SPARK Finland

SPARK Finland

Biotechnology Research

Turning good ideas to great solutions to benefit patients and society

About us

SPARK Finland program is designed to increase the maturity of academic and clinical discoveries towards practical and value-creating solutions in the health tech and life science space. Program supports also career development by educating scientists, students and clinicians on drug and health tech discovery and development, and building the understanding of business aspects related to the discoveries. We work in close relationship with innovation and technology transfer offices of universities, research institutions and hospitals. Our program has been exceptionally successful in boosting the emergence of new products, businesses and licensing deals from academic and clinical institutions. On March 2021 we were acknowledged by Labiotech.eu (currently Shifted - the leading digital media in this space) as TOP25 biotech incubators in Europe. SPARK Finland was built on same principles as SPARK at Stanford. Stanford program was established by Professor Daria Mochly-Rosen in 2006 for advancing new biomedical research discoveries into promising new treatments for patients. It provides top-notch mentoring and education, and a cost-effective model to generate proof of concept by using industry standards.

Sivusto
http://www.sparkfinland.fi
Toimiala
Biotechnology Research
Yrityksen koko
2-10 employees
Päätoimipaikka
Tampere
Tyyppi
Educational
Perustettu
2017

Sijainnit

Työntekijät SPARK Finland

Päivitykset

  • This is also a really valuable post when considering raising money for a startup.

    Näytä profiili: Walker Deibel, kuva

    Buying businesses and investing in the private market // Founder, PE & RE Fund, Advisor #BuyThenBuild

    The FanDuel founders built a $500M company but walked away with $0. Here's how investment terms eradicated their equity (from analyzing hundreds of deals): Most founders only focus on running their business, completely missing the slightly sneaky game happening in the fine print. When you raise money, you're actually playing two separate games: • Running the business • Protecting your equity After analyzing 250+ private equity deals, here are the 4 most dangerous terms that can destroy founder equity: 1. Liquidation Preferences Investors get paid back 2-3x their investment before founders see a penny. Think of it as investors cutting to the front of the line at exit. 2. Board Flipping Rights These let investors control the board with a minority stake. One missed milestone? You're suddenly "Director of Marketing" at your own company. 3. Drag-Along Rights Forces you to sell when investors want out. Wrong timing? Too low price? Doesn't matter. You have zero say. 4. Anti-Dilution Protection If valuations drop, investors get MORE shares to maintain their ownership %. You're playing poker where only founders can lose chips. The real danger is how these terms compound: • Multiple layers of preferences stack up • Board control shifts away • Anti-dilution keeps hitting By Series C, your cap table becomes a minefield. Here's how to protect yourself: • Map total capital needs upfront • Build leverage before raising (revenue, unit economics, path to profitability) • Get a lawyer who's seen hundreds of venture deals • Consider alternatives (venture debt, strategic partnerships, revenue-based financing) The harsh truth: Running a business and protecting your equity require completely different skillsets. Most founders master the first but ignore the second until it's too late. Want to learn how to play both games and win? Join 50,000+ entrepreneurs getting weekly insights on deal structures, wealth building, and acquisition opportunities. Get started here (includes free chapter of my WSJ bestseller): walkerdeibel.com -- About me: WSJ bestselling author, bought 7 companies in 10 years. I help entrepreneurs skip the start-up phase by buying profitable businesses.

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  • This is a highly relevant post for all of us when building new companies…

    Näytä profiili: James Green, kuva

    🚀 Helping Experienced Professionals Launch Startups Without Leaving Their Job. 📈 Founder and Investor in 100 Companies. 🔔 Follow me for insights, learnings, tips and stories about entrepreneurship.

    I'm not saying you shouldn't pursue VC money (although for most people it's a total waste of time), I'm saying you need to be sure it's right for you... and you're right for it. In the attached, you'll find 6 key issues on which founders and their investors are often misaligned. (VCs in my network, if I'm doing you a disservice here, let me know. I'm actually a big fan of VC. I'm just pointing out that your way isn't THE way.) Valor VC venture partner, Donald Knight, phrased it so well: ↓↓ There's a massive disconnect between founders’ true goals and the narrative they feel forced to sell. I’ve seen this dynamic play out countless times, and the ripple effects—misaligned incentives, disillusioned angels, and the burnout of genuinely talented founders—are devastating for the entire ecosystem. We need to challenge the prevailing wisdom that “unicorn or bust” is the only way. The truth is, not every founder should chase a billion-dollar exit, and it’s a disservice to both founders and investors to pretend otherwise. Is this a possible antidote? • Validate first: Founders de-risk with real customer traction before raising capital or leaving their jobs. • Grow responsibly: Focus on lean growth and profitability over boom-or-bust trajectories. • Raise transparently: Set realistic timelines, reasonable valuations, and clear expectations for investors. It’s pragmatic, founder-centric, and frankly, the kind of model that creates long-term trust and repeatability in this space. It’s the polar opposite of the hype-driven, spray-and-pray strategies that erode value for investors and burn out founders. Credit: Donald Knight (link to Donald's profile in the comments.) #startups #venturecapital #raisingmoney

