Saga Diagnostics wins Startup Challenge @NLSDays 2017 for best pitch

On Tuesday evening, sixteen Nordic companies on the rise showcased their innovations for an international audience at Nordic Life Science Days (NLSDays). The CEO and founder of Saga Diagnostics, Lao Saal delivered the sharpest pitch and took home the win for the company’s advancements within precision cancer medicine.

The Startup Challenge @NLSDays 2017 gave the audience a taste of different research and development projects within therapeutics, medical technology and platform solutions. The contestants were given only three minutes to pitch, after which they were challenged by a seasoned jury: three life science experts and an investor.

– It is great to see high quality new start-ups in the Nordics. This is really increasing the interest for us to look for deal flow from this territory, says jury member Seppo Mäkinen, investor and partner in Portugal-born Pathena Group.

"Transformational potential" was the key word when, among other, projects about artifical intelligence, out-of-the-box digital and technological solutions, and precision medicine were presented. All projects were early-stage innovations, focusing their development towards a clinical proof-of-concept.

– We were impressed by the diversity and level of innovation presented at the Startup Challenge @ NLSDays tonight. A pitching competition organized in collaboration with key Nordic life science incubators and clusters is an excellent way to give fresh innovations and newly established companies time in the spotlight in front of a variety of life science investors and potential future collaboration partners, says jury member Rosemary Liu, New Ventures and Transactions Lead at Johnson & Johnson Innovation.

The 16 shortlisted life science companies are as follows

• Adesante (FIN)
• Arctic Pharma (NOR)
• Bactavia (SWE)
• Cerenion (FIN)
• Clever Health (NOR)
• Edvince (SWE)
• Finn Medicinen (SWE)
• Hiloprobe (SWE)
• Immuneed (SWE)
• Innovosens (SWE)
• Metabogen (SWE)
• Neosense (SWE)
• Optimov (DNK)
• SAGA Diagnostics (SWE)
• ScandiCure (SWE)
• Serca (DNK)

Jury Members
Ms. Rosemary Liu, New Ventures and Transactions Lead, Johnson & Johnson Innovation; Ms. Sandra Lindvall, Associate, Awapatent; Mr. Tomas Eriksson, CEO, A1M Pharma; Dr. Seppo Mäkinen, Board Professional & Investor, Partner in Pathena Group.

The Award
The Startup Challenge @NLSDays 2017 is organized by Nordic Life Science Days, a SwedenBIO event. It is produced by Bionordic and by the kind support of the sponsors Johnson & Johnson Innovation, SmiLe Incubator and Medeon Science Park & Incubator. The winner is awarded mentoring from Johnson & Johnson Innovation and complimentary registration including a 6-minute company presentation at Nordic Life Science Days 2018, which will take place on September 10-12 in Stockholm, Sweden.

The selection process
The selected companies must have a maximum of 2M Euro in previous financing; less than 100 employees; present early-stage innovations with transformational potential and prior to clinical proof-of-concept; and developing a new therapeutic product, medical technology product or platform that is validated in the lab, including e-health solutions. The companies were selected in collaboration with Johnson & Johnson Innovation, SmiLe Incubator and Medeon Science Park & Incubator.

About Nordic Life Science Days
Nordic Life Science Days is a SwedenBIO event, produced by Bionordic. Nordic Life Science Days has grown rapidly since its launch in 2012 to become the largest Nordic partnering conference for the global life science industry. Nordic Life Science Days 2017 took place on September 12-14 in Malmö.

www.nlsdays.com