At yesterday’s Afternoon Tea hosted by Stockholm Science City at Urban Deli in Forskaren, key stakeholders from business, public sector, and the investor community gathered to discuss the state of Hagastaden’s life science sector – and the outlook is very promising.
Strong Growth and Forward Momentum.
Strong Growth and Forward Momentum.
A fresh report reveals that there are now 120 active life science companies in Hagastaden (2023). The largest group is pharma (50 companies), followed closely by biotech and medtech (38 each). Combined, these companies generated a turnover of SEK 24 billion in 2023 – more than double the amount from 2022. Employment is also on the rise, with nearly 3,000 employees, an increase of 700 new jobs in just one year.
Looking ahead, the growth trend continues:
Looking ahead, the growth trend continues:
- 54% of companies plan to hire more staff
- 27% intend to bring in more consultants
- 23% report needing additional office space
Following the report presentation, a high-level panel discussion took place, moderated by Ylva Williams, CEO of Stockholm Science City. Panelists included Johan Christenson (Partner, HealthCap and Chairman of Stockholm Science City), Staffan Ingvarsson (CEO, Stockholm Business Region), and Jessica Martinsson (CEO, SwedenBIO).
The discussion addressed both opportunities and challenges:
The discussion addressed both opportunities and challenges:
- How do inflation and global trends affect life science investments?
- How can we further strengthen the Hagastaden ecosystem?
- What’s needed to better involve healthcare in the innovation process?
A recurring theme was the need for stronger collaboration between healthcare, business, and academia. To enable more clinical studies, we need time, incentives, and clear requirements – but also a culture of trust and cooperation. One of the biggest barriers for smaller companies is patient recruitment, which can make or break the feasibility of studies.
Investors and Tech Talent as the Next Piece of the Puzzle?
Investors and Tech Talent as the Next Piece of the Puzzle?
The panel also highlighted the scarcity of dedicated life science investors in Stockholm. However, there’s significant potential to attract the city’s many strong tech investors and entrepreneurs to the space. Swedish tech has a track record of entering new sectors – now it’s time for them to see the opportunities in life science.
Hagastaden is increasingly positioned as an international hub for Life Science innovation, but to reach the next level, we need joint efforts to build bridges, lower barriers to clinical studies, and open the doors to new talent and capital.
See the full report here
See the full report here
