Ongoing collaborations include a number of big pharma companies, startups and joint projects within the Horizon 2020 and Innovative Medicines Initiative Program carried out by HiLIFE operative units in their focus areas (biotechnology, structural biology, molecular medicine, neuroscience).
HiLIFE also supports early stage innovations through proof-of-concept grants (programme launch in 2017). These HiPOC grants are aimed to accelerate commercialization of research findings and development of novel technologies within life sciences at three stages: i) pre-invention disclosure; ii) pre-patent; iii) improving filed patent application. HiPOC fills the gap between early stage research findings and getting external funding for inventions and innovations.
Together with the Faculties of Agriculture and Forestry, Biological and Environmental Sciences, Medicine, Pharmacy, as well as LUOMUS, HiLIFE maintained Life Science Stakeholder Program (HiStakes). HiStakes supported and utilized ongoing pilots and prior experience of life science units to develop a program that involves researchers throughout life sciences. Outcomes of the HiStakes program are, for example, SLUSH Y SCIENCE. This is an extension of the globally renown SLUSH startup event and provides a novel platform for interactions between scientists, companies and investors. HiLIFE is also involved in several innovation activities organized in collaboration with the local and international life science innovation ecosystem.
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Since 2017, HiLIFE has been partnering with Slush to organize Y Science, an official side event focused on science innovation. Every year, Y Science gathers the international science community within Slush to foster connections between academia and industry, promote science-based business, and encourage scientists to embrace a different way of thinking about impact. For more information on the Y Science event, you can check its official website or write to hilife-y-science@helsinki.fi.
Health Talks is an event series covering a variety of contemporary as well as future topics relevant to innovative health and life science entrepreneurship. Health Talks are coordinated by Terkko Health Hub and organized in collaboration with a network of life science organizations across Finland, including HiLIFE.
Since 2021, HiLIFE has collaborated with other local biotech organizations to create events during the European Biotech Week, which takes place yearly during the last week of September.
HiLIFE directly invests in the Helsinki life science innovation ecosystem by supporting Health Capital Helsinki. Health Capital Helsinki is building the greatest health capital by developing the Helsinki Metropolitan health ecosystem, boosting the growth of innovation-driven startups and helping international investors and corporations find their opportunities and partners in Finland. Members of the Health Capital Helsinki alliance include University of Helsinki, Aalto University, HUS- Helsinki University Hospital, CIty of Helsinki, City of Espoo, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, and Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences.
HiLIFE also invests in Terkko Health Hub. Terkko Health Hub is a startup community, a co-working space and an event venue focusing on health and life sciences. We are located in the heart of Helsinki’s medical campus and provide various services, events and programmes for our community in collaboration with local and global partners
HiLIFE supports early-stage innovations through proof-of-concept grants (programme launch in 2017). These HiPOC grants are aimed to accelerate commercialization of research findings and development of novel technologies within life sciences at three stages: i) pre-invention disclosure; ii) pre-patent; iii) improving filed patent application. So far, through 7 calls and over 1 million euros in funding, HiPOC has supported the translation of 33 projects from early-stage research findings into inventions and innovations.
For inquiries on innovation activities organized by HiLIFE, please contact Alec Thurnham at alec.thurnham@helsinki.fi