Uppsala Innovation Centre (UIC) has signed an agreement with the newly established Turku Life Science accelerator, the first Finnish accelerator with a life science focus.
The aim with the collaboration is to increase the possibilities for synergies, business and knowledge exchange betwwen companies in Finland and Sweden. UIC and Turku Life Science accelerator has signed a letter of intent in order to facilitate new collaborations between both newly established and estabished companies. For example, UIC mentions genetic engineering as a field where the region of Turku and South East Finland is very strong and of interest for their companies.
The collaboration offers possibilities for companies to establish outside Sweden both close to their own market.
“The collaboration also means that UIC will be able to extend its network of business coaches, which will benefit both companies in our regions as well as companies in Turku,” says Helena Ströberg, UIC.
The Turku Life Science Accelerator serves primarily innovations within pharma development, diagnostics and related areas, and is a new concept in Finland. It will also enhance university and hospital innovation processes from activation to identification of promising projects. The operational core is at a systematic development towards business derived goals, with strong emphasis on tailored, intensive mentoring and coaching of selected research groups as well as early stage growth companies. It initially starts as an ERDF-funded pilot project, running until end of 2018. The project will create a novel collaboration platform between universities, companies and development organizations in Southwest Finland to enable an efficient operational model for the Life Science Accelerator. The project is coordinated by Turku Science Park Oy in cooperation with Turku University of Applied Sciences Ltd, University of Turku, Southwest Finland Hospital District and Åbo Akademi University. To start with, the target area for the Accelerator is primarily in Southwest Finland to gain experience. When moving forward the activities will cover entire Finland through national cooperation.
