Medtech innovator joins Gothenburg to bring new hope to respiratory patients
VivoLab, an emerging Swedish medtech company that is redefining respiratory healthcare, has joined Gothenburg’s life science ecosystem, moving into the AstraZeneca BioVentureHub.
The company was founded in Falun, central Sweden, five years ago by Dr. Fredrik Bokvist and Dr. Lars Thelin, both medical doctors and intensive care physicians. It has been focusing on inhalation and air filtration devices for young children. Among its innovations is the world’s first breathe-through, air-filtering pacifier.
“Our long-term goal is to deliver innovative and user-friendly medtech products that meet the needs of our customers and patients. Today, we see a flood of technical gadgets that are far removed from patients and healthcare providers. We want to change that and make a giant leap into digital health by providing solutions that simplify for patients, not the other way around,” says Dr. Fredrik Bokvist, CEO and co-founder of VivoLab.
According to Dr. Bokvist, the young company has an aggressive plan to add new clients and projects in 2024 and scale its business in the years to come. The new operations in Gothenburg will play an important role.
Looking to tap into the local business ecosystem
AstraZeneca BioVentureHub is a non-for-profit innovation hub offering an inside track to AstraZeneca’s scientific expertise and facilities, for academic groups and small and medium-sized enterprises. Today it hosts 28 companies and 3 academic teams.
“Being a part of the AstraZeneca BioVentureHub is a great opportunity. We share the same facilities and we have access to hard-to-get knowledge and expertise from those who are already doing business in that ecosystem. We get to work and collaborate with great minds and a great community that pushes us to be the best we can be. It's a truly great adventure,” says Fredrik Bokvist.
Gothenburg and the surrounding areas are also the perfect match for the company, explains Bokvist.
“Our ambition to grow our business means that we need to tap into the local business ecosystem to recruit new staff, find partners to collaborate with on new developments, and secure access to key assets and management talent,” he says.
Building a world-class ecosystem
Gothenburg is an important hub for Sweden’s life science sector, and the leading region for business R&D and clinical research. It is also home to Scandinavia’s largest university hospital.
The innovation cluster in Mölndal, GoCo Health Innovation City, where AstraZeneca’s R&D site and the BioVentureHub are located, is expanding fast and attracting companies and talent to Gothenburg.
“A development site of about 30 soccer fields in size will soon be hosting 350 companies and 7,000 life science professionals. We welcome VivoLab to our region and are sure they will be an important part of the world-class ecosystem we are building,” says Iris Öhrn, investment advisor for life science at Business Region Göteborg.
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We are here to help
Want to learn more about investment and partnering opportunities in Gothenburg and how we can help you tap into our life science ecosystem? Get in touch with our life science investment advisor Iris Öhrn (iris.ohrn@businessregion.se // +46 (0)705260828).