GU Ventures and NMS strengthen ties with the Swiss life science ecosystem

Last week, NMS and GU Ventures visited Switzerland to establish new connections and strengthen ties between the innovation ecosystems in Sweden and Switzerland. The visit included meetings in Basel, home to one of Europe’s most concentrated life science clusters, as well as participation in Swiss Nordic Bio in Zurich.

Read this news in Swedish HERE

The visit was organised by Eduarde Rohner, Business Developer at GU Ventures and is Project Lead for New Modality Support (NMS), an initiative led by GU Ventures to support the further development and commercialisation of research projects in areas including therapeutic oligonucleotides and Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs).

Through NMS, GU Ventures brings together expertise and resources from organisations including CCRM Nordic, OligoNova, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital. The visit to Switzerland formed part of the initiative’s work to build international relationships, exchange knowledge and create new opportunities for research-based innovations in the field.

During the visit, the delegation met with the Innovation Office at the University of Basel, at Switzerland Innovation Park Basel. The group had the opportunity to learn more about the regional innovation ecosystem and exchange experiences on how universities, industry, investors and other stakeholders collaborate to support research, innovation and entrepreneurship.

The Basel region has developed into one of Europe’s leading life science clusters, with more than 800 companies and around 33,000 people working in the sector. Global pharmaceutical companies such as Roche and Novartis operate alongside biotech and medtech companies, startups, investors and leading research environments.

“What really sets Basel apart is the remarkable concentration of expertise within life science. In a relatively small geographical area, there are more than 800 companies and around 33,000 people working in the sector. This creates an environment where research, expertise, capital and industry are all in close proximity. For us, it is valuable to build relationships here and explore how we can create stronger connections between our respective ecosystems”, says Fredrik Wångsell, Business Developer at GU Ventures, who is also active at the Oligonova Research Centre.

New connections for future collaborations

The primary purpose of the visit was to build long-term relationships and identify opportunities for future collaboration between stakeholders in Switzerland and Sweden. For GU Ventures, international networks are an important part of creating better opportunities for research-based innovations from the University of Gothenburg to develop and reach international markets.

The visit continued to Zurich and Swiss Nordic Bio 2026, a meeting place that brings together life science companies, investors and industry representatives from Switzerland, Austria and the Nordic countries. Several GU Ventures portfolio companies attended the conference, including Serial X and OnDosis.

By establishing connections with international innovation ecosystems, universities, investors and industry, GU Ventures aims to create more pathways to international markets for companies and research-based innovations originating from the University of Gothenburg.