A powerhouse for life sciences in Norway

In autumn 2024, Oslo Science City established a strategic partnership program to strengthen this necessary interaction between key players in the public and private sectors. The program is tied to the academic gravitational fields in Oslo Science City and aims to foster active collaboration between leading research communities, students, businesses, and the public sector. Broader networks and dynamic interaction are critical for the ambition of becoming an internationally leading innovation district that contributes to sustainable value creation, innovation, and new jobs.

Eight global industry leaders — Novartis, GE HealthCare, GSK, Novo Nordisk, Thermo Fisher Scientific, AstraZeneca, Bayer, and Roche — have joined forces with Oslo Science City and the Life Science Conference to elevate the event to new heights.

As strategic partners, they played an active role in discussions on how Norway can strengthen its position in life sciences, build a competitive and robust health industry, and increase health-related exports in line with government goals.

New Alliances for a New Era
Christine Wergeland Sørbye, CEO of Oslo Science City, emphasizes the importance of the partnership:

"The ambition for Norway Life Science is to be more than just a conference—it’s about strengthening innovation and competitiveness, and creating stronger links between research, industry, and the public sector. Other countries are investing heavily in life sciences, and we cannot afford to be left behind. Norway has all the prerequisites to invest in research and innovation and build a robust health industry. Each of our strategic partners brings experience and resources that can help elevate the Norwegian life sciences sector."

Bente Mikkelsen, former director at the WHO and South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority, and now a special advisor to Oslo Science City, agrees:

"It’s incredibly inspiring to see how the partnership program in Oslo Science City realizes its mission to foster active interaction between leading research environments, students, industry players, and public authorities."

Bente Mikkelsen, special advisor for Oslo Science City.

Industry Meets Insight: Life Science in Practice

The partners highlight different motivations for participating—but all point to one thing: increased collaboration is key. Together, they aim to help develop a knowledge-based, sustainable, and innovation-driven industry.

For Novo Nordisk, the ambition is clear:

"We want to contribute to the development of the Norwegian health industry, but to do so, we need a national life sciences strategy. Denmark updated theirs last year, and I hope Norwegian politicians will be inspired by what they’ve achieved," says Tor Egil Frostelid from Novo Nordisk.

For Novartis, the collaboration is about creating a more sustainable healthcare system:

"As one of Norway’s largest pharmaceutical companies, collaboration around the ecosystem is essential. We want more predictable financing systems and innovative solutions to ensure that breakthrough medicines reach patients faster," says Veronica Barrabes from Novartis.

Roche sees the partnership as an opportunity to accelerate the use of health data:

"We believe public-private partnerships are the key to solving complex challenges and delivering better health outcomes. This year’s conference showed that Norway has unique opportunities with its health data, but we need to sit down and co-design the solutions," says Martin Haswell from Roche.

For AstraZeneca, the conference serves as a platform for building relationships and collaborative projects:

"Here we meet everyone who matters in Norway’s health ecosystem. When we come together, new ideas and innovations emerge," says Guro Bjøntegaard from AstraZeneca.

GE HealthCare, attending the conference for the second time, sees a clear escalation in engagement:

"We can help showcase the value creation generated by this industry. At the same time, we can highlight synergies, strengths, and also the gaps that must be bridged for this initiative to succeed," says Cathrine Thomassen from GE HealthCare.

Bayer, participating as a strategic partner with a broader industry perspective, also emphasized its local presence:

"We are one of the few international players that conducts research, development, and production in Norway. That gives us a unique position to contribute to the discussion on how the industry should evolve—both to support Norway’s industrial ambitions and to strengthen our own position in life sciences," says Erik Helstad from Bayer.

"For us, it’s about being an active partner in something that matters far beyond our own operations."

Thermo Fisher Scientific highlights the partnership as a strategic commitment to contribute to both Norwegian and Nordic development:

"For us, it’s about attracting talent, building partnerships with research environments and startups, and helping the Nordics evolve into the next ‘Bay Area’ for life sciences," says Malin Karlsson.

"We have the capacity to collaborate with both governments and small companies, and Thermo Fisher in Norway can serve as a bridge when the opportunities arise."

What Needs to Happen Before 2026?

Before the next conference in 2026, several stakeholders are calling for concrete action.

"We need a greater sense of urgency and clear deliverables. By 2026, we should see real improvements in the use of health data," says Erik Quamme Bergan from GSK.

Veronica Barrabes from Novartis suggests roundtable discussions to keep the debate alive, while Martin Haswell from Roche underscores the need for regulatory reforms to facilitate data access and sharing.

Cathrine Thomassen from GE HealthCare believes it’s time to broaden the focus beyond health data and AI:

"It was important to focus on health data and AI this year, but in 2026 we should also highlight other topics that can further strengthen Norway’s health industry."

Malin Karlsson from Thermo Fisher calls for more international weight:

"Could we bring in Nicolai Tangen and NBIM to help open doors to top international names, like Oslo Business Forum has done?" she asks.

Life Science 2030 Starts Now

Many stakeholders point to a shared goal for 2030: stronger public–private partnerships, better framework conditions, faster data access, and global relevance.

AstraZeneca envisions a Norway at the forefront of innovation and health data, where collaboration is standard. GE HealthCare wants a national strategy and stable conditions. Novartis urges a mindset shift: innovative treatments should be seen not as a cost—but as an investment.

"We’ve talked a lot about collaboration, but done little concretely. I hope that by 2030 we will have established real partnerships that go beyond ceremonial speeches," says Erik Helstad from Bayer.

Malin Karlsson from Thermo Fisher broadens the perspective to the entire Nordic region:

"We have the opportunity to establish ourselves as a unified and prominent player in the global life sciences market—if we act now."

Christine Wergeland Sørbye emphasizes that Norway faces an important choice:

"Will we be the country that was too wealthy to take action, or will we dare to do what is needed? We have the people, the data, and the technology—now we need the investments and the right framework conditions. The question isn’t whether we can lead, but whether we are willing to do what it takes."