The Nordics – Where Big Pharma Scouts for Promising Innovators
Throughout the Nordics innovative startups are sprouting up like mushrooms in the forest, turning the region into an attractive hunting ground for big pharma.
Text: Afram Yakoub, Communications Manager, SwedenBIO
The upward trend of the Nordic Life Science industry is undeniable, evident in the burgeoning numbers of young innovative companies. The Nordic biopharma r&d pipeline has a growth rate that outstrips European totals over the past decade with approximately 900 assets. Sweden, with its 10 million inhabitants, boasts 4,000 companies in the sector, a majority being SMEs, as shown in this annual mapping of the Swedish industry. Meanwhile, Denmark’s sector is propelled by the success of pharma giant Novo Nordisk and its growing fund which seeds money to nurture numerous new innovators. Similar positive developments are observed in Norway, Finland and Iceland.
Success factors
The growth trajectory of the Nordic countries is underpinned by a combination of factors. Clusters of top universities and hospitals, nurturing innovation hubs, and governments willing and able to fund research serve as the main drivers. This decades-long investment in the Life Science ecosystem is yielding dividends as capital, investments, innovations, employment numbers, and pharma exports continue to trend upwards. The Nordic countries are becoming an indispensable and strategic region for major players in the pharma industry.
The ideal scouting arena
The attention to the region’s dynamic Life Science scene is also evident in the growing interest in NLSDays, the largest annual industry event dedicated to bringing together the different Nordic Life Science actors. Taking place this year in Malmö, Sweden’s third-largest city, NLSDays will provide the perfect setting for pharma scouts from around the world to discover the next big breakthrough in this innovative part of Europe.
In addition to an extensive session program delving into hot topics, NLSDays hosts the annual Nordic Star Pitch competition, where 20 up-and-coming companies will compete for prestigious awards and the chance to attract investors on stage at the event in Malmö. Moreover, Nordic academic actors will be shortlisted to present their posters at the NLSDays Nordic Innovation Poster session. The competition spotlights academic projects with commercial potential from Nordic universities, conducting research and development within the fields of health, medicine, or life sciences.