“We're looking to have a product on the market in 2009," says Kristina Henricson.

Optimising treatment - not just alleviating symptoms
At first Hyron BioMedical is intending to treat horses with joint problems.

“The same tough requirements have to be met in developing medicines for animals as for humans, but the process is a little quicker. In the longer term it may also be appropriate to look into the treatment of humans as the same disease - osteoarthritis - underlies these joint problems in both humans and animals.

As well as launching a product with better efficacy in relieving symptoms, an even more advanced product is being developed that optimises treatment in a way that it is not possible with products currently on the market.

Biotechnology the way to go
By the age of six, Kristina was already sure that she would go to university when she was “older". Something in the scientific line was what she had in mind. When she was browsing university prospectuses many years later, she decided that biotechnology was the way to go. The Chalmers University of Technology in Göteborg seemed a logical choice for this native of Lund (university town in southern Sweden).

Once arrived at Chalmers it was just as logical that she would major in Business Design at GIBBS, the business school focusing on the life sciences, which received its first intake of students in 2005. She was granted her wish after persuading the school management of her suitability.

GIBBS students take on development projects
GIBBS is an important element in the creation of a vigorous innovation system for biomedicine in the Göteborg region. Students at GIBBS take on real development projects which the people who hatched the ideas do not have the time, inclination or knowledge to develop into a business. The students work together in a group and tackle the project without any “dry run". Kristina and her fellow group members Rasmus Jostrup and Jonas Berggren chose to take on a project relating to a new preparation to treat joint problems in horses — known today as Hyron BioMedical.

The idea for Hyron BioMedical came from Anders Lindahl, a professor at Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, who has attracted a great deal of attention, among other things for his research on cartilage regeneration, and Eva Skiöldebrand, a research scientist in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.

Kristina Henricson is set out to turn their idea into reality. So what are her best tips for anyone thinking of starting their own business?

"Go for it! What is the worst thing that can happen? Believe in yourself. It´s easier for me to say that now than when I was still a student, but you really don´t need to worry too much."

Annika Risberg

... enterprise:
I´m not sure that I beliveve that it´s really possible to teach enterprise, but I do think it ias a good thing to be able to bring together and encourage potential entrepreneurs and lend them a hand - which is exactly what is being done at GIBBS. I´m quite confident that just about all my classmates will start a business at some time. After graduating from GIBBS there's no doubt - you know how to sort it out. If you want to.

... the number of women in the industry:
Unfortunately there aren´t many women, and that´s a shame. I think it´s important that there should be more. But I think you have to start as early as kindergarten if you want to encourage the girls. Encouragement is always a good thing, but when you reach the higher education level it's generally a bit late.

... enterprise and male/female characteristics:
It can be said that the characteristics that usually distinguish entrepreneurs in some way are those that are traditionally ascribed to men and maleness. But at the same this is a generalisation. Take me for instance, I am a woman and an entrepreneur. It