  • ⭐ Last week of SPARK Finland application period ⭐ Are you investigating basic mechanisms of disease? Are you sitting on a new technology or potential pharmacotherapy with clinical potential, yet the developmental know-how is lacking? SPARK Finland supports development of novel therapeutics, diagnostics, health technologies and health IT solutions for unmet medical needs with its proven two-year program. Some examples of past projects in global SPARK programs include unmet needs in pediatric, orphan diseases, cardiovascular, oncology, inflammatory, respiratory, neurological, autoimmune indications, and infectious disease. As a SPARKee you will get 🎯 Mentoring and advice from national and international industry leaders who will help you to develop your idea towards working commercial or clinical solution  🎯 Support and experiences from SPARK managers and other SPARKees 🎯 Access to international institutions and networks as a member of SPARK Global network 🎯 Opportunities to participate and present your idea in international industrial events such as BioEurope, Nordic Life Science Days, Bio Investor Forum etc. SPARK will support financially travels to international events 🎯 Education on R&D and Business development in drug, medical device and diagnostics or health IT  🎯 Small financial contribution to de-risk your project e.g. travel grants to international events. 🎯 Access to investors and experts on commercialization Want to find out more? Contact one of our local managers to discuss whether SPARK could benefit your journey. Pasi Sorvisto | Helena Lähdekorpi | Janina Stauffer | Irina Lavikainen | Anu Meerwaldt University of Helsinki | HUS Helsingin yliopistollinen sairaala | Aalto University | Tampere University | Pirkanmaan hyvinvointialue | Turun yliopisto - University of Turku | Åbo Akademi University | Varsinais-Suomen hyvinvointialue | University of Eastern Finland | Kuopio University Hospital (KUH) - Kuopion yliopistollinen sairaala (KYS)

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  • SPARK Finland application period has begun ⭐ Are you investigating basic mechanisms of disease? Are you sitting on a new technology or potential pharmacotherapy with clinical potential, yet the developmental know-how is lacking? SPARK Finland supports development of novel therapeutics, diagnostics, health technologies and health IT solutions for unmet medical needs with its proven two-year program. Some examples of past projects in global SPARK programs include unmet needs in pediatric, orphan diseases, cardiovascular, oncology, inflammatory, respiratory, neurological, autoimmune indications, and infectious disease. As a SPARKee you will get 🎯 Mentoring and advice from national and international industry leaders who will help you to develop your idea towards working commercial or clinical solution  🎯 Support and experiences from SPARK managers and other SPARKees 🎯 Access to international institutions and networks as a member of SPARK Global network 🎯 Opportunities to participate and present your idea in international industrial events such as BioEurope, Nordic Life Science Days, Bio Investor Forum etc. SPARK will support financially travels to international events 🎯 Education on R&D and Business development in drug, medical device and diagnostics or health IT  🎯 Small financial contribution to de-risk your project e.g. travel grants to international events. 🎯 Access to investors and experts on commercialization Want to find out more? Contact one of our local managers to discuss whether SPARK could benefit your journey and join our info session on November 11th at 2 pm via Zoom https://lnkd.in/dHFFQWnR Pasi Sorvisto | Helena Lähdekorpi | Janina Stauffer | Irina Lavikainen | Anu Meerwaldt University of Helsinki | HUS Helsingin yliopistollinen sairaala | Aalto University | Tampere University | Pirkanmaan hyvinvointialue | Turun yliopisto - University of Turku | Åbo Akademi University | Varsinais-Suomen hyvinvointialue | University of Eastern Finland | Kuopio University Hospital (KUH) - Kuopion yliopistollinen sairaala (KYS)

