2020 Conextion

Financing: STUNS Life science, Klövern
Project duration: 2020
Our role:

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2020 Testa Center Part II

Financing: STUNS Life science, Vinnova (Project ID 2019-05800)
Project duration:
Our role:

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2020 BioProcess Innovation Center

During 2017, STUNS Life Science, in collaboration with STUNS, Region Uppsala and Testa Center secured funding and deployment to help bring into operation Testa Center (formerly BioProcess Innovation Center), an authentic production environment for testing tools used for the industrial manufacture of biologicals. STUNS Life Science has assigned two employees (including a project manager) to establish routines relating to external interaction with the centre, e.g. how companies and projects seeking support should proceed.

The foundation has thus been laid to quickly put into place all the functions needed when Testa Center officially opens its doors in late summer of 2018. These include creating a flow of players who will use the centre, drawing up transparent policies, procedures and templates for selection, and seeing that various forms of support for project applicants and their accompanying personnel work in practice. The target is greater than 70% occupancy rate during 2018.

Financing: STUNS Life science, Swelife (project ID 2017-03710)
Project duration: 2017–2020
Our role: Project leader for external processes, adjunct to Testa Center steering group

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2020 Injection

Swelife Injection aims to contribute to a strengthened and sustainable national collaboration platform for the innovation system in Life Science.

The goal is to test a new model to strengthen our projects, which are based on national mobilised efforts from Life Science stakeholders in incubators, science parks and innovation offices. Together, they offer networks and skills enhancement through coaching efforts to the projects that have received funding through Swelife’s open calls for proposals in 2019 and 2020.

The project is a further development of Swelife’s Hands-on model.

Financing: STUNS Life science*, Vinnova (Project ID 2019-05800)
Project duration: 2019-2020
Our role: Innovation support actor

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2019  Uppsala BIO – Vinnväxt Initiative

Vinnväxt is a competition to promote sustainable growth in regions. With long-term financing, the regions must be able to coordinate business, academia and the public sector in order to thereby increase the ability to develop and commercialize new knowledge and technology.

2003 Uppsala BIO was initiated with funding from the Vinnväxt programme (Vinnova), that continued until 2019.

Financing: Uppsala BIO*, Vinnova
Project duration: 2003-2013, 2014-2017, 2018-2019
Uppsala BIO’s role: Project management

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2019 National and regional coordination of innovation support systems and infrastructure in the healthcare sector/Swelife Hands-on

In close cooperation with Swelife and The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth, Uppsala BIO is leading a study aimed at coordinating four national networks with regional nodes in six Swedish cities (Gothenburg, Linköping, Lund / Malmö, Stockholm, Umeå and Uppsala). Interviews have during 2017 been conducted with the regional managers of the four networks within Swelife, Medtech4Health, Clinical Studies Sweden, and the Vinnova program Innovationsslussar inom hälso- och sjukvården. The aim of the project is to strengthen future cooperation.

This analysis laid the foundation for three regional pilot projects that started in spring 2018 in Västerbotten, Skåne and Västra Götaland. Increased coordination between players in the innovation support system in general with greater involvement from healthcare is regarded as important. Uppsala BIO, Uppsala University, Uppsala Clinical Research and Innovation Akademiska are responsible for the four regional nodes, while the three regions mentioned above will complete the ongoing pilot projects.

Financing: Uppsala BIO*, Swelife (2016-04514,2017-03323), Tillväxtverket (20201229)
Project duration: 2016–2019
Uppsala BIO’s role: Project management

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2019  Swelife East Central Sweden

Uppsala BIO and STUNS run a project aimed at creating new funding models. Specifically, National Strategic Innovation Programs (through Vinnova, the Swedish Energy Agency and Formas – a Swedish Research Council for sustainable development) together with EU Regional Development Funds (via the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth – Tillväxtverket) can co-finance the same project / company and thus collectively ensure that selected companies receive greater funding. A further project objective is to allow SMEs to be financed through EU Regional Development Funds and that an increased proportion of EU funding can thus go directly to small businesses.

Further efforts within the framework of the project aim to fund the Swelife Hands-on model through development funds. This model has been established via Uppsala BIO’s knowledge transfer of its BIO-X methodology to a national level. A legal investigation led by a STUNS project manager has been carried out as part of the work. The goal is for the co-financing model to be launched in 2018.

