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GU Ventures and BioInnovation Institute collaborate to strengthen the regions' competitiveness in life science
Denmark's BioInnovation Institute (BII) and Sweden's GU Ventures (GUV) are collaborating to strengthen the regions' competitiveness in life science, a project funded by Interreg Öresund-Kattegat-Skagerrak and Region Västra Götaland. The initiative will link the innovation ecosystems and accelerate the development and commercialization of therapeutic oligonucleotides.
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Both Gothenburg and Copenhagen are globally recognized for its leading universities and healthcare organisations, combined with a strong industrial presence. The ecosystems include global players such as AstraZeneca and Novo Nordisk, as well as a growing network of small and medium-sized enterprises, industry experts, and investors.
"Sweden, Denmark, and the Nordic region as a whole should strengthen their collaboration in life science and other deep tech sectors to build on the regions' strengths. By combining complementary strengths such as expertise, industrial capacity, specialist clinics, and investor networks, structural conditions are being created that smaller nations struggle to achieve on their own", says Jens Nielsen, CEO of BioInnovation Institute.
GUV and BII will collaborate through the funded OligoSynergy project to accelerate the commercialization of research on therapeutic oligonucleotides, a niche field that requires a joint effort. Over the past decade, several groundbreaking technologies for disease treatment have been developed, with therapeutic oligonucleotides being one such area. These are based on short, synthetic DNA or RNA molecules that can control gene expression with high precision, thereby enabling treatment of previously difficult-to-treat diseases.
"For more research-based innovations to grow and reach the market, strong innovation environments and well-functioning business support are essential. This is an important part of the work to strengthen West Sweden's competitiveness in life science, in line with the Agenda for West Swedish Life Science", says Madeleine Jonsson, Chair of the Environment and Regional Development Committee, Region Västra Götaland, Sweden.
The OligoSynergy project is led by GUV, with Eduarde Rohner serving as project manager. The project targets early-stage companies in the preclinical and early clinical phases and aims to support the development, validation, and commercialization of their technologies, products, and services.
"With access to capital, companies can pursue business development and studies in parallel, efficiently and with high quality. Capital is thus not only a prerequisite for development, but also a strategic tool for faster commercialization", says Klementina Österberg, CEO of GU Ventures.
Together, GUV and BII aim to leverage the organizations’ expertise and networks to strengthen the regions’ competitiveness and help more research-based innovations move from the lab to the market and develop into commercially successful companies.
We look forward to sharing more concrete information in the near future, so stay tuned!
About BioInnovation Institute
BioInnovation Institute (BII) is a leading European innovation institute in life science and deep tech that accelerates the commercialization of research and catalyzes start-up companies. BII was founded in 2018 by the Novo Nordisk Foundation with the aim of strengthening the Danish life science ecosystem and accelerating research and start-ups. BII is now working to strengthen and connect innovation ecosystems across Europe, and operates physically in Denmark, Italy, and the UK, with the goal of further strengthening additional innovation ecosystems through partnerships and local presence. To date, BII has supported more than 150 research-based start-ups in life science and other deep tech sectors through both business development and funding. BII's portfolio companies have raised approximately €1.2 billion in external funding, created over 1,600 jobs, and launched 21 products on the market.
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About GU Ventures
GU Ventures (GUV) is ranked among Europe’s leading university-affiliated incubators and early-stage investors. The organisation has extensive experience in business development for highly specialised and research-intensive life science companies. GUV develops and invests in research-based innovations and companies affiliated with the University of Gothenburg, one of Northern Europe’s largest universities. A multidisciplinary team with expertise in company building, financing, intellectual property and legal matters works closely with entrepreneurs and researchers throughout the commercialisation process – from early-stage ideas and company formation through growth, investment and expansion. Since its establishment in 1995, GUV has helped develop more than 200 new companies, 15 of which have been publicly listed. Today, its portfolio comprises approximately 90 company holdings, as well as a number of ongoing projects.
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About GU Ventures AB
GU Ventures builds companies from groundbreaking ideas that can shape a better tomorrow. It is ranked among the world's top 20 university-linked incubators by the UBI Global Index. We finance and develop new innovative business ideas connected to the University of Gothenburg, one of Northern Europe's largest universities. Our mission is to commercialize these innovations, ensuring that research and expertise are utilized to drive business renewal, create jobs, and foster sustainable growth. Our passionate team of company builders, financial experts, IP specialists, and legal professionals is dedicated to supporting our companies and ensuring their success.
Since its inception in 1995, GU Ventures has developed more than 200 new companies, 15 of which have been listed. Our portfolio consists of around 100 holdings and a number of projects.
In the latest survey, 87% of the companies align with the UN's global sustainability goals. GU Ventures is fully owned by the Swedish state and managed by the University of Gothenburg. Learn more at: www.guventures.com.
