SmiLe companies attract over half a billion Swedish kronor in venture capital in 2016

SmiLe’s alumni and incubator companies have pulled in more than half a billion Swedish kronor, SEK 555 million, in venture capital to date in 2016. The total market value of companies at SmiLe is about SEK 3.5 billion (Dec. 5, 2016).

Interest in investing in small life science companies in the early stages of development is at a record high according to the report Life Science Trends in Sweden, which was carried out by Monocl Strategy Services on behalf of Biostock. 

The companies at SmiLe are the type that draw the attention of investors. SmiLe is a business incubator within Life Science in Lund offering an infrastructure that is unique in Sweden, with well-equipped laboratories and advanced instrumentation. Xintela is one of SmiLe’s many incubator companies that underscores the significance of the infrastructure and incubator environment to the development of the company:

“Access to critical instruments and the cell lab, as well as the extensive expertise at SmiLe have enabled Xintela to develop at a rapid pace. We also appreciate the ongoing efforts to support our internationalization initiative. We look forward to continuing to participate in the environment in the future as an alumnus company,” says Evy Lundgren-Åkerlund, CEO of Xintela, which is now leaving SmiLe. 

 

Of the 33 life science companies in the Malmö/Lund region that were listed on the Aktietorget or First North stock exchanges during the first quarter of 2016, nearly one third had originated at SmiLe. The majority of these incubator and alumni companies also have their roots in research at Lund University.

One is Immunovia, which made its exit from the incubator at SmiLe two years ago and has topped the league among the companies throughout the Malmö/Lund region that brought in the most capital. Research at Immunovia has resulted in a test that will make it possible to detect pancreatic cancer.

“SmiLe’s infrastructure with laboratories and climate-controlled rooms in combination with proximity to Lund University and the extensive life science expertise among SmiLe companies has strongly contributed to our research and to commercial success,” says Carl Borrebaeck, a professor at Lund University and the founder of Immunovia.

Incubator and alumni companies at SmiLe have pulled in one billion Swedish kronor over the past three years.  Immunovia accounts for nearly one third of this funding.

“This capital not only contributes to the development of the relevant companies – we also see that it has a ripple effect in our geographical area because our companies invest in and remain in the region. Immunovia has SEK 1.5 billion kronor in sales and 19 employees, but it is also an example of the many companies that purchase services and thereby provide employment for many more people than are visible in the statistics,” says Ebba Fåhraeus, CEO of SmiLe.

 

 

For additional information, please contact:

Ebba Fåhraeus, CEO at SmiLe Incubator                                 

Mobile: +46 734000433                                                                 

e-mail: ebba@smileincubator.life   

 

Life Science trends in Sweden 2015-2016. This initial analysis report, compiled by BioStock’s analysis partner Monocle Strategy Services, mainly focuses on trends and developments relating to IPOs, issuances and financing trends among Swedish Life Science companies listed on AktieTorget and Nasdaq First North, and provides an overview of the activity that took place among small companies in the sector during the intensive period 2015-Q1:2016.

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