Umeå Biotech Incubator

UMEÅ = BEST IN SWEDEN! 🏆 Umeå kommun has been named the best municipality to live in Sweden by Fokus magazine. What a piece of news to kick off the vacation with! https://lnkd.in/dB5dX7Bd ✨ At Umeå Biotech Incubator, we started our last weekly meeting before summer vacation with a Corner Hole game - and now we want to thank everyone for an eventful and inspiring first half of 2024. 🎯 Here (and in the photo gallery) are some UBI highlights from January to June. 🎇 We launched our new EU project, Life Science City. Check out our guide to Umeå: https://lnkd.in/eWU4CF_2 💥 The event Open Up for Innovation brought together 100 participants from academia and industry to promote innovation and collaboration. 🧨We were recognized by the Financial Times as one of Europe's leading startup hubs. 🙌 We had 400 visitors at our Job Fair, featuring 19 companies and a specially curated fair magazine. 🔬 A life science super day with Umeås first ever Lab Fair, followed by a packed Life Science Pub. 🎈 In total, we've had around 1,000 visitors/participants at events/networks arranged/coordinated by us during the spring. 📈 Many of our incubator companies are making strides. Jonathan Love has exciting developments underway with Cropcision, Daniel Pacurar has started a major moss project with four mining companies, Metacurum Biotech (welcome to LinkedIn!) and QureTech Bio AB are raising capital, and Mucocort AB is gearing up for clinical trials. 🎉 This spring, we also welcomed Christian Hedberg and his CryptoSafe project to UBI, with more exciting cases on the horizon. 🌍 This spring, we have participated in events, conferences, and visits in London, Oxford, Tromsø, Boden, Stockholm, and Uppsala to make new connections and sharpen our business coaching skills. ✅ Since New Year's, we have published 96 posts on LinkedIn and now have nearly 3,000 followers. ☀ We wish you all a wonderful summer and look forward to seeing you again in August! All the best, Team Umeå Biotech Incubator #umeåmerlifescience

✨ Umeå University is a dynamic and vibrant university. The new Cancer Research School, unique in Sweden and open for PhD students nationwide, is a new testament to Umeå universitet's commitment to cancer research. 👇👇👇 #umeåmerlifescience

PEER INPUT 📣 👂 for DEVELOPMENT 📈. Yesterday Umeå Biotech Incubator was happy to have GU Ventures and UIC - Uppsala Innovation Centre scrutinizing our processes and operations in a peer review led by Jonas Michanek SISP - Swedish Incubators & Science Parks. It is invaluable to have our peers from other innovation ecosystems giving their insights on how we can develop our work at UBI. New ideas and valuable examples, references and connections we can use to make UBI the Biotech Hub of Northern Scandinavia! Thank you Klementina Österberg Niclas Stjernberg Cecilia Bröms-Thell Catharina Axelzon Popovic Sofia Ström 🙏 #umeamerlifescience

Traditional ”Jordgubbsfika” today at UBI for all the companies in the building. Summer’s here! 🍓☀️😀

🚀 New Case at UBI Aims to Bring Cryptosporidiosis Treatment to Market 🚀 Christian Hedberg, Professor of Organic Chemistry at Umeå universitet, is developing a groundbreaking drug with the potential to revolutionize the treatment of cryptosporidiosis worldwide. 🎯 Currently, there is no effective curative treatment for this parasitic disease, which affects both animals and humans. Recognizing this urgent need, Christian has joined Umeå Biotech Incubator with the project "CryptoSafe" to bring this vital treatment to market. 🌍 Global Impact 🌍 🐄Agriculture: Approximately 30% of calves in the global agricultural industry are affected by cryptosporidiosis within the first six weeks of life. 👶Human Health: In developing countries in Africa and Southeast Asia, around 130,000 children die each year from cryptosporidiosis before their second birthday. 🔬 Expert Collaboration 🔬 Professor Hedberg is collaborating with Fabrice Laurent, Head of Research at France's National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE). 📣 “Without Fabrice Laurent's expertise in cryptosporidium biology and access to biosecurity level 2 facilities for large animals, we would never have been able to conduct this research,” states Christian Hedberg. 📈 Promising Results 📈 The team has achieved proof of concept using a ruminant model with newborn lambs. “The treatment is highly effective with an excellent safety index and no signs of side effects. It can be used both preventively and as a curative treatment for ongoing infections, which is exactly what the agricultural industry needs,” says Christian. 💡 Human Applications 💡 “Our indications suggest that this treatment also works in humans. While the road to market is longer, the potential is enormous, particularly for those in regions heavily impacted by the disease,” Christian concludes. ✨We are excited to have Christian Hedberg on board and look forward to following and supporting the development of this new treatment! 👇Read the full article, link in the comments. 📸 Mattias Pettersson/Umeå Universitet. #umeåmerlifescience #cryptosporidiosis #cryptosporidium

MORE UMEÅ IN THE ROYAL SWEDISH ACADEMY OF SCIENCES ✨ Beatrice Melin, Professor of Oncology at the Department of Diagnostic and Intervention at Umeå universitet and Senior Consultant at Norrlands Universitetssjukhus, has been elected a new member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences class for medical sciences. 🎯 Professor Melin, who was elected to the Swedish Government’s Advisory Life Science Group earlier this year, is the fourth person from Umeå University to join the class for medical sciences, alongside Helena Edlund, Thomas Olivecrona, and Roland S. Johansson. 🎉Congratulations, Beatrice (and Umeå University) on a new honorable assignment! 👑 PS. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences was founded in 1739 and is an independent organisation, whose overall objective is to promote the sciences and strengthen their influence in society. https://lnkd.in/dgAaXMMN #umeåmerlifescience #lifescience

