Opening session hosted by SwedenBIO, the Swedish Life Science Industry Organization

Recent years have proven that the life sciences are a great use-case for advanced technologies, from bioelectronics, bioinformatics, biomarker tools, improved diagnostics, and digitalization across the entire value-chain – to name a few. The coalescence of life science and technology has also created a host of vocabulary terms that, 10 years ago, didn’t exist, words like artificial intelligence, robotics, quantum computing, and blockchain. However, as we move beyond the confusion of buzzwords, we can already see concrete examples of how these concepts are driving our industry forward.

Enter today’s term: Deep Tech. The phrase itself may be new, but what it refers to is not. Deep tech is technology that is based on the combined breakthroughs of both scientists and engineers who are tackling society’s biggest problems together. As one would expect, health, life sciences, and environmental issues are the key areas of impact for Deep tech. And the term itself functions as the umbrella under which all the previously listed buzzwords fall.

The Nordics, as we know, are leaders in both technology and life sciences, so it comes as no surprise that we are a growing hub for Deep tech as well. Finland is already considered one of Europe’s most deep tech-focused ecosystems, launching the Nordics’ first Deep tech-dedicated fund in 2019 with Voima Ventures. In fact, between Finland and Norway, 40% of venture capital is going into deep tech start-ups.

In this session, we will look at the investors who are driving forward Deep tech sectors, the start-ups who are grabbing the attention (and money) of investors, and the larger companies who have integrated Deep tech solutions to optimize both their science & business.

Women make up 49.6% of the global population, yet biological sex is unequally represented across the life science ecosystem, from inception to market. Though numerous genetic and biological differences are well-known between the sexes for a multitude of chronic conditions and diseases, disparities exist: in basic research, with the use of predominantly male animal testing; in clinical research, where trials don’t always include equal representation; and in fewer investments made in female-led and female-oriented companies, despite the fact that that the femtech / women’s health market holds massive potential with an expected growth to $60B by 2027. In addition, terminologies like femtech (coined by Denmark’s own women’s health start-up founder, Ida Tin) and women’s health are niched, seen as representing only reproductive science and technologies. In actuality, these terms represent all conditions that are unique to, disproportionately impact, or impact the female sex differently and include drugs, devices, consumer products, softwares, and apps. This session is the challenge to our industry, innovators, and investors: let’s treat women’s health as more than a niche category and put equal time, resources, and money where half our population exists. It’s time we reproduce our efforts for the other 50%, for the benefit of all 100.