KI Innovation´s Life Science Business Incubator DRIVE

Call for early-stage Life Science ventures

Application open June 10 to August 22, 2025

Are you building a science-based company aiming to transform health or healthcare? Join DRIVE, KI Innovations’ incubator for early-stage ventures in pharma, biotech, medtech, diagnostics and digital health. 

You bring a validated idea with technical depth and a committed team. We provide the environment and support to help you build a scalable business with global potential. 

Apply here by filling in the application form – Application deadline – August 22, 2025 

What do you get as a DRIVE company?

  • Business development support: regulatory/IP strategy, market and pricing, team development, communications, and more. 
  • Access to the KI DRIVE investor network. 
  • Participation in KI Innovation’s key events: InvestorDay, HealthDay, TeamDay as well as seminar series and workshops. 
  • Tailored coaching – an external business advisor assigned specifically for you and your company  
  • Co-funding opportunities for selected development activities.  
  • Participation in the hands-on entrepreneurial training programme Catalyzer (Oct–Jan), building essential skills aimed at sharpening your business case and planning for growth. 
  • Fund raising support and opportunity for pre-seed funding via KI Holding AB. 
  • KI Science Park membership and sponsored co-working space access at AWL, Innomedicum. 
  • A program funded by Karolinska Institutet, Vinnova and partners. 

We are looking for companies that

  • Operate in human life science with a clear health or healthcare focus with a novel and unique science and technology-based innovation.  
  • Founder-Owned and Driven: The founding team should own a majority of the company and be actively engaged in its development. Are led by a dedicated CEO and core team. Key competencies in place, or a plan to secure them. The team is willing to invest significant time and actively be part of our community.   
  • Sustainability-Driven Business: The company should address a societal or environmental challenge and aim for long-term impact through economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable practices. They shall demonstrate at least early-stage integration of sustainability considerations (UN SDGs), including initial analysis of relevant risks and opportunities.   
  • Innovative: The business must offer unique, competitive value on its target market – through product, model, operations, or ecosystem – that enables long-term competitive advantage.   
  • Have a scalable Business Model: The company must have, or be developing, a business model capable of scaling significantly. There shall be an understanding and description of customer needs, market potential and the competitive landscape.    
  • Unique Knowledge Assets: The company must hold or be developing proprietary knowledge or capabilities that secure lasting market advantage. The innovation should be science-based, ideally supported by peer-reviewed research, ongoing validation, or early clinical data. It shall have scientific backing, ideally with peer-reviewed studies, ongoing validation, or clinical data.Proof of Concept (PoC) of key functions or characteristics has been demonstrated. For example:  
  • Therapeutics: Early pharmacological Proof of Principle using a tool compound in relevant disease-related ex vivo or in vivo models. 
  • Medtech: Functional prototype tested and validated in relevant lab- or animal models. 
  • Digital health: Core system components integrated and tested for preliminary performance, showing they function together. Initial work on system architecture (e.g. interoperability, reliability) has been started.
  • Not Yet Market-Ready: The company is still validating its business model, has no recurring commercial revenues, and does not yet have sufficient capital to cover 24 months of operations.

What do you need to invest?

The start-up signs up for one year at a time for a maximum of three years (longer times may apply for certain deeptech technologies), as determined by recurring progress evaluations. You need to report back to KI Innovations and Vinnova on progress. You preferably are based in/close to Stockholm or are able to travel for physical events, workshops and other meet-ups organized by us.

Admission process and assessment

Applications are read and reviewed by KI Innovation’s business coaches and an external advisory board. Do not disclose proprietary information. 

Assessments are based e.g.: 

  • Company maturity stages (Innovation readiness levels TMRL, CRL, BRL, SRL) 
  • Innovation height and uniqueness 
  • Competitive and market potential 

To be eligible, your company should be registered in Sweden (Aktiebolag, AB) not older than 5 years by the program start. It must qualify for state aid under GBER Article 22 or De Minimis rules during the incubation period. 

Important dates for application and admission

*all dates except the application deadline are subject of change, keep informed by our webpage and e-mails

Catalyzer program October-January

Save the dates – full-day physical presence in Stockholm required. 

  • October 8  DRIVE Kick-Off & Catalyzer introduction  
  • October 15-17  Catalyzer Boot Camp (overnight) 
  • October 22, 23 or 29 Mandatory business review (2-3 hours, individual time slots) 
  • November 4 Workshops 
  • November 18-19 Workshops 
  • December 3-4 Workshops 
  • January 14-15 Workshops + Dragon’s Den  

Should you have any questions, feel free to contact our project coordinator
Annika Österdahl Wåhlberg at annika.osterdahl.wahlberg@kiinnovations.se