✨ Dental Tribune International reports on Mucocort AB's new treatment for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) with an intra-oral patch. ✅ The article highlights Mucocort's innovative solution and the upcoming clinical trial, conducted in collaboration with Oral Care AB. The patch will be produced by AURENA Laboratories AB in Sweden. 🎯 The recognition from one of the leading dental news sites underscores the UBI supported Mucocort's potential impact on improving RAS patient care. Read the full article where Jean Lycke and Mats Jontell are interviewed👇 #umeåmerlifescience #lifescience #mouthulcers https://lnkd.in/dBRkQj3a

HILOPROBE SECURES 3 MSEK TO KICKSTART SALES INITIATION. 🎉 Good news from Umeå! HiloProbe has successfully raised an additional SEK 3 Million from existing owners. This capital injection marks a significant step towards achieving the next milestone. 📣"The main focus of this capital injection is to initiate sales, enabling us to attract a larger amount of capital. We anticipate reaching a break-even point following this phase," says Lina Olsson, CEO of HiloProbe, a UBI alumni. 🎯 HiloProbe’s product, ColoNode, is a cutting-edge reagent kit that utilizes molecular technology, RT-PCR, and associated web-based software to analyze lymph nodes after colorectal cancer surgeries. ✨Partnerinvest Norr, a key investor since 2018, continues to support HiloProbe in this journey, contributing to the capital boost. 📣"We believe that HiloProbe has a strong potential to enhance cancer care and achieve commercial success", says Mattias Eriksson, investment manager at Partnerinvest Norr. 🙌 Keep up the good work, HiloProbe! #umeåmerlifescience #colorectalcancer #cancerdiagnostics

UBI POSTCARD FROM TROMSØ! ✨Last week, UBI's business coach Andreas Lindberg visited Tromsø, invited by ProTromsø AS to promote networking and collaboration in the Arctic region. This was part of an EU project, Team Nordic Arctic, involving Umeå kommun, Tromsø, and Oulu and the focus was on life sciences and the gaming industry. ✅Back in Umeå, we asked Andreas some questions about his impressions: ❓Can you describe your activities at the meeting in Tromsø? 📣 ”I presented Umeå Biotech Incubator, Umeå’s Life Science industry, and our efforts to advance it through the Life Science City project. There are many exciting developments in Norway's biotech scene, but Sweden has a longer tradition and more experience in commercializing research in this field, which we are happy to share”. 📣”Line Kjelstrup from Biotech North introduced Tromsø’s “Blue Biotech” industry, which revolves around "Marine Bioprospecting." This involves studying marine organisms for applications in life sciences. A fascinating example was given by Jeanette Hammer Andersen from KinSea Lead Discovery AS / Marbio, about a preclinical project on FLT3 inhibitors for treating blood cancer. I also learned about Norinnova AS’ work (TTO/incubator), met with Ole from Zooca - The Calanus Company and Rune from Marealis AS, and visited ArcticZymes, which produces enzymes replicated from marine organisms.” ❓Is there a history of collaborations between Umeå and Tromsö? 📣 ”Yes, between the chemistry departments, including Peik Haugen from UiT- The Arctic University of Norway and Fredrik Almqvist from Umeå universitet, although no current project is active. There has also been joint work on antimicrobial research, with Jörgen Johansson from UmU still serving on the scientific advisory board for CANS at UiT.” ❓ Moving forward, what potential collaborations do you see between Umeå and Tromsø? 📣 ”Between the academic institutions, combining UiT’s marine bioprospecting expertise with Umeå’s knowledge in chemistry and drug development. There are also possibilities between ArcticZymes, and Umeå-based startups/companies in utilizing enzymes in biotech.” ❓ What other insights did you gain from your visit to northern Norway? 📣 ”The collaboration model between UiT and ArcticZymes is interesting from a regional perspective - they work closely together, benefiting UiT's research, enhancing innovation, and supporting ArcticZymes, which benefits the entire Tromsø community. In Umeå, we have plans to strengthen regional collaboration, initiated with the Open up for Innovation project earlier this year. More information on this will be shared soon…” ❓ Finally, did you engage in any outdoor activities in northern Norway? 📣 ”Yes! I took the chance to go kayaking on the sea under the midnight sun, surrounded by fjords and mountains - it was MAGICAL!" #umeåmerlifescience #biotech

LIFE SCIENCE UMEÅ BOOSTED BY TWO EU PROJECTS. 🎯Life Science Umeå is really making strides. In addition to the municipality's new establishment strategy, the cutting-edge research at the university, and the flourishing industry, two ongoing regional development projects aim to boost innovation, collaboration, and industry growth. 💰The projects receive around €1.8 million (22 million SEK) in EU support. ✨Umeå Biotech Incubator runs ”Life Science City” to further propel Umeå’s life science industry and foster innovation and collaboration. 🤝The SOLH (Support Office Life science and Health) project is a collaborative effort between Umeå universitet, Region Västerbotten, Region Norrbotten, Luleå tekniska universitet, Umeå University Holding, and the municipalities, Skellefteå kommun and Umeå kommun. ✅SOLH addresses the need for a more streamlined and unified innovation system within life sciences across northern Sweden. 📣“It’s exciting to see the investment in two new life science development projects in Umeå and the surrounding region. When you factor in co-financing, the total amount is more than doubled. This commitment will fuel progress on all fronts,” says Peter Jacobsson, Operations Coordinator at UBI. 📣“We already possess a well-established collaborative foundation, and with these two projects combined, we, and hopefully the entire industry, will emerge even stronger,” states Mats Falck, project leader for SOLH. #umeåmerlifescience #lifescience https://lnkd.in/gKtZEG9h