Financing: Uppsala BIO*, ERDF (Project ID: 20200637),
Swelife (Project ID: 2016-04514, 2016-04951)
Project duration: Part I 2016–2019, Part II 2020-2022 (BIO-X Accelerate)
Uppsala BIO’s role: Project leadership

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2019 Ordered introduction of digital services and products in the healthcare sector

This 2015-2016 pilot project study conducted by Uppsala BIO together with Stockholm Science City, Kista Science City, Uminova Innovation and others was transferred to a regular project in 2017. Uppsala BIO now works together with the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SKL), Region Norrbotten, Stockholm Science City and key actors to create clear processes that will help small and medium-sized businesses implement digital tools in health care.

The project will contribute to the vision that Sweden will be a world-leader in e-health 2025, to healthcare development in general and to the increased growth of SMEs. Uppsala University Hospital / Region Uppsala (via the Innovation Akademiska test-bed) is one of the key players in the project, whose goal is that SMEs should be able to test the framework and procedures now being developed at Region Uppsala during 2018-2019.

Financing: Uppsala BIO*, European Regional Development Fund, ERDF (Case ID 20201226)
Project duration: 2017–2019
Uppsala BIO’s role: Project participant, member of the steering committee

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2018 Conextion

In 2017, Uppsala BIO, in cooperation with the property company Klövern AB, Uppsala municipality and others, participated in the strategic development of Uppsala Business Park. Starting in October of that year, Uppsala BIO also provided special export support to develop value-creating content aimed at attracting new companies to establish themselves both in Uppsala Business Park and Uppsala as a whole.

Among the initiatives taken is Conextion, a common office and meeting place for Uppsala’s innovation support systems, including UIC, UU Innovation, Almi Enterprise Partners and Almi Invest. Together with consulting companies, its idea is to test, for example, different networking groups, training opportunities and seminar series. Conextion’s overall goal is to establish a viable concept and ensure its long-term operation. Its premises in Uppsala Business Park were officially inaugurated in January 2018.

Financing: Uppsala BIO*, Klövern AB
Project duration: 2017–2018
Uppsala BIO’s role: Expert support

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2018 Process operator training at secondary level for the life science manufacturing industry

This project aims to lay the foundation for a further education syllabus, initially located in Uppsala Municipality, which will ensure that the region’s life science industry has good access to the engineers essential for operating its manufacturing facilities. The project has been initiated and operated by STUNS with funding from the European Social Fund (ESF).

Financing: STUNS, Regionförbundet, European Social Fund (ESF)
(Project ID 2016-00211)
Project duration: 2016–2018
STUNS’ role: Project management

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2018 Industrial Partnership/3i

Uppsala BIO runs the project Innovation Platform for Industrial and Investor Partnership Life Science (3i) in Eastern Sweden, together with SLU Holding, UIC, UU Innovation, Inkubera Örebro, Create Business Incubator Västerås and Linköping University. A coordinated approach is being developed to increase deal-flow so that more value-creating collaborations with major international companies can be created. During 2017, Uppsala BIO has had one formal agreement with a large company (GE Healthcare Life Sciences). In addition, a larger number of more informal relationships with global companies are maintained on a regular basis. Discussions about agreements with further international companies are currently underway.

Financing: Uppsala BIO*, ERUF. Project 3i (Project ID 20200636)
Project duration: 2016–2018
Uppsala BIO’s role: Project leadership

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2017 National coordination of innovation support

Uppsala BIO has had an active member in the Working Group for Growth and Entrepreneurship linked to the government’s Expert Group for Life Sciences and the Life Sciences Collaboration Program. This group comprised senior representatives from AstraZeneca, Swedish Medtech, Sweden BIO, Karolinska Institutet and Uppsala BIO. Sweden’s innovation support system was analysed over two years and proposals made to coordinate the country’s life science incubators. Within the framework of this exercise, Vinnova assigned Uppsala Innovation Centre (UIC) the task of national coordination.

Financing: Uppsala BIO*
Project duration: 2015–2017
Uppsala BIO’s role: Member of the Working Group for Growth and Entrepreneurship

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2017 Attracting the EMA to Sweden

During 2017, Uppsala BIO, together with other bodies including Uppsala Municipality, STUNS, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm Science City and the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, conducted the campaign ‘EMA to Sweden’. However, a decision was taken in autumn 2017 not to relocate the EMA (European Medicines Agency) from London to Sweden but to the Netherlands and Amsterdam instead. Nevertheless, the material produced can be put to good use in other contexts to market Uppsala internationally.

Financing: Uppsala BIO* / Uppsala Municipality
Project duration: 2017
Uppsala BIO’s and STUNS’ role: Participants in the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs’ national team

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2016 Purchasing service for SMEs

2014–2016 saw Uppsala BIO carry out a pilot project to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by acting as an umbrella body to optimise the pricing of products and services purchased by SMEs so that they can enjoy better conditions. The product category ‘lab products’ was chosen and about ten companies participated in a pilot project during 2015–2016. Its conclusion was that value can be added and services implemented. However, an internal decision was taken not to prioritise this activity. Currently, therefore, Uppsala BIO (or others) does not provide active support. The model is nevertheless viable but a geographic catchment area larger than Uppsala alone is probably required to reach a critical mass of companies.

