About us

UU Invest is an early investor with a longer exit strategy than many other venture capital companies. UU Invest assists researchers and students in validating technology, markets and business models and also invests in projects before companies are formed. A collaboration with UU Invest means a long-term commitment and access to a broad network of expertise and capital.

Through UU Invest, Uppsala University participates in establishing new research-based companies. Since its inception in 1995, UU Invest has invested more than SEK 100 million in more than 100 companies. Today, UU Invest is a partner in more than 40 companies in various industries.

About us

Our operations

Leadership

The board

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Our operations

Uppsala University Project AB

Via our project company, we can offer pre-incubation in which a business idea is analyzed and validated with respect to the market and various technical solutions before a company is potentially formed. We offer financing in exchange for future ownership in the event of a company start-up. Examples of companies that started as projects housed by Uppsala University Projekt AB are Disruptive Materials, OssDsign and Strike Pharma.

Uppsala universitet Research Intellectual Property AB

Uppsala University Research Intellectual Property AB (RIP AB) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Uppsala University Invest. The company is a service company intended to be used by the university and its employees to work with IP agreements. As an Authority, the university cannot own patents and can therefore not formally be part of a consortium where participants need to secure inventions that emerge during collaborations. Contact Uppsala University Innovation for more information.

Institute for Personnel and Business Development

The Institute for Personnel and Business Development (IPF AB) has been running management and leadership development, development projects, practical in-house knowledge development and research in governance, organization and management for over 30 years, primarily with a focus on the public sector and societal activities. IPF acts as a national collaboration hub that in a unique way combines its own business-related research projects, with the dissemination of knowledge and support for organizations, managers and leaders to create development and real learning.
www: ipf.se

Uppsala Innovation Center (25% ownership)

UIC offers innovative start-ups and growth companies in all industries tailored business development support, networks and financing to develop, scale-up or reach an international market. In other words, speed up the time-to-market and reduce the risks.

UIC is one of the country’s leading business incubators and accelerators and is ranked as one of the world’s 5 best business incubators. A business incubator aims to facilitate the journey of start-ups and established companies towards success
www: uic.se

Leadership

Gunilla Lundmark

CEO

gunilla.lundmark@invest.uu.se
070 974 9057

CEO of Uppsala University Invest since 2018. Gunilla Lundmark has for more than 25 years been active in leading positions in the life sciences sector. Most recently as CEO of Pharmanest AB, where she led the development of a product in women’s health from idea to commercialization phase. Board member of Chordate Medical Holding AB (publ.), IPF AB, Lipidor AB (publ.), Uppsala Innovation Center (UIC) AB, Combigen AB (publ) and chairman of the board of Strike Pharma AB. Gunilla has a bachelor’s degree in medical science and an Executive MBA from Uppsala University.

Mateo Santurio

Mateo Santurio

Investment manager

mateo.santurio@invest.uu.se
070 316 3572

Mateo is an investment manager and advisor in companies and projects in which UU Invest and UU Projekt invest. He has 20 years of experience of active work with university innovations via start-ups, patent sales and industrial collaborations with global industrial companies. Mateo holds a Master of Science degree in Engineering and Applied Physics and a business degree from the School of Entrepreneurship at Uppsala University.
Currently board member of Oncodia AB.

Simon Granit

Chief Financial Officer

simon.granit@invest.uu.se
070 588 4322

Since 2021, Simon has been the CFO and has extensive experience in financing, business development, and management. He worked for five years at the venture capital firm Ledstiernan as an analyst, investment manager, and finance manager. Simon also has experience in the manufacturing industry, real estate, and chemical industry, serving as deputy CEO, chief financial officer, and business developer. Simon holds a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering and Management from Chalmers University of Technology and has studied at Stanford and Bocconi. Chairman of the Board at Scaleout Systems AB and Granit AB, board member at Intelligence Lab AB and HyEnGen AB.

The board

Henrik Didner

President

Elected in 2014.

Henrik has a PhD in business administration and is one of the founders of the fund management company Didner & Gerge Fonder. Chairman of the Board since 2015. Other assignments: Member of Didner & Gerge Fonder AB, Gradientech AB, and VBN Components AB and G-Förvaltning AB.

A portrait of a female board member at UU Invest

Charlotte Platzer-Björkman

Professor in Solid State Electronics, Vice-Chancellor, Uppsala University

Elected in 2023.

Engaged in research on solar cell materials. Obtained a Master’s degree in Engineering in Physics in 2001 from Uppsala University, where she also defended her doctoral thesis in 2006. Charlotte completed her post-doctoral work at the Institute for Energy Technology in Kjeller, Norway, before returning to Uppsala. She has been a professor since 2016.

Porträtt Tomas Nygren

Tomas Nygren

External board member 

Elected in 2023.

Tomas Nygren has worked practically with financing and business development for over 40 years and has had a successful career, both in the private sector and in close proximity to the innovation support system. Tomas has a degree in economics from Uppsala University. Most recently, he served as the CFO of Industrifonden and previously held the position of Group CFO at Almi and Deputy CEO at Innovationsbron.

A portrait of a female who is a new board member

Gisela Sitbon

External board member.

Elected in 2023.

Gisela is a doctor in medical sciences from the Karolinska Institute and has since been involved in and worked for innovative start-ups and growth companies both nationally and internationally. Other roles: Chairman of Emplicure AB, Gradientech AB, and Nanologica AB, as well as a member of Annexin Pharmaceuticals AB and Encare AB.

Malin Graffner Portrait

Malin Graffner Nordberg

UU Innovation, Head of the Department

Elected in 2024

Malin Graffner Nordberg, born in 1967, is a licensed pharmacist with a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical chemistry from Uppsala University and holds an Executive MBA from Stockholm University. Malin has been working at UU Innovation, the innovation office of Uppsala University, since 2012. Besides holding various board positions and owning pharmacies, she has served as a project manager at Biovitrum AB and later as the CEO of Innoventus Project AB.

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