News regarding Oslo Cancer Cluster`s international activities

Joining forces to help life science start-ups

AstraZeneca, the SPARK Norway programme at University of Oslo and Oslo Cancer Cluster enter a new mentoring collaboration for life science start-ups.

A new collaboration between the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, the SPARK Programme at Norway’s largest life science university and Norway’s only cancer cluster is set in motion to grow the life science sector in the Nordics. At the core of the collaboration is AstraZeneca’s business and science mentoring programme, called AstraZeneca Exchange Nordics.

How does it work?

Mentors from AstraZeneca support Nordic entrepreneurs and start-ups to speed up innovations that benefit patients. By sharing expertise, the mentors help move start-ups towards sustainable and successful growth.

The mentors cover a wide range of expertise for all phases of drug development but also help to address critical issues such as health economics, payer and market access and business development. Furthermore, the programme offers mentoring opportunities in Data Science, AI and Digital Health.

“Our goal is to focus on where we can help to make a difference. We want to see more successful companies grow and increase the attractiveness of the Nordic region. By contributing with knowledge and expertise from AstraZeneca mentors, we can with simple measurements add value and inspiration for start-ups in the Life Science sector”, said Joachim Reischl, Head of Diagnostic Science AstraZeneca, and AZ mentor.

Air view of modern buildings

Air view of the AstraZeneca site in Gothenburg, Sweden. Photo: AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca has established relationships with several Nordic incubators, connecting entrepreneurs with AstraZeneca mentors. The mentors arrange non-confidential, single advisory sessions on strategic questions in the early start-up journey to help entrepreneurial ideas grow.

Oslo Cancer Cluster and the SPARK Norway programme at University of Oslo will both identify and select projects or companies in their networks that may benefit from mentoring.

Access to industry specialists

The mentoring programme and the public-private collaboration fits right into Oslo Cancer Cluster’s goal to support the development of promising start-ups in the cancer field.

“Via AstraZeneca’s business & science mentoring programme Oslo Cancer Cluster’s start-ups and biotechs get access to industry specialists for discussing strategic questions early in their R&D journey. It will be truly helpful for a variety of start-ups in our cluster”, said Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs at Oslo Cancer Cluster.

“Mentoring from AstraZeneca’s experts will be highly valuable for the SPARK Norway projects in their endeavour to build new start-ups based on their innovative academic ideas. Getting the industry perspective and feedback will help the projects progress in the right direction and shape their understanding of how they can develop their idea into a new product”, stated Morten Egeberg, Administrative Leader UiO:Life Science and Leader SPARK Norway at the University of Oslo.

A positive contribution

Inven2 is a Tech Transfer Office, owned by the University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, that was established to administer the commercial potential of inventions and work from these two institutions and all the health trusts in the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority. They welcome the initiative for projects and start-ups in the SPARK and Oslo Cancer Cluster networks.

“We welcome these new opportunities for academic innovators and start-up companies emerging from the University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital. When establishing new start-ups, competence and previous experience is of critical importance. The AstraZeneca mentoring programme will indeed be a positive contribution to support new entrepreneurs for faster onboarding on their innovation journey”, said Jens Halvard Grønlien, Vice President Innovation in Inven2.

Oslo Cancer Cluster and the SPARK Norway programme at University of Oslo both signed a memorandum of understanding with AstraZeneca in October 2022.

             

                                     

 

More information about AstraZeneca’s business & science mentoring program can be found on their website via the following links:

Are you an Oslo Cancer Cluster member, interested in this mentoring programme? Please contact Jutta Heix.

US flags and a bridge

Felles veikart gjør veien til USA lettere

De fire helseklyngene i Norge skal fra neste år samarbeide om et veikart for bedrifter som ser mot det amerikanske markedet.

Scroll down for an English version of this article.

Med over 700 000 selskaper innen helse har USA den største helseindustrien globalt. Viken Fylkeskommune støtter og muliggjør prosjektet til helseklyngene.

