Women in Life Science Denmark (WiLD), the Nordic non-profit network dedicated to advancing women into senior leadership positions in life sciences, has launched WiLD Finland. WiLD’s expansion further strengthens its ambition to contribute to a more inclusive and competitive Nordic life sciences ecosystem by supporting and empowering women in life sciences.
The launch of WiLD Finland builds on the network’s presence in Denmark and Norway, and its collaboration with its Swedish sister organisation, VILDA (Leading Women in Life Science, Sweden). Together, these organisations form a growing Nordic network focused on strengthening diversity, leadership and cross-border collaboration within the life sciences sector.
H.E. Jakob Nymann-Lindegren, Danish Ambassador to Finland, said: “Strong Nordic cooperation is essential to building competitive and sustainable life sciences ecosystems. Initiatives such as WiLD play a significant role in strengthening cross-border collaboration while promoting greater diversity in leadership. I am pleased to host the launch of WiLD Finland at the Embassy and to support an initiative that brings together senior female leaders from across Denmark and Finland.”
The event will feature presentations by Lene Gerlach, founder and chair of WiLD Denmark, and Milla Koistinaho, adjunct professor in neurobiology and founding partner at Innovestor Life Science, who will assume the role of chair of WiLD Finland.
Koistinaho said: “Finland has a strong and international competitive life sciences ecosystem, yet women remain underrepresented in senior leadership roles. WiLD Finland has been established to address this gap by creating a trusted, high-level network where women leaders can connect, share experiences, and support one another across sectors and borders. I am proud to introduce WiLD to Finland and bolster the strong Nordic collaboration already in place.”
Gerlach said: “From the beginning, WiLD was founded with a Nordic ambition. Today, with active organizations in Denmark and Norway, close collaboration with VILDA in Sweden, and now the launch of WiLD Finland, we are building a strong, science-centric Nordic network for women in life sciences. By collaborating across countries, we can increase visibility of female role models, share best practices, and accelerate progress toward more diverse leadership in our sector.”
WiLD has established itself across the Nordics through mentoring programmes, peer-to-peer groups, networking events, and joint Nordic initiatives, including cross-border panels, surveys, and collaborations addressing shared leadership challenges across the region.