Financing: Uppsala BIO*
Project duration: 2014–2016
Uppsala BIO’s role: Project leadership

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2015  Stockholm-Uppsala Life Science (SULS) – presenting the bigger picture

STUNS / Uppsala BIO, in collaboration with Stockholm City and Biotech Valley (Strängnäs), took the initiative to create the common organisation SULS for life science within the metropolitan area in 2007. A CEO was recruited and, following on from the broader ambitions of its initial years, then focused primarily on promoting the region in international channels. Uppsala BIO provided financial support as well as a part-time marketing resource. SULS AB and the economic association ceased operations in the autumn of 2013. During 2014–2015, Uppsala BIO continued operations in a project form supported by Stockholm Business Region and Sörmland County Council. In December 2015, all business operations were concluded.

Financing: Uppsala BIO*, Stockholm Business Region Development, Karolinska Institutet, Biotech Valley Alliance, Sörmland County Council, Stockholm County Council
Project duration: 2007–2013 (SULS AB and its economic association). 2014-2015 (Project SULS)
Uppsala BIO’s role: Initiative-taker, deputy board member, project participant

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2014  National BIO-X program / Swelife Hands-on process

During 2012–2013, Uppsala BIO and Vinnova agreed to roll out BIO-X as a national program, which was duly carried out until 2017. Simultaneously, Uppsala BIO had (as mentioned elsewhere) taken part in the successful strategic innovation program Swelife. When Swelife itself was granted 10-year support in 2014, open calls for proposals became a central part of its activities. Due to Uppsala BIO’s experience with the regional and the national BIO-X program, its staff could quickly take on a leadership role in helping Swelife implement a ‘light’ version of BIO-X named ‘Hands-on’. Uppsala BIO has since worked with the program leadership team of Swelife and been responsible for calls for proposals until early 2018, when responsibility was transferred to others.

Financing: Uppsala BIO* / Vinnova (Case ID.: 2013-03108)
Project duration: 2013–2014
Uppsala BIO’s role: Project Manager, National Project Manager, Regional Coordinator

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2014  Specialist education in natural science at Katedralskolan

From 2009 to 2014, Uppsala BIO, in cooperation with Uppsala University and SLU (The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences), collaborated with Katedralskolan’s specialist education curriculum in biotechnology. Links to industry were identified as an important aspect of this program, which was part of a national initiative with a country-wide intake. Uppsala BIO ensured such a link-up by arranging industrial contacts in the form of mentors.

Financing: Uppsala BIO* / Swedish Research Council
Project duration: 2009–2014
Uppsala BIO’s role: Project partner responsible for mentors from industry

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2013  Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM)

In 2010, 13 organisations from eight European regions launched the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM) project* supported by the Seventh Framework Program (FP7) ‘Regions of Knowledge’.

The TERM consortium emphasised the importance of regenerative medicine for both future healthcare development and economic growth in Europe. To contribute to the introduction of this potentially curative medicine as a therapy of choice for European patients, it promoted trans-regional cooperation in research and development, education and innovation support. Uppsala BIO led one of the taskforces and carried out regenerative medicine benchmarking on both national and international levels, which also proved to be important for internal operations.

A foundation established by Uppsala BIO to roll out BIO-X throughout Europe was not prioritised after the TERM project ended since Uppsala BIO had by then been assigned the task of a national BIO-X rollout.

Financing: EU FP7: Regions of Knowledge (Grant Agreement Number: 265546)
Project duration: 2010–2013
Uppsala BIO’s role: Taskforce leader

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2013  Chemistry lecturer link-up at Rosendal school

During 2009–2013, Uppsala BIO, in collaboration with Uppsala University, supported Rosendal upper secondary school by helping to strengthen its chemistry teaching. An application to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to support a university lecturer working in the school was approved for a three-year period. Within the framework of this collaboration, Uppsala BIO, in cooperation with the school, also established the Natural Sciences Champion prize, which is passed on to a new award winner each year.

Financing: Uppsala BIO* / Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Project duration: 2009–2013
Uppsala BIO’s role: Project partner

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2013  Diagnostics Forum (formerly BIO-Ångström)

The BIO-Ångström conference, which began life in 2005 as a meeting place, changed its name to Diagnostics Forum in 2010 and adopted a clearer focus on highlighting medical needs, discussing research status, and reporting solutions. Although both conferences were held several times, the event has not been implemented since 2013 for priority reasons. Discussions are ongoing in Uppsala BIO to resume activities with an annual conference, but in another form.

