Meet our Accelerators

Ingela Hallberg, Senior Advisor at Ventures Accelerated

Ingela Hallberg, Senior Advisor at Ventures Accelerated

The Future of Nordic Life Science: Ingela Hallberg’s Reflections

Ingela Hallberg, MD, has a career spanning clinical practice in cardiovascular medicine, senior leadership roles in global pharma, and now advising start-ups and mid-cap life science companies. With more than 25 years of experience at AstraZeneca, Bayer, Merck KGaA, Lundbeck, and as Nordic CEO at Quintiles (now IQVIA), she combines medical expertise with strategic leadership in R&D, Medical Affairs, and market access. As one of our accelerators, Ingela brings to the team the ability to help companies navigate complex stakeholder networks, prioritize effectively, and bridge the gap from clinical research to successful market entry. 

In this interview, Ingela shares her perspectives on the challenges companies face in scaling, and her vision for how the Nordic life science ecosystem can continue to thrive on the global stage. 

You’ve had a career spanning clinical practice as an MD, senior leadership roles in global pharma, and now advising startups and mid-cap life science companies. What motivated you to make that shift from big pharma to supporting smaller companies? 

I would like to share my 25 years of experience in big pharma, gained from local, regional, and global positions in both operational and senior management roles, in areas where I can make the greatest impact — being part of the journey from idea to market. Start-ups are full of talented young people, but no matter how smart you are, life sciences is a tough industry with complex regulations that demand extensive experience. This is where I can contribute. At the same time, working with these young people is a true privilege. 

From your vantage point as both a senior advisor and board member, what do you see as the biggest challenges startups face when trying to scale in the life science sector? 

It is quite a challenge to navigate the complex network of stakeholders that companies must work with to achieve regulatory approval and market entry. There is a risk of getting lost among the many services offered by stakeholders (CROs, quality consultancies, regulatory firms, manufacturing partners) and of assuming that every measure described in their proposals is required to obtain market approval. In my experience, it is common for start-ups to spend significant amounts of money too early and on the wrong priorities. 

There are many ways to meet regulatory and clinical requirements, and these should usually be addressed step by step. At this stage, companies need accurate guidance before entering into agreements with service providers. This is where 

I can contribute — helping companies navigate these complexities and create realistic plans all the way to market entry. 

 
You recently joined Ventures Accelerated as a senior advisor, bringing a unique perspective as both an MD and an industry leader. How do you see this combination of medical and business expertise helping Nordic and international companies overcome the hurdles of market access and growth? 

My experience lies mainly in clinical development and medical affairs, where I have worked with clinical studies from phase I through post-market surveillance trials, as well as with pre-launch, launch readiness, launch activities, and market access initiatives. This has given me a helicopter view of what is required not only to enter the market but also to succeed in it — already from an early stage of development. When planning the very first phase I clinical study, it is already critical to consider both regulatory and reimbursement strategies. 

 
Having spent much of your career working in and with the Nordic region, what insights can you share about how Nordic Market Access is evolving, and where you see the greatest value for companies engaging with the ecosystem now and in the future?  

I have worked with both global and Nordic responsibilities. While the Nordic market is relatively small, the global perspective is crucial for reaching a broader market. The Nordic region was among the first to implement reimbursement systems, which fundamentally changed the prerequisites for market entry — “me too” products were no longer an option. Over time, the rest of the world has followed, but reimbursement systems still vary significantly across different regions. This makes knowledge and strong advisors essential to fully understand the requirements.  

Therefore, companies should focus on developing clear value propositions, scaling partnerships early, de-risking through diversified funding, and defining country-specific market entry strategies early on with robust implementation plans. 

In the ecosystem, research will focus on genetic biomarkers to enable targeted treatments for patients (personalized medicine), on prophylaxis, and on reducing the development of antibiotic resistance. AI will play a major role in ensuring early and accurate diagnosis, identifying substances for personalized medicine, assessing disease risk, and thereby enabling preventive treatment. The overall focus will be on reducing costs, as global healthcare expenses are rising to unsustainable levels. In addition, the life science industry must integrate sustainability into every stage of research, development, and production. 

What excites you most about working with the next generation of Nordic life science companies, and how do you see the Nordic life sciences market evolving over the next 5–10 years? 

Over the next 5-10 years the Nordics should remain a global innovation hub for MedTech, digital therapeutics and specialized biotech. Key strengths are optimal collaboration in academic clusters, integrated healthcare systems that enable clinical studies and real-world evidence, and active investments from both VC and other stakeholders. We should expect accelerated adoption of AI and ML in devices and diagnostics, focus on precision therapeutics and sustainability. Risks include the political environment, uneven funding across countries including a decline in the investment climate, and tougher reimbursement environment. Of importance will be EU and national strategies to strengthen life sciences.  

While the Nordic region has strong research and innovation capacity, success over the next 5-10 years will also depend on addressing inefficiencies in healthcare systems. In Sweden, for example, structural fragmentation and slow procurement processes often delay the adoption of new technologies. The healthcare system particularly in Sweden, is structural inefficient which contributes to delays in diagnosis, treatment, and lack of overall patient care. This structural inefficiency means that even when research is strong, and innovation may be world-class adoption in every day care may not be reached. It is critical for politicians to address the structural inefficiencies to succeed in leveraging future innovation, both in terms of access and adaption.