Rigshospitalet
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An international life science incubator in Copenhagen, Denmark
Collaborations
Collaborations
Our community collaborations
When joining the BII programs, start-ups become part of an international community focused on bringing ideas to life and science to the market.
In collaboration with our partners, we are looking to create value for the companies in BII’s programs and the ecosystem we are a part of. The partnerships are designed to support start-ups in their journey – and essentially increase the life science start-ups’ likelihood of success.
Meet our partners below and click on the read more button to find out more about what they offer start-ups in BII’s community.
University and hospital collaborations
Rigshospitalet is the University Hospital of Copenhagen with specialized treatment, research and education at the highest international level. Through a strong focus on innovation, developing new treatments, services and solutions for better healthcare, the hospital seeks to benefit patients across the world, by being a global pioneer in future healthcare.
The hospital have established a structured process for innovation support, where clinicians receive help from a dedicated team of innovation consultants to convert their research in to new medical solutions. The aim is to take an active part in designing and developing future healthcare solutions together with startups and industry, that can bring products to market and scale to make a global impact.
Bispebjerg Hospital is one of the hospitals in the Capital Region of Denmark. Along with a number of other hospitals and the University of Copenhagen (the Faculty of Health Sciences), Bispebjerg Hospital forms part of the Copenhagen University Hospital. read more on their homepage here.
Technical University of Denmark – DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear vision to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That vision lives on today.
Find more information about them here.
The University of Copenhagen was founded in 1479 by the Danish king Christian 1, and today has 37,500 students and 9,000 employees – of whom some 5,000 are researchers – and revenues of DKK 9.1 billion. Nine Nobel Prizes have been awarded to researchers at the University. The University of Copenhagen consistently ranks as the top university in Denmark and Scandinavia.
Find more information about them here.
Aarhus University (AU) is one of Denmark’s largest research and teaching hubs, with its main campus in downtown Aarhus. Rooted in strong disciplines, researchers and students have been generating new knowledge here for over 90 years. Aarhus University has 38,000 students, five faculties, research activities all over the country and campuses in Aarhus, Herning and Emdrup.
Research and education of the highest international quality are at the core of our mission, and strong partnerships with our society are at the heart of our activities. Thanks to our size and reputation as a leading research-intensive university, Aarhus University has strong impact and influence across the entire spectrum of disciplines, locally, nationally and globally.
Among more than 17,000 universities worldwide, Aarhus University is in the top 100 on several of the international rankings, and with its recently launched business collaboration and innovation initiative, Aarhus University will create even more tangible value for society.
Find more information about them here.
Industry collaborations
Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company, founded in 1923 and headquartered in Denmark. Our purpose is to drive change to defeat diabetes and other serious chronic diseases such as obesity and rare blood and endocrine disorders. We do so by pioneering scientific breakthroughs, expanding access to our medicines and working to prevent and ultimately cure disease. Novo Nordisk employs about 45,000 people in 80 countries and markets its products in around 170 countries. Novo Nordisk’s B shares are listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen (Novo-B). Its ADRs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NVO).
Find more information about them here.
Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a research-driven, specialty biopharmaceutical group committed to helping people around the world build families and live better lives. Headquartered in St-Prex, Switzerland, Ferring is a leader in reproductive medicine and women’s health, and in specialty areas within gastroenterology and urology. Ferring has been developing treatments for mothers and babies for over 50 years and has a portfolio covering treatments from conception to birth. Founded in 1950, privately-owned Ferring now employs around 6,000 people worldwide, has its own operating subsidiaries in nearly 60 countries, and markets its products in 110 countries.
Find more information about them here.
Ferring Pharmaceuticals is an Industrial Partner.
Program Advisory Group - Therapeutics
BII’s program advisory group / financing (VC) partnerships are focused on improving the likelihood of successful exits for our start-ups. The program advisory group of internationally-oriented VC companies are advising BII in the selection of start-ups for our programs.
Abingworth is a leading transatlantic life sciences investment firm. They help transform cutting-edge science into novel medicines by providing capital and expertise to top calibre management teams building world-class companies.
