Having worked in the Life Science industry in different roles for almost 8 years, I clearly saw the difference, as well as the uniqueness of the Swedish and Danish "Life Science cultures". I saw a need for a new meeting platform where the two countries could exchange important experiences and new ideas in order to learn from each other and also to increase their collaboration. I decided to meet Stig Jørgensen, then CEO of Medicon Valley Alliance. Stig welcomed a meeting and we decided to meet at his office in Oerestad, Copenhagen, in June 2011. Having presented my idea of the new forum, Stig backed it up immediately. Shortly after that, I contacted Medicon Village in Lund and they also agreed to act as a driving force for the project.

This was the kick-off of The Future of Swedish & Danish Life Science, the Nordic countries´ first major international meeting in the Life Science industry, focusing on innovation and the latest developments in R&D, pharma, medtech, digital health, biotech and healthcare. Already in the first year, the event turned out to be a success and attracted nearly 500 participants. Today, The Future of Swedish & Danish Life Science is a crucial platform for the creation of business and new and extensive collaborations.

Over the years, the forum has expanded and key players outside Sweden and Denmark have been invited to speak. The purpose has been to find out what we can learn from others and to create new important collaborations, and although the themes have varied from year to year, the focus has always been Swedish-Danish collaboration and mutual learning between the two countries. Every year, the event attracts about 30 exhibitors and 400-500 visitors from all over the world – most of which are leading decision-makers in pharma, biotech, research, medtech, finance, politics and regulatory authorities. From 2016, The Future of Swedish & Danish Life Science has been arranged as a partnering event where we offer all participants pre-booking of one-on-one meetings. The event is unique because it is completely free of charge for visitors, and the meeting is closely monitored by the media before, during and after the event.