We usually say that Sweden is incredibly strong in life science, and Uppsala is exceptionally good. When we look at both qualitative and quantitative aspects, which is what we are trying to emphasize in this report, we see just that.

Twenty years ago, STUNS and Vinnova made a joint effort to develop the life science ecosystem in Uppsala. Pharmacia had undergone several acquisitions and sales, and at the same time, we saw more research results beginning to be commercialized.

Looking at the numbers, we can see that the number of active companies has quadrupled since then, and the number of companies with revenue has increased by 150 percent over the past ten years. Similarly, we see increases in all parameters each year, including the number of employees, revenue, attracted capital, and even more women in leadership positions. The future looks bright for Uppsala’s life science sector.

However, we are still early on the curve. Most companies that do not originate from Pharmacia are still small, with a few having expanded to have several hundred employees and activities in other parts of the world. The projection is upward, and more people see the value in both operating and investing in Uppsala.

Even though the global situation is challenging right now with a recent pandemic, conflicts in the surrounding areas, and high inflation, there is a strong innovation system and good infrastructure that provide a robust ecosystem. The intention is to guide many research ideas to commercial successes.

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Björn Arvidsson
Managing director
bjorn.arvidsson@stuns.se
+46 (0) 70 – 994 36 06