Grand Opening of the Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park

When the Prime Minister opens the Oslo Cancer Cluster innovation Park at Montebello in August, the founder Jónas Einarsson are already planning the next steps for the Radium Hospital Innovation Campus.

Monday August 24th is the official opening of the Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park. This unique project is built on private enthusiasm and builds on the long history of cancer research and treatment performed at the Norwegian Radium Hospital. The Innovation Park includes Ullern High School, The Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator, and Institute for Medical Informatics and Pathology at Oslo University Hospital – as well as global biopharmaceutical and biotech companies.

Integrated high school
Early 2000, Jónas Einarsson, CEO at the Radium Hospital Research Foundation, and Kaare Norum, former principal of the University of Oslo, realized that a natural cluster for cancer research, development and innovation emerged in the Oslo-area. Together they established Oslo Cancer Cluster, a research and industry cluster within cancer.

They soon realized that the milieu needed a physical innovation center for collaboration, innovation and networking across disciplines. The idea of an innovation park were born, optimally placed right next to the Norwegian Radium Hospital and with Ullern High School as an integrated part to attract and develop talents to cancer R&D and entrepreneurship.

“As a former principal and a man with education as his focus, Kaare Norum came up with the idea to integrate Ullern High School,” says Einarsson. “Ullern and principal at that time, Paal Riis, was very positive from day one, “Einarsson explains, “The collaboration started in 2009 and is expanding every year, and we look forward to being located in the same building.”

All ready for next steps
Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park aims to create one of Europe’s leading centers for education, research and industry in cancer. “By building the park right next to the hospital and Institute for cancer research, the value chain from basic research to industry is brought together at one place: The Radium Hospital Innovation Campus.

Einarsson is already planning the next steps to strengthen the campus further; “We will expand with more buildings and facilities,” he says. “The need for a new clinic building at the Radium Hospital is urgent, and the Oslo-area lack a center for proton treatment. We have investors and drawings in place already”.

Unique project
“We are honoured to have Prime Minister Erna Solberg opening Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park. Governing Mayor of Oslo, Stian Berger Røsland and Head of Oslo University Hospital, Bjorn Erikstein are also part of this celebration “ says  Arne Baumann, Chairman of the Board of the Innovation Park. “We look forward to show them the uniqueness of this project; the park integrates education, excellent research and innovations, and represents a real opportunity to make biotech and health research a new Norwegian industry. Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park is really one of a kind,” Baumann states.

 

Facts:

Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park AS

Total space: 36 000 m²

Tenants: Oslo university Hospital, The Institute for Cancer Genetics and Informatics, Norwegian Cancer registry, Oslo Cancer Cluster SA, Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator AS, The Norwegian Radium Hospital Research Foundation, The Oslo Hospital Pharmacy, Ullern High School, global pharma companies, Norwegian biotech companies.

Opens officialy August 24.th 2015 by the Prime Minister of Norway, Erna Solberg.