Medicon Village

Barometer Findings: Skåne’s life science innovation engine is unusually strong

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Medicon Village

According to our recently launched ”Skåne Life Science Barometer 2026”, Skåne stands out as a highly research-driven life science hub, with a stronger early-stage innovation profile than the national average.

Some facts to prove it:

  • 1 in 3 life science companies in Skåne are engaged in R&D, compared with 1 in 4. This rises to 1 in 2 in Lund-based life science companies.
  • Among survey respondents, 85% of Skåne companies identify ongoing research projects as key value-generating assets, compared with 68% in the rest of Sweden.
  • 65% identify patents as key assets, compared with 58% in the rest of Sweden.
  • Skåne recorded the fastest growth in life science patenting at the EPOamong Swedish regions between 2015 and 2024, with 5.1% CAGR, compared with 3.5% for Sweden overall.

The ”Skåne Life Science Barometer 2026” is a regional deepdive into southern Sweden’s life science sector, based on the national edition, the ”2026 Life Science Barometer”, providing a data-driven snapshot of the Swedish life science industry – a sector that accounts for around 10% of Sweden’s product exports, making it the country’s second-largest export sector and a key driver of innovation and economic growth. The national edition is produced by SwedenBIO in cooperation with Medicon Village Innovation, Sahlgrenska Science Park, Stockholm Science City Foundation, STUNS Life Science and Citeline.

Please, feel free to download the full report