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  • 🎉 Exciting News from SPARK Finland 🎉 We’re proud to share the recent successes of SPARK Finland alumni. These innovative companies are making strides in healthtech and life sciences: ⭐ NADMED Ltd. secured €3.5M to expand into the U.S. with their NAD measurement technology. ⭐ MONCYTE Health raised €1M to advance their cardiovascular disease diagnostics. ⭐ Avenue Biosciences closed a $2.5M seed round for their protein engineering solutions. ⭐ MoniCardi partnered with Suunto to integrate their HRV algorithms into Suunto’s products. These achievements reflect the growing impact of Finnish university spinouts. Visit our website to learn more about our alumni’s progress! More information: https://lnkd.in/dBz6HCH9 #SPARKFinland #Healthtech #MedTech #Diagnostics #AlumniSuccess

    SPARK Finland alumni are succeeding under the radar

    SPARK Finland alumni are succeeding under the radar

    https://sparkfinland.fi

  • 🎉 Alumni Success Spotlight! 🎉 MONCYTE Health diagnostics, developing proprietary technology to optimize treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease, has closed a EUR 1 million seed round to fund its go-to-market strategy. Its technology is designed to help clinicians select more effective personalized treatments for patients with high cholesterol. The round was led by Finnish venture capital investors Inventure, Almaral, and Athensmed and included funding from University of Helsinki Funds, private European investors, and a grant from Business Finland. As one of their investors aptly put it, 'We invest in companies, where great health benefits meet great business opportunities, and there is a superior team capable of executing the plan.' This statement couldn't be more true for Simon Pfisterer and Tamara Alagirova. We're thrilled to follow their journey and grateful to have them as mentors, guiding the next generation of SPARKees. More info via https://lnkd.in/d8SBYKhX

    MONCYTE Health Raises EUR 1 Million Seed Capital to Advance Personalized Treatment for High Cholesterol - MONCYTE Health

    MONCYTE Health Raises EUR 1 Million Seed Capital to Advance Personalized Treatment for High Cholesterol - MONCYTE Health

    https://moncytehealth.com

  • 🎉 Alumni Success Spotlight! 🎉 We are thrilled to announce that one of the SPARK Finland alumni companies, MoniCardi has partnered with Suunto, a global leader in sports watches and precision instruments! Their cutting-edge technology, developed in collaboration with Tampere University, will now be powering Suunto's products, marking a major milestone in their journey. This achievement reflects the potential of research-based findings to be turned into value creating solutions.🚀 Congratulations to the entire team—this is just the beginning! 👉 Read more: https://lnkd.in/dny2AiP3 MoniCardi | Suunto | Tampere University | SPARK Finland | Esa Räsänen

    Cutting-edge technology from Tampere University now powers Suunto’s products | Tampere universities

    Cutting-edge technology from Tampere University now powers Suunto’s products | Tampere universities

    tuni.fi

  • If you are participating to Nordic Life Science Days next week, please come and check out our SPARK Nordics session on Tuesday and come say hi! SPARK Norway | #SPARKDenmark | SPARK Finland | Morten Egeberg | Katrine Damgaard | Anu Meerwaldt

    Näytä organisaatiosivu: Nordic Life Science Days, kuva

    4 980 seuraajaa

    Nordic SPARK Programs Ignite Innovation! Stanford's SPARK Program has become a global phenomenon, inspiring universities like those in #Finland, #Norway, and #Denmark to establish their own branches. These Nordic SPARK programs are dedicated to turning academic breakthroughs in #HealthTech and #LifeSciences into real-world solutions that make a difference. Their achievements have been impressive, but the ambition is to reach even greater heights through collaboration. Join us for a session where #NordicSPARK projects will unveil their exciting new solutions! Hear from Anu Meerwaldt, Development Manager at SPARK Finland, Katrine Damgaard, Program Manager at #SPARKDenmark and Morten Egeberg, Director at SPARK Norway. Register here: https://lnkd.in/d5TT8sX

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  • Fall season started once again at the SPARK Finland program. The new SPARKees started their journey, and our mentoring and educational activities are now in full speed. The fall season also contains a lot of international activities. Our European webinar series is continuing, and we will have large delegations from our program at several events. Some of the key events during fall are Nordic Life Science Days (Malmö, SWE), Nordic Innovation Fair (Copenhagen, DEN), and Y Science (Helsinki, FIN). We hope that those who are interested in meeting some of the coolest project teams in the world and hear about their great projects, you come to meet us in those events. Stay tuned for more interesting news from us.

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