Uppsala BIO to cooperate with GöteborgBIO on BIO-X

Process for open innovation to be implemented in Region Västra Götaland

Uppsala BIO and GöteborgBIO have entered into a cooperation agreement which will intensify efforts to bridge the gap between basic research, clinical application and industrial product development. This cooperation relates to BIO-X, the model for open innovation which has been successfully developed by Uppsala BIO for a number of years, and which will now become available to researchers throughout the entire Region Västra Götaland as part of a pilot cooperation.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for us to try out the BIO-X process in close cooperation with Uppsala BIO. BIO-X will open up new paths for researchers in Western Sweden, allowing them to exploit their ideas. Our link with a number of players within the Innovation Support System will allow us to ensure that projects are given access to professional advisors, good teams and contacts on the market," says Lena Blomberg, executive chairperson at GöteborgBIO.

Uppsala BIO, which developed BIO-X, refers to BIO-X as a structured process for open innovation.

"BIO-X reflects the industry's working patterns and makes it easier for academic research to work in cooperation with small and large global life science companies alike," explains Erik Forsberg, Managing Director for Uppsala BIO.

"We set great store by the fact that academic researchers can continue to publish scientific articles while at the same time ensuring that their projects can deliver according to plan. It is all a matter of mediating between two reward systems: that of industry, and that of academia," continues Erik Forsberg.

While many innovation support initiatives develop out of research results and attempt to find a market for them, BIO-X works on the basis of a defined need, e.g. in the field of care, and is aimed at university research seeking new solutions. Researchers' project proposals are reviewed on the basis of criteria such as benefits for users and the chances of their proposals actually being capable of culminating in the product or service envisaged. Projects which are eventually selected will receive both process support and finance for up to two years in order to arrive at a proof of concept, where commercial forces can take over. 

"We are very pleased about this cooperation. We are sure that things will turn out very well and that the BIO-X model will be able to help to further reinforce the innovation environment in the Region Västra Götaland," says Erik Forsberg. Together with GöteborgBIO, we can now reach around 75 % of Sweden's life science researchers with BIO-X.

The first announcement of BIO-X in the Region Västra Götaland is planned to take place in late May 2012.

For further information please contact:

Uppsala BIO
Madeleine Neil, dir. of communications, tel +46 (0)768-297777, madeleine.neil@uppsalabio.se
Erik Forsberg, managing director, tel +46 (0)70-350 41 43, erik.forsberg@uppsalabio.se

GöteborgBIO
Helene Jaktling, public relations officer, + 46 (0)730 66 09 22, helene.jaktling@goteborgbio.se
Lena Blomberg, executive chairperson, +46 (0)722-51 50 85, lena.blomberg@goteborgbio.se

About Uppsala BIO

Uppsala BIO is an independent, not-for-profit actor that works to enhance the long-term competitiveness and growth of the life science sector in close cooperation with companies, universities, healthcare, and public authorities. Activities are formulated by the life science industry, universities, healthcare, and public authorities, which also provide funding together with VINNOVA.

About GöteborgBIO

GöteborgBIO is a joint project for long-term growth in the biomedical field. Principals are AstraZeneca, Business Region Göteborg AB, Chalmers University of Technology, University of Gothenburg/The Sahlgrenska Academy, Mölnlycke Health Care AB, Nobel Biocare AB, VINNOVA and Region Västra Götaland.