Since 1973, Abingworth has invested in 168 life science companies, leading to 44 M&As and 69 IPOs. Their therapeutic focused investments fall into 3 categories: seed and early-stage, development stage, and clinical co-development.
Find more information about them here.
Novo Seeds is the early stage investment arm of Novo Holdings. Novo Holdings is recognized as a leading international life science investor, with a focus on creating long-term value. As a life science investor, Novo Holdings provides seed and venture capital to development-stage companies and takes significant ownership positions in growth and well-established companies. Novo Holdings also manages a broad portfolio of diversified financial assets.
Find more information about them here.
Novo Holdings is part of the Therapeutics, HealthTech and BioIndustrial Program Advisory Group.
Sofinnova Partners is a leading European venture capital firm specialized in Life Sciences. Based in Paris, France, with offices in London and Milan, the firm brings together a team of 40 professionals from all over Europe, the U.S. and Asia. The firm focuses on paradigm-shifting technologies alongside visionary entrepreneurs. Sofinnova Partners invests across the Life Sciences value chain as a lead or cornerstone investor, from very early-stage opportunities to late-stage/public companies. It has backed nearly 500 companies over more than 48 years, creating market leaders around the globe. Today, Sofinnova Partners has over €2 billion under management.
Find more information about them here.
Sofinnova Partners is part of the Therapeutics, HealthTech and BioIndustrial Program Advisory Group.
SR One is the corporate venture capital arm of GlaxoSmithKline. The firm invests globally in emerging life science companies pursuing innovative science to significantly impact medical care. SR One’s team of investment professionals, located in the US and UK, have experience spanning basic science, drug development and commercialization. We take an active role in our portfolio companies and work with management teams and our fellow venture investors to create significant value. In its 30+ year history, SR One has invested >$1.1 billion in close to 190 companies, and its current portfolio includes 40+ private and public investments.
Find more information about them here‘
SR One is part of the Therapeutics Program Advisory Group.
Program Advisory Group - BioIndustrials
BII’s program advisory group / financing (VC) partnerships are focused on improving the likelihood of successful exists for our start-ups. The program advisory group of internationally-oriented VC companies are advising BII in the selection of start-ups for our programs.
Founded in 2007, Redalpine is a leading European early-stage venture capital investment company, managing currently six venture funds. Redalpine has a sector-agnostic focus and the diverse team supports more than 70 portfolio companies, not only financially but also with its in-house operational and subject matter expertise and its extensive international network. Redalpine’s ambition is to help talented entrepreneurs turn their visions into reality and scale their businesses into global success stories. Redalpine is based in Zurich, Switzerland
Wellington Partners is a leading European Venture Capital firm investing in early – and growth stage life science companies. Wellington Partners is focused on investing in the most promising life science companies in the fields of biotechnology, therapeutics, medical technology, diagnostics and digital health. With funds totalling EUR 1 billion, and more than EUR 400 million committed to Life Sciences, Wellington Partners has been actively supporting world class private companies translating true innovation into successful businesses with exceptional growth. To date, Wellington Partners has invested in more than 40 innovative life science companies, including Actelion (acquired by J&J), Definiens (acquired by AZ/Medimmune), Invendo (acquired by Ambu), MTM laboratories (acquired by Roche), Rigontec (acquired by MSD), Symetis (acquired by Boston Scientific), Themis (acquired by MSD), Immatics and AMBOSS.
Wellington Partners is part of the BioIndustrial Program Advisory Group.
Find more information about them here.
Novo Seeds is the early stage investment arm of Novo Holdings. Novo Holdings is recognized as a leading international life science investor, with a focus on creating long-term value. As a life science investor, Novo Holdings provides seed and venture capital to development-stage companies and takes significant ownership positions in growth and well-established companies. Novo Holdings also manages a broad portfolio of diversified financial assets.
Find more information about them here.
Novo Holdings is part of the Therapeutics, HealthTech and BioIndustrial Program Advisory Group.
