BioInnovation Institute and Accelerace merge: Aim to create Europe’s strongest launchpad for startups
BioInnovation Institute (BII) and Accelerace are merging, and Accelerace will henceforth be an integrated part of BII’s organisation. Through this merger, BII and Accelerace aim to strengthen the Danish innovation ecosystem by supporting even more university-based startups – not only within biotech and life sciences, but also in tech, AI, and quantum technology.
“At BII, we have continuously expanded our focus from life sciences to also include areas such as biosolutions and quantum technology. By now combining BII’s innovation platform with Accelerace’s long experience with tech startups, we want to create a central hub for innovation that will offer great opportunities to build a leading entrepreneurial environment in Europe for the benefit of the entire ecosystem,” says Jens Nielsen, CEO of BII.
Two organisations – one shared goal
The Danish innovation ecosystem has developed significantly in recent years, but the European Commission’s recent Draghi report clearly highlights that Europe, despite strong research, is not sufficiently skilled at turning science into commercial successes. This challenge is also central to the decision to merge BII and Accelerace, explains Peter Torstensen, CEO of Accelerace.
“In light of global developments and competition, the need for support for startups emerging from universities has grown enormously. Together with BII, we can create an unprecedented resource platform for university-based startups and ensure that more promising ideas are transformed into companies that can create growth, jobs, and solutions for the benefit of society,” he says.
Accelerace is currently backed by Færchfonden, EIFO, and Symbion, who are proud of what Accelerace has become with their support.
“That BII has identified Accelerace as a company worth merging with truly shows how far we have come with our mission to accelerate and invest in Nordic tech startups. The goal has always been to create the best conditions for early-stage startups in Denmark, and here Accelerace has played a major role. Now the ambitions are taken to the next level, and Accelerace can even better realize what has always been the owners’ vision – namely to make a significant impact on the startup ecosystem,” says Jørgen Vilhelm Løvenørn Bardenfleth, Chairman of the Board at Accelerace.
About BioInnovation Institute:
BII is a non-profit foundation whose mission is to support early-stage startups and translational research projects in turning their research into innovation for the benefit of society. We run three programs – Venture Lab, Bio Studio, and BII Quantum Lab – aimed at accelerating innovation in areas such as life sciences, biosolutions, and quantum technology.
Since our founding in 2018, we have supported 131 startups with 1 billion DKK, and the companies have raised a total of 6.7 billion DKK. So far, 20 new products have been brought to market, and seven companies have advanced drug candidates into clinical phase 1 and 2 trials.
About Accelerace:
Accelerace is a leading Nordic pre-seed investor and startup accelerator based in Copenhagen. Since 2008, Accelerace has accelerated and invested in over 1,500 promising Danish and international startups, such as Templafy and Trustpilot. They combine investments from their VC funds with an award-winning accelerator programme to help primarily first-time startup founders progress from early stages to the next financing round.