structure for any specific project.

General inquiries: comms@pistoiaalliance.org Membership: membership@pistoiaalliance.org Press/media: comms@pistoiaalliance.org

Many of our survey results and thought-leadership content (e.g., Lab of the Future survey findings) are published publicly. Some project outputs and detailed reports are member-exclusive, see individual reports for information.

Our published ontologies, standards, and tools are available through our Resource Library [link to resource library] and on our website. Some outputs (like HELM) are hosted on open-source platforms like GitHub. Others may be available for download directly from pistoiaalliance.org or through member portals for exclusive access. For specific ontologies or standards, visit our Resources page or contact info@pistoiaalliance.org and we can direct you to the right location.

Opportunities for non-members are limited. Non-members may be able to attend a small number of publicly available webinars or open events, but access to conferences, projects, specialist communities, training discounts and the full resource library is reserved for members.

The Pistoia Alliance occasionally has open positions for staff roles in project management, partnerships, operations, and leadership. Job openings are posted on our website’s Careers page [link to careers page] and on professional job boards. You can also contact us at hr@pistoiaalliance.org to inquire about career opportunities or sign up for job alerts.

The Pistoia Alliance provides a legally governed environment for pre-competitive collaboration. Projects have defined scopes and governance, and participants must not share or discuss competitively sensitive information such as pricing, customers, markets or commercial strategy. Meetings are facilitated by the Alliance, and all participants are required to comply with applicable antitrust and competition laws.

Participant details are used to administer the project and support collaboration, in line with the Pistoia Alliance Privacy Policy. Any scientific or technical data contributed to a project is handled according to project-specific arrangements covering access, security, confidentiality, permitted use and publication. Participants should not share sensitive or proprietary information unless this has been explicitly agreed and suitable safeguards are in place.

https://pistoiaalliance.org/online-privacy-statement/