Sofinnova Partners is a leading European venture capital firm specialized in Life Sciences. Based in Paris, France, with offices in London and Milan, the firm brings together a team of 40 professionals from all over Europe, the U.S. and Asia. The firm focuses on paradigm-shifting technologies alongside visionary entrepreneurs. Sofinnova Partners invests across the Life Sciences value chain as a lead or cornerstone investor, from very early-stage opportunities to late-stage/public companies. It has backed nearly 500 companies over more than 48 years, creating market leaders around the globe. Today, Sofinnova Partners has over €2 billion under management.
Find more information about them here.
Sofinnova Partners is part of the Therapeutics, HealthTech and BioIndustrial Program Advisory Group.
The March Fund (“TMF”) – Technology. Food. Health. TMF is a technology venture capital fund dedicated to the transformation of the multi-trillion- dollar food industry and the expanding global health opportunity this represents. Our focus is on breakthrough technologies and defensible intellectual assets that can be rapidly commercialized and scaled to create healthier and affordable nutrition solutions.
The Founding Partners are Harold Schmitz Ph.D. (Senior Scholar at the Graduate School of Management, University of California, Davis; Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and former Chief Science Officer at Mars, Incorporated), and Christopher Lai (former Director at Horizons Ventures and former Co-Chairman of Celsius Holdings NASDAQ:CELH).
They have established unique collaborations with a world-class network of universities, companies, researchers, innovators, and industry experts. TMF has unparalleled access to the most exciting technologies, early-stage companies, and founders defining the role of food in the new economy of health.
The March Fund is part of BII’s BioIndustrial Program Advisory Group.
Find out more information about them here.
Program Advisory Group - Health Tech
BII’s program advisory group / financing (VC) partnerships are focused on improving the likelihood of successful exists for our start-ups. The program advisory group of internationally-oriented VC companies are advising BII in the selection of start-ups for our programs.
Novo Seeds is the early stage investment arm of Novo Holdings. Novo Holdings is recognized as a leading international life science investor, with a focus on creating long-term value. As a life science investor, Novo Holdings provides seed and venture capital to development-stage companies and takes significant ownership positions in growth and well-established companies. Novo Holdings also manages a broad portfolio of diversified financial assets.
Find more information about them here.
Novo Holdings is part of the Therapeutics, HealthTech and BioIndustrial Program Advisory Group.
Sofinnova Partners is a leading European venture capital firm specialized in Life Sciences. Based in Paris, France, with offices in London and Milan, the firm brings together a team of 40 professionals from all over Europe, the U.S. and Asia. The firm focuses on paradigm-shifting technologies alongside visionary entrepreneurs. Sofinnova Partners invests across the Life Sciences value chain as a lead or cornerstone investor, from very early-stage opportunities to late-stage/public companies. It has backed nearly 500 companies over more than 48 years, creating market leaders around the globe. Today, Sofinnova Partners has over €2 billion under management.
Find more information about them here.
Sofinnova Partners is part of the Therapeutics, HealthTech and BioIndustrial Program Advisory Group.
BioVentures MedTech Funds invests in leading-edge medical technologies. Founded by the highly experienced team of BioVentures Investors, BioVentures MedTech Growth Capital Fund and BioVentures MedTech Innovation Fund target companies developing next-generation implantable and disposable devices, diagnostics, imaging, and digital health.
BioVentures Investors is part of the HealthTech Program Advisory Group.
Find more information about them here.
Rock Health exists to fund and support entrepreneurs working at the intersection of healthcare and technology. Put simply, Rock Health’s mandate is impact. Rock Health want to make healthcare massively better for every human being—driving down the cost to deliver improved services to more people. Massively better means incredible change—it’s improvement by an order of magnitude or more along every dimension—healthcare that is incredibly functional, reliable, convenient, and yes, inexpensive.
Find more information about them here.
Program collaborations
BII’s business acceleration partnerships are focused on improving the journey of our start-ups by providing them with tools and expertise.
Merck has 58,000 employees in 66 countries and provides solutions for problems in life science in collaboration with the global scientific community. Their tools, services & digital platforms empower scientists at every stage, helping deliver therapies.
