The Home of Rising Life Science Stars
Engage. Inspire. Win.
NLSDays Nordic Star is a pitch competition for Nordic life science SMEs. A selection of high-potential Nordic SMEs compete for the Nordic Star Award during each NLSDays conference.
Application period: 12 May to 17 August 2025
The competition for the Nordics’ best SMEs and growth companies
NLSDays organizes an annual pitch competition that is open to all Nordic life science SMEs scaling a unique innovation or business idea with the potential to be commercialized on the global market.
The company with the highest investment potential will receive a prize of 10,000 EUR in cash and 2 full-access tickets to NLSDays 2026. The winner is announced during the closing ceremony.
A unique opportunity to take the stage and shine
All applicants receive a customized feedback from our jury consisting of investors and pharma representatives
Inclusion Criteria
To qualify you need to be a:
- Small and Medium-sized Enterprise.
- Have main activities in one of the Nordic countries.
- Perform R&D in health, medical, or life sciences.
- Be a private company.
What We Assess
The jury assesses the company and business idea based on:
- Scalability
- Uniqueness
- Market potential
- Global applicability
- Competence within the team
Participation Benefits
Top 20 selected companies receive:
- One free ticket to NLSDays 2025, including access to the partneringONE system.
- Exclusive pitch training hosted by Novo Holdings.
- A 4-minute opportunity to pitch directly to the investor jury, big pharma scouts, and the NLSDays audience.
Meet the Jury
Carl Kilander
Partner, HealthCap
Emilia Carlqvist
Analyst, Innovestor Life Science
Jón Bergsteinsson
Founder and MP, LIFA.VC
Chloé Leprêtre
Head of Global R&D Search and Evaluation, Servier
Marjo Puumalainen
International Director, SwedenBIO
Nordic Star 2025 Award
The company with the highest investment potential, selected by the jury of investors and pharma representatives will be announced as the winner during NLSDays’ Closing Ceremony, and will receive a cash prize of 10,000 EUR + 2 tickets to NLSDays 2026.