Nordic Innovation Fair 2026

What does it take to turn a scientific idea into a company?

For Wren Bioscience, Nordic Innovation Fair (NIF) became a defining part of that journey, from early uncertainty to winning the pitch competition and finding their place in the Nordic innovation ecosystem.

Wren Bioscience’s foundation was laid in their CEO and co-founder Lea Holritz’ kitchen five years ago, where she wondered whether her pumped milk was safe for consumption. A few years later, Wren Bioscience won the pitch award at Nordic Innovation Fair.

Lea and her co-founder Susan Ibi Preus (CTO) met, when developing testing solutions for bovine milk, backed by significant funding. What stood out was that while advanced tools existed to ensure cow’s milk quality, nothing comparable was available for human milk. That realization sparked what would become Wren Bioscience. The technology is based on lateral flow assays, similar to rapid COVID-19 tests, but adapted to the complex nature of milk.

We just need a million and a year

What started as a research initiative soon grew into something more. In early 2026, Wren Bioscience secured the Innofounder grant, allowing both co-founders to work full time in the company for a year.

“Starting your own company is hard but also a huge learning experience. You have your fingers in everything,” Lea explains. “I really think one month in normal time is a year in startup time.”

A few years ago, Lea attended NIF for the first time as a researcher. The company was still an early idea, and the world of investors and commercialization felt unfamiliar.

“I didn’t know how to speak with investors,” Lea admits. “I remember saying: I just need a million and one year and my company will be built. It was an important learning experience.”

When Wren Bioscience returned to NIF in 2025, their approach had changed. They came prepared, with a clearer understanding of their goals and a more strategic mindset about who they wanted to meet and why.

Discovering the importance of community

Their most recent NIF experience didn’t begin as expected. Initially not selected for the pitch competition, the team withdrew, only to be invited back shortly after. They accepted, took the stage, and ultimately won the Best Pitch Award.

The moment wasn’t perfect. During her 30-second pitch, Lea briefly lost her flow but recovered and finished strong.

That moment reflects startup life: it’s not about being flawless, but about showing up and continuing.

What stood out most was not just the pitch, but the people.

“This was the first time we really felt that Nordic innovation is a community,” Lea explains.

At NIF, connections don’t end when the event is over. The same people, investors, founders, advisors, reappear in incubator programs, follow-up meetings, and collaborations.

“The players you meet at NIF, you meet again and again,” she says.

Some of the most valuable moments weren’t planned. Informal conversations led to unexpected opportunities, including legal guidance that turned into ongoing support.

“This is where the magic happens,” Lea says.

From Academia to business-ready

Participation at NIF challenges teams to present themselves not as academic projects, but as companies with a clear direction. “People don’t care that you’re doing a PhD,” Lea notes. “They want to know: what is your company, where are you going, and why?”

Looking back, Lea emphasizes that the full impact of participating in Nordic Innovation Fair is not immediate. “Over time, you realise how much was actually planted there,” she reflects. The event acts as a starting point that continues to create value long after it ends.

Today, Wren Bioscience is moving into its next phase, with pilot projects, new funding opportunities, and growing commercial interest. Nordic Innovation Fair remains part of their journey, not just as a place to meet investors, but as a platform to stay connected to the ecosystem.

For those considering participating, Lea’s advice is straightforward: “Just do it.”

Preparation helps, but in the end, you have to get out there. Being present, engaging with others, and learning through action makes the difference.

Meet Wren Bioscience and more than a hundred other business cases at this year’s Nordic Innovation Fair, 28 - 29 September 2026.