The HIBA-project

Regional development collaboration 2015-2018: Sustainable incubation contributes to the acceleration of life science ideas

The HIBA project is about building sustainable science startups. It is a multi-stakeholder collaboration started in July 2015 and will be concluded on the 31st of October 2018. The main aim is to establish a robust and sustainable incubation process that will make Life science-based companies grow beyond the startup phase – and create benefits for people and society.

Umeå Biotech Incubator is dedicated to enhancing life science by developing regional expertise, competencies, and commercial enterprises. We therefore work with initiatives that can strengthen Västerbotten as a Life science node and contribute to Sweden’s growing image as a nation leading innovation and health development worldwide.

Whey did we initiate the HIBA-Project?
By analysing the trends and developments in Swedish life science we could draw a number of conclusions.

• Too few life science startups grow at a rate that matches their inherent potential

• Potential innovators within academia and the clinical setting have a poor understanding of what could become a business idea

• the relative lack of industrial competence and experience in the region is another contributing factor.

As a result, the companies experienced issues with funding of their business activities and building sustainable companies that could grow beyond the startup phase.

We have the know-how and the tools – HIBA puts them together
The project’s goal of HIBA is to make better use of the potential within the medical, biological, and biochemical research, to build growing companies with increasing workforce demand, and to contribute to sustainable entrepreneurship in northern Sweden.

Therefore we’ve analysed and scrutinized the current support and services offered to startups – from early stage to later stages. The project results are expected to yield a more robust process for life science incubation that will benefit the region in direct and indirect ways.

This regional fund project started on July 1, 2015, is currently running and will be concluded on the 31st of October 2018. An appointed review researcher and controller studies the project continuously and monitors and analyses the outcomes. Evaluation results and follow-up on project goals will be documented in an official report to spread the accumulated knowledge and enable long-term learning from the outcomes.

News related to HIBA

Articles related to the HIBA project

If you would like more details on the HIBA-project please contact our Operations Coordinator, Peter Jacobsson.

Email:peter.jacobsson@ubi.se