WiLD’s expansion further strengthens its ambition to contribute to a more inclusive and competitive Nordic life sciences ecosystem by supporting and empowering women in life sciences, they state. The launch of WiLD Finland builds on the network’s established presence in Denmark and Norway, and its close collaboration with its Swedish sister organization, VILDA (Leading Women in Life Science, Sweden). Together, these organizations form a growing Nordic network focused on strengthening diversity, leadership and cross-border collaboration within the life sciences sector.

“From the beginning, WiLD was founded with a Nordic ambition. Today, with active organizations in Denmark and Norway, close collaboration with VILDA in Sweden, and now the launch of WiLD Finland, we are building a strong, science-centric Nordic network for women in life sciences. By collaborating across countries, we can increase visibility of female role models, share best practices, and accelerate progress toward more diverse leadership in our sector,” said Dr. Lene Gerlach, Founder and Chair of WiLD Denmark.

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The official launch

The official launch took place on Wednesday, 21 January 2026, at an invitation-only leadership event hosted by Innovestor and The Embassy of Denmark in Helsinki, Finland. The launch event will briught together senior female leaders from across Finland’s life sciences ecosystem to introduce WiLD’s mission, peer groups, and mentoring activities, demonstrating how a Nordic network can support leadership development and systemic change.

“Strong Nordic cooperation is essential to building competitive and sustainable life sciences ecosystems. Initiatives such as WiLD play a significant role in strengthening cross-border collaboration while promoting greater diversity in leadership. I am pleased to host the launch of WiLD Finland at the Embassy and to support an initiative that brings together senior female leaders from across Denmark and Finland,” stated H.E. Jakob Nymann-Lindegren, Danish Ambassador to Finland.

Milla Koistinaho will assume the role of Chair of WiLD Finland

The event will feature presentations by Dr. Lene Gerlach, Founder and Chair of WiLD Denmark, and Dr. Milla Koistinaho, Adjunct Professor in Neurobiology and Founding Partner at Innovestor Life Science, who will assume the role of Chair of WiLD Finland.

“Finland has a strong and international competitive life sciences ecosystem, yet women remain underrepresented in senior leadership roles. WiLD Finland has been established to address this gap by creating a trusted, highlevel network where women leaders can connect, share experiences, and support one another across sectors and borders. I am proud to introduce WiLD to Finland and bolster the strong Nordic collaboration already in place,” stated Dr. Milla Koistinaho, upcoming Chair of WiLD Finland.

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