Life science initiative on Solna Campus continues through multimillion investment

The Solna Campus is an important part of the growing Hagastaden neighbourhood. The campus, which will link Stockholm and Solna, is developing into a living neighbourhood with housing, shopping, underground, culture and parks. The community, university and industry are also joining forces to create the hub for Greater Stockholm’s life science cluster with a focus on research and science that improve human life and health.

In 2018, when Karolinska Institutet moved parts of its operations to the Biomedicum experimental research laboratory, a unique vacancy of 45,000 m2 arose that offers an opportunity for new businesses to open on the campus. Working in close collaboration with Karolinska Institutet, Akademiska Hus is opening up the Solna Campus to new participants, and as part of this effort the initiative will continue with an investment of SEK 275 million by Akademiska Hus to remodel the approximately 24,000 m2Retzius Laboratory. State of the art office and lab environments will be created in this facility which, with its strategic location adjacent to Karolinska Institutet, also provides proximity to an array of other authorities, businesses and organisations – all linked to education and research in health and medicine.

“The Solna Campus is in an extremely exciting development phase. By remodelling the Retzius Laboratory we look forward to being able to offer more new participants the opportunity to move to the campus and benefit from the central meeting places created where students, researchers, visitors, businesspeople and start-up companies can band together for knowledge sharing, development and innovation in life science,” says Magnus Huss, Market Area Director at Akademiska Hus.

Strong demand

Currently, more than 4,000 people work, study and conduct research on the Solna Campus. Interest in moving to the campus is strong and Akademiska Hus has already signed agreements with several businesses that have now moved to the Solna Campus, or will soon do so. They include the global life science company Bayer, which moved into its new headquarters on campus in April 2019.Swedish biotech company Affibody has also moved to the campus, as has the Waters Corporation, a world leader in special measurement technology that serves the life, material and food sciences, which has moved its Swedish head office to the Solna Campus.

The remodelling of the Retzius Laboratory is expected to begin in the spring of 2020. Occupants will be able to move in between late 2020 and 2022. 

• Rebuilding
• Campus development