Umeå Biotech Incubator to open northern Sweden’s first life science networking pub

The northern Sweden’s first networking pub for people working in the life science industry will open its doors in Umeå on November 23rd. Behind the initiative is Umeå Biotech Incubator, which has previously been named Europe’s most innovative life science incubator.

“In Umeå we think it is important to ‘pay it forward’. We want to help and support one another and create a strong sense of unity and community. In order to succeed, we need to get to know each other”, says Jennie Ekbeck, CEO of Umeå Biotech Incubator.

The life science pub will be hosted at Umeå’s Norrlandsoperan, and is open to everyone connected to life science, including representatives from academia, industry and the healthcare sector.

“So far around 200 people have registered, which is significantly more than we had dared hope for”, says Jennie Ekbeck.

The life science pub will be an informal meeting place, where bridges can be built between the business community and public authorities and figures. The ambition is to create the right conditions for collaborations that will contribute to a more sustainable development of life science in the Västerbotten region.

“The large number of registered attendees proves that it is not just us who have missed having a local meeting place for our life science colleagues”, says Jennie Ekbeck.

The life science industry has seen significant growth in Västerbotten over the last decade.

“To create a successful industry we must have a good communication flow. Now that the industry is growing we need to do all we can to encourage conversations and dialogue. I really hope that visitors to the pub feel comfortable enough to speak to someone they have not previously spoken to before”, says Jennie Ekbeck.

She also hopes the pub night can become a regular event, and that more parties will get involved in hosting it.

“Our ambition is for the life science industry in the Västerbotten region to generate SEK 1 billion a year and employ 1,000 people by 2030. If everything continues according to plan we will far exceed this target. It is an industry where there’s a lot going on. That’s why we think it’s the perfect time to arrange a pub night where we can get to meet each other”, says Jennie Ekbeck.

For further information, please contact:

Jennie Ekbeck, CEO of Umeå Biotech Incubator

+46 90-15 49 77

jennie.ekbeck@ubi.se