Prosjektet bærer navnet “USA neste! Veikart til internasjonalisering for helsebedrifter”, og starter opp i januar 2022. De fire helseklyngene som går sammen om prosjektet er Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Norway Health Tech, Oslo Cancer Cluster og The Life Science Cluster.

Et puff ut i verden

– Målet med prosjektet er å hjelpe bedrifter med internasjonal satsing. Med utgangspunkt i den samlede kunnskapen og erfaringen klyngene har opparbeidet over tid, vil vi utvikle et bedre veikart ved å samarbeide, enn hver for oss. Synergiene vil bidra til å akselerere bedriftenes internasjonaliserings- og eksportaktiviteter ytterligere slik at vekst i omsetning, arbeidsplasser og verdiskaping vil skje raskere enn hvis dette samarbeidet ikke finner sted, sier Therese Oppegaard, prosjektleder i Norwegian Smart Care Cluster.

USA er et viktig internasjonalt marked med stort potensiale. Bedrifter som lykkes der, har høy sannsynlighet for å lykkes i andre markeder. Når klyngene nå setter i gang et felles krafttak for internasjonalisering, blir det naturlig å søke samarbeid med Innovasjon Norge for å optimalisere arbeidet.

– Prosjektet USA neste! skal gi gründere og oppskaleringsbedrifter tilgang på ekspertise og nettverk de ellers normalt ikke har tilgang til, opplyser Oppegaard.

Dami i blå jakke på grønt gress ser inn i kamera og smiler

Therese Oppegaard, prosjektleder i Norwegian Smart Care Cluster.

­Et steg videre

Det internasjonale aspektet ved utvikling av bedre kreftlegemidler og diagnostikk har alltid vært viktig for Oslo Cancer Cluster, som nå ønsker å bygge videre på internasjonale initiativer med dette nye samarbeidet.

– Vi ønsker å skape ny innsikt, nye fora og muligheter for nytt samarbeid for våre medlemmer, og for det nasjonale økosystemet vi har for helseinnovasjon, sier Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs og prosjektleder i Oslo Cancer Cluster.

– Ved å styrke nettverkene for klynger og helsenæring mellom Norge og USA, kan vi også gi bedre støtte til oppstarts- og biotechbedrifter på deres vei til nye forretningsmuligheter, sier Heix.

Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs, OCC

Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs i Oslo Cancer Cluster

Samarbeid forenkler veien

Chelsea Ranger, forretningsutvikler og investor-rådgiver, deltar i samarbeidsprosjektet fra The Life Science Cluster.

– Vi skal gjøre veien til det amerikanske markedet enklere og raskere for våre medlemmer. Når alle helseklyngene samarbeider, øker effekten av arbeidet, uavhengig av hvilken klynge selskapene er en del av. Vi representerer fire ulike industrisegmenter, men mulighetene for å jobbe smart sammen for å øke eksporten av norsk helseindustri, er store, sier Ranger.

– Det er mange gode norske oppstartsbedrifter med stort potensial for å lykkes i USA. Gjennom dette samarbeidet får de verdifulle kontakter mot industriledende eksperter, viktige fagmiljøer og ikke minst til investorer. Disse selskapene står i kapitalintensive utviklingsløp med høy risiko, og mange er avhengig av investorer i utlandet for å lykkes, avslutter Ranger.

Chelsea Ranger, prosjektleder i The Life Science Cluster.

Chelsea Ranger, prosjektleder i The Life Science Cluster.

En felles innsats

USA er blant de tre høyest prioriterte markedene for internasjonalisering og eksport hos de fire klyngene. Dette prosjektet legger til rette for å utnytte kontaktflater, kompetanse, medlemsmasse og allerede etablerte nettverk i ulike deler av USA.

Prosjektet er en felles innsats, og ledes av Trine Radmann fra Norway Health Tech.

– Vi tror fantastiske ting vil skje når de fire helseklyngene i Norge jobber sammen mot det amerikanske markedet. Forventningene er skyhøye til hva vi kan gjøre for å lette veien inn til verdens største helsemarked for norske helseselskap. Vi skal lytte, bygge kunnskap og hjelpe bedriftene. Veikartet til USA som nå skal utvikles gjennom dette programmet, kan brukes for fremtidige generasjoner av unge selskap som ser mot USA, sier Radmann.

