Umeå Biotech Incubator (UBI) is launching the ‘UBI International Coaching Program’, with the first course starting on October 24th.

“If you strive to be one of the world’s best incubators you must have the whole world as your marketplace”, says Jennie Ekbeck, CEO of UBI. “Our role is to help companies develop solutions that meet a verified and significant need in the global healthcare market. No matter where in the world you have your idea, it is the same market you are working with, and the same questions you need to answer in order to develop your idea.”

Six available places on the 17-week course

The UBI International Coaching Program is a pre-incubator program, where startups and innovators will receive coaching from UBI’s business coaches to identify the need for their concepts and determine what the market and competition look like, describes UBI in its press release. There are six available places on the 17-week course, which includes lectures, group seminars and individual coaching.

“Unlike Swedish startups and innovators, who are financed via various public funds and schemes, participants in the international program are required to pay a fee.”

Unlike Swedish startups and innovators, who are financed via various public funds and schemes, participants in the international program are required to pay a fee.

An annual intake

The new program targets early-stage startups, but there are already plans to develop it further.

“If we open the door to the world, we hope in the long run that the world’s innovators will come to Umeå in even greater numbers than they do today.”

“The idea is that after the pre-incubator we will start an international incubator program with an annual intake. If we open the door to the world, we hope in the long run that the world’s innovators will come to Umeå in even greater numbers than they do today,” says Ekbeck. “The pandemic contributed to expanding the world’s digital capabilities. So it is nothing new for us to coach remotely. We have successfully worked this way with Swedish companies, and now we want to take it a step further.”

Photo of Jennie Ekbeck: Malin Grönborg