Financing: Uppsala BIO*, sponsors
Project duration: 2005–2013 (event held approximately every second year)
Uppsala BIO’s role: Project leader

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2012  Uppsala Health Summit

On request from the network ‘World Class Uppsala’, Uppsala BIO carried out two feasibility studies during 2011–2012 to investigate whether a high-level conference spanning medical, economic and ethical perspectives could be established in Uppsala, as well as to suggest suitable formats. The results were delivered to World Class Uppsala in 2012 as several reports under the name Linnaeus Health Summit. Uppsala BIO recommended that such a conference could take place in Uppsala. After evaluation, Uppsala University took on the long-term implementation of the event under the designation Uppsala Health Summit, which today remains a major annual conference in Uppsala.

Financing: World Class Uppsala
Project duration: 2011–2012
Uppsala BIO’s role: Project leader for two feasibility studies

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2011  Global links for regional companies

Uppsala BIO carried out a project during 2009–2011 intended to establish global links for the region’s companies. Specifically, a network of top competencies with experience from different types of companies and functions in many parts of the world was set up to support regional companies with international ambitions. Uppsala BIO established a structure where such qualified contacts could be smoothly coordinated.

Furthermore, Uppsala BIO made global contacts and carried an on-site evaluation of various distributors in Japan for 5–10 Swedish companies. This project immediately led to signed deals for several the region’s businesses with quality-controlled distributors. Due to internal priorities, Uppsala BIO decided against the long-term implementation of such global activities, but concluded that such a concept could be established by Uppsala BIO or others within Sweden.

Financing: Vinnova (Case ID.: 2008-033770)
Project duration: 2009–2011
Uppsala BIO’s role: Project leader

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2010  EU support function for SMEs

During 2009–2010, Uppsala BIO carried out a pilot project together with about ten regional companies. The goal of the project, which was coordinated with Sweden BIO in order to complement ongoing activities on a national level, was to investigate and confirm the need of small companies for qualified support in attracting EU funding.

This need was indeed confirmed. However, due to priorities, Uppsala BIO could not carry out its long-term implementation. Instead, an agreement was signed with newly-assigned EU coordinators at Uppsala University allowing them to support small companies in contact with the university’s researchers. No special EU support function for SMEs was therefore established in Uppsala. Uppsala University and Sweden BIO host such initiatives instead.

Financing: Uppsala BIO*
Project duration: 2009–2010
Uppsala BIO’s role: Project leader

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2010  Project management coaching for industry and education

Good project managers are needed in industry and the universities. Uppsala BIO therefore, together with external expertise, developed a program to help project managers in biotechnology and life science become even better at their task (traditional education and methods do not always work efficiently in the biotechnology sector).

The first class to complete the program received their diplomas from County Governor Anders Björk in January 2006 and the fifth in the spring of 2008. Courses continued during 2010, focusing on project work and leadership, i.e. how to manage projects and the people in and around them. The participants’ own experiences and projects give others the opportunity to learn more about leading people and running projects in their specialist areas and make them more secure in their manager role.

Financial: Uppsala BIO*
Project duration: 2006–2010
Uppsala BIO’s role: Project leader

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2010  Innovation Akademiska stage 2 – test-bed for medical technology

During 2008–2009, following requests from industry, Uppsala University Hospital and the government inquiry ‘Collaboration in Clinical Research’, Uppsala BIO assumed a leading role in establishing a test-bed at the hospital for medical technology companies. Funding was secured in early 2009 and Innovation Akademiska got under way. Uppsala BIO was especially active in the early establishment phase up to 2010-2011, by which time the project’s operations had matured. Today, Innovation Akademiska is an integral part of Uppsala University Hospital.

Financing: Uppsala BIO* / Vinnova (Case ID: 2009-01488),
the government inquiry Collaboration in Clinical Research
Project duration: 2008–2010
Uppsala BIO’s role: Coordinator of inquiry and start-up funding for Innovation Akademiska

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2009  Innovation Akademiska stage 1 – entrepreneurship process

In 2008, in collaboration with Uppsala University Hospital, Almi Företagspartner and others, Uppsala BIO led a project to support hospital employees transfer their innovative ideas into products or services that could be used in routine clinical practice. Uppsala BIO led the project, initially called ‘The Innovative Hospital’, from its start until the end of 2009, when ownership was transferred to the university hospital.

Financing: Uppsala BIO*
Project duration: 2008–2009
Uppsala BIO’s role: Project leader

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