Bilde av Trine Radmann, prosjektansvarlig og prosjektleder i Norway Health Tech

Trine Radmann, prosjektansvarlig for USA Neste! og prosjektleder i Norway Health Tech.

 

Om USA Neste!

FINANSIERING: Viken Fylkeskommune

HVEM: Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Norway Health Tech, Oslo Cancer Cluster og The Life Science Cluster

HVA: Aktivitetene i prosjektet deles overordnet inn i fire områder:

  • Kartlegging/mobilisering
  • Opplæringsprogram
  • Internasjonalisering
  • Eksponering

OPPSTART: Prosjektet starter i januar 2022

KONTAKT: Ta kontakt med en av de fire prosjektlederne om du er interessert i mer informasjon:

Prosjektet er muliggjort av Viken Fylkeskommune.

Logo til Viken Fylkeskommune, blå skrift på hvit bakgrunn

 

A common road map secures the path to the American health market

From next year, the four health clusters in Norway will collaborate on a roadmap for companies looking at the American market.

This is a translated text from the Norwegian article above. 

With over 700,000 health companies, the United States has the largest health industry globally. Viken County Municipality supports and enables the project for the health clusters.

The project is called «USA next! Roadmap to internationalization for health companies », starting in January 2022. The four health clusters that join forces on the project are the Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, Norway Health Tech, Oslo Cancer Cluster, and The Life Science Cluster.

“The goal of the project is to help companies with international investment. Based on the overall knowledge and experience the clusters have gained over time, we will develop a better roadmap by collaborating, than each for us. The synergies will help to accelerate the companies’ internationalization and export activities further so that growth in turnover, jobs, and value creation will take place faster than if this collaboration didn’t happen,” says Therese Oppegaard from Norwegian Smart Care Cluster.

The United States is an important international market with great potential. Companies that succeed there have a high probability of success in other markets. When the clusters now join forces for internationalization, a logical step is to seek cooperation with Innovation Norway to optimize the work.

“The project USA next! will give entrepreneurs and scaling companies access to expertise and networks they otherwise don’t have access to,” Oppegaard states. 

One step further

The international aspect of developing better cancer drugs and diagnostics has always been important for Oslo Cancer Cluster, who will build on previous international initiatives with this new collaboration. – We want to create new insights, new forums, and opportunities for new collaboration for our members, and for the national ecosystem we have for health innovation, says Jutta Heix, Head of International Affairs in the Oslo Cancer Cluster, and project manager from the cluster.

“By strengthening the networks for clusters and health industries between Norway and the US, we can also provide better support to start-up and biotech companies on their way to new business opportunities,” says Heix.

Chelsea Ranger, business developer and investor advisor, contributing in the collaborative project from The Life Science Cluster, adds:

“We will make the road to the American market easier and faster for our members. When all the health clusters work together, the effect of the work increases, regardless of which cluster the companies are part of. The clusters represent four different industry segments, but the opportunities for working smart together to increase exports of the Norwegian health industry are great.”

“There are many good Norwegian start-up companies with great potential for success in the US. Through this collaboration, they gain valuable contacts with industry-leading experts, important professional environments and not least investors. These companies are in capital-intensive development races with high risk, and many depend on international investors to succeed,” Ranger concludes.

The United States is among the three most prioritized markets for internationalization and exports for the four clusters. This project facilitates the utilization of contact surfaces, expertise, membership and already established networks in various parts of the USA.

The project is a joint effort, and is led by Trine Radmann from Norway Health Tech.

“We think fantastic things will happen when the four health clusters in Norway work together towards the American market. Expectations are sky high for what we can do to facilitate the way into the world’s largest health market for Norwegian health companies. We will listen, build knowledge, and help companies. The road map to the USA, which will now be developed through this program, can be used for future generations of young companies looking towards the USA,” says Radmann.

The project starts in January 2022, contact one of the four contact persons below if you are interested in more information:

The project is made possible by Viken Fylkeskommune