Merck collaborates with BII’s lab team to ensure that equipment and consumables are available to BII’s start-ups. As a part of BII’s network and the life science ecosystem, Merck also facilitates access to its internal network of experienced profiles in life sciences.
Read about Merck’s many innovation programs here.
To learn more about Merck, click here.
The Freemind Group turns non-dilutive funding into a strategic source of funding for life science organizations. Established in 1999, FreeMind is the largest consulting group of its kind, working with academics and industry alike.
Read this article on the Freemind Group’s work for BII’s start-ups.
If you want to know more about the Freemind Group, click here.
Bech-Bruun is a market-oriented Danish law firm offering a wide range of specialist advisory services. Among other areas, Bech-Bruun is leading within data protection, IP, life sciences and patents. Bech-Bruun offers free legal counselling in this very field to start-ups funded by BII, so that the start-ups can feel confident that they have the right legal foundation from the beginning of the start-up journey. Here, a strong and broad data and IP foundation is vital for ensuring successful spin-out.
Find more information about them here: https://www.bechbruun.com/.
Back Bay’s expert guidance to companies at the earliest stages nourishes insight into the most promising science and technologies in development. They couple this with an exceptional understanding of development strategies globally, resulting in a true partnership for every stage of development.
Back Bay advisors and bankers bring their unique perspective through landscape analyses and patient journey, inflection points, capital raise planning, partnering, exit strategies, and much more. They can help figure out what to do and then get it done.
Find more information about them here.
As an innovation-driven and customer-focused company, WuXi AppTec helps its partners improve the productivity of advancing healthcare products through cost-effective and efficient solutions. WuXi AppTec’s open-access platform is enabling more than 4,100 collaborators from over 30 countries to improve the health of those in need.
Find more information about them here.
Coulter Partners is a board and senior level executive search specialist focused exclusively on global Life Sciences. From their offices in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific, they work together across boundaries and disciplines to build outstanding leadership teams for their clients in the pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, diagnostics, health tech, CRO and services sectors. Their industry leading reputation is founded on deep sector knowledge and innovative thinking. Their strategy is built on a unique team culture and true global reach.
“Our goal is to bring you the world’s best talent.”
Find more information about them here
Innovayt helps BII start-ups and researchers obtain funding for their projects through high-quality grant and funding applications. Innovayt offer a broad range of services, including: identification and selection of funding opportunities; preparation and writing of effective funding applications; assistance for project management after approval; and training and public speaking related to innovation and finance. In their work with innovation funding, Innovayt can assist BII start-ups throughout all phases of projects, from ideation through application and submission to project management.
Find more information about them here.
HØIBERG is a full service patent law firm providing services within Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), including Patents, Designs, Innovation Management, and Business Development. They provide expert IPR knowledge in fields ranging from biotech, foodtech, medtech, nanotech, chemistry and cleantech to hightech. They assist BII projects and start-ups at every stage of development – from idea to realization.
Find more information about them here.
Plesner Law Firm is a contributing partner in the BII network and offers the BII start-ups free legal advice and expertise to avoid the many legal pitfalls that entrepreneurs face when starting a business. As part of the partnership, two lawyers from Plesner are present one day a week at the BII offices where they will provide consultancy and legal guidance.
Find more information about them here.
Zacco is a full-service intellectual property consultancy and contributing partner in the BII network. Zacco offers BII start-ups free advice and expertise on intellectual property rights to avoid legal pitfalls and to strengthen their position when looking for investors or cooperation partners.
Find more information about them here.
Network collaborations
Health Tech Hub Copenhagen‘s purpose is to accelerate the adoption of clever health tech solutions. Solutions that can make health more available, effective, and affordable. The vision is to reach 1 billion people. Privately started and funded, Health Tech Hub Copenhagen connects and work with the stakeholders across the health tech ecosystem including a select group of fast-growing scale-ups, healthcare providers, policymakers, patients and industry partners. Learn more about Health Tech Hub Copenhagen and our members and partners on healthtechhub.org.