New Innovation Hub Supports Companies in Green Technology
Using a public-private partnership model, AstraZeneca launched BioVentureHub in 2014, enabling a number of small and medium-sized enterprises and academic groups from around the world to collaborate and leverage AstraZeneca’s world-class scientists and facilities.
– BioVentureHub has helped ensure that early-stage companies and business ideas do not stall due to lack of capital or expertise, but instead can leverage highly qualified competence and facilities to advance their development. The result is hundreds of new highly skilled jobs in Sweden, says Magnus Björsne, Head of BioVenture Innovation Unit and CEO of BioVentureHub.
As a globally leading biopharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca operates according to several visions and strategies. The group aims to be at the forefront of sustainability, where AstraZeneca Sweden has made significant progress and achieved compliance with the international Scope 1 and 2 standards.
– During our work with Scope 3, we concluded that in addition to our internal sustainability initiatives, we must also drive increased innovation. Leveraging our expertise within BioVentureHub, we have therefore created a platform to support green technology companies in developing and implementing their solutions.
Headquartered in Södertälje
The new innovation platform, developed in collaboration with Scania and the state-owned research institute RISE, will be based adjacent to AstraZeneca’s and Scania’s major production facilities in Södertälje. Parts of the operations will also be conducted in Gothenburg.
– Scania and we share similar sustainability challenges, including in packaging, transportation, and solvents, and RISE contributes testbeds and expertise that innovation companies require.
In November, the Swedish government announced support for the platform with SEK 95 million to strengthen Sweden’s competitiveness and reduce climate emissions. Although the project is still in its early stages, AstraZeneca has already identified several areas where the platform can contribute to improved sustainability.
– Green chemistry, biocatalysis, and PFAS are key areas of interest. We are also interested in water purification and water consumption, as industry uses enormous amounts of water, and we see potential in using carbon dioxide as a starting material, for example in the production of organic solvents, says Magnus Björsne.
