Pressmeddelande -
Umeå Biotech Incubator CEO nominated in global prestigious competition
Jennie Ekbeck, CEO of Umeå Biotech Incubator (UBI), has been nominated for the prestigious Nordic Startup Awards in the ‘Ecosystem Hero of the Year’ category.
“Wow! I'm so happy to be nominated! It is proof that all our work to create better conditions for life science development in Sweden has been appreciated,” she says.
Nordic Startup Awards 2020 is the regional competition of the Global Startup Awards. The awards, which started in Denmark in 2012, celebrate startups around the world and recognise those that have demonstrated outstanding achievements both in business and in service to the community.
Back in 2019 UBI was named Sweden's ‘Best Accelerator Program or Incubator Program’ in the Nordic Startup Awards. Now it's CEO Jennie Ekbeck's turn to be nominated.
“I have been nominated for the ‘Ecosystem Hero of the Year’ category, which feels amazing. We work by the motto that we are never stronger than our weakest link. It is a combination of the indirect effects and working together that create the greatest effects in the ecosystem. I have worked hard to bring the different life science regions closer together. I believe that one plus one should always equal three, and that we will only be able to achieve this if we work together to support startups,” says Jennie Ekbeck, and continues:
“I believe the people that have nominated me have seen my involvement in the industry. Umeå Biotech Incubator is involved in Swelife and SwedenBIO and is a driving force behind the national platform for life science incubation. At a regional level, we create meeting places, at an international level we have increased visibility and we have also influenced regional and national investments in life science. Everything is a single ecosystem and must work together in order for us to help companies grow.”
The ‘Ecosystem Hero of the Year’ award will be awarded to the person that demonstrates a passion for entrepreneurship and the willingness and ability to assist startups and entrepreneurs.
“The key to success is to pay-it-forward and share knowledge with others. If we succeed with that then we can grow together and support each other along the way,” says Jennie Ekbeck, who is competing against nominees from Denmark, Iceland, Finland and Norway.
The eventual winner of the Nordic competition will advance to the Global Startup Awards.
“Voting is underway now that the nominations for the Nordic Startup Awards - and the other regional competitions throughout the world - have been announced. Everyone who wants to can cast their vote, but there are also jury groups that will play their part in determining the winners. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that as many people as possible vote for me and that together we can show that Umeå is a fantastic city to start a life science company in.”
Jennie Ekbeck has been CEO of Umeå Biotech Incubator since 2012. She was named ‘Innovation Angel of the Year’ by Swedish business magazine Veckans Affärer and Sweden’s innovation agency Vinnova in 2015 for her work to commercialise life science research, her ability to see the industry from local, regional and national perspectives and for her commitment to collaboration rather than competition.
Umeå Biotech Incubator is ranked one of Europe's best incubators for life science and is classified as ‘Excellent’ by Vinnova.
You can vote for Jennie Ekbeck here:
For further information, please contact:
Jennie Ekbeck
CEO, Umeå Biotech Incubator
+46 90-15 49 77
jennie.ekbeck@ubi.se
Relaterade länkar
Kategorier
Umeå Biotech Incubator (UBI) is one of Sweden’s state-of-the-art business incubators within the life sciences. We help researchers to use their data to the benefit of patients and citizens, improving their health. We support and train entrepreneurs in the fields of pharmaceuticals, diagnostics and medical engineering, and act as a bridge between academia, medicine and the business community.
