Bridging students and industry: Mentorship for the next generation of life science talent
Developing future talent is one of the cornerstones of a thriving life science ecosystem – and fully in line with Competence development, one of our three strategic focus areas alongside Commercialisation support and Capital access.
That’s why Medicon Village is proud to support the Synapse Lund Mentorship Programme, launched this autumn by Synapse, a non-profit, student-driven organisation that aims to expose life science students to career opportunities and support them in making informed decisions by connecting peers and professionals across the sector. The program is supported by partners such as Medicon Village, recruitment specialist HAYS, and VILDA, a network for women leaders in the life science sector.
Running from November 2025 to May 2026, the mentorship programme connects Bachelor’s and Master’s students from across Sweden with experienced professionals from leading organisations such as AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk, Lundbeck, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Tetra Pak, Alira Health, and Medicon Village itself.
Each student is paired with a mentor for six months of individual guidance, networking, and professional development, complemented by workshops and events organised by Synapse Lund. The aim is to equip students with the skills and insights needed to navigate a career in life science – while giving mentors a rewarding opportunity to share their expertise and strengthen their leadership capabilities.
The programme held its kick-off session at Medicon Village last week, where 12 mentor–mentee pairs met for the first time to set expectations and lay the groundwork for their interactions in the months ahead.
“Supporting the next generation of scientists and innovators is fundamental to our mission,” says Sarah Lidé, Deputy CEO, Medicon Village Innovation, who also serves as one of the mentors. “Through initiatives like this, we help bridge the gap between academia and industry, and ensure that top talent have the opportunity to grow, develop, and find their professional home within our vibrant and growing life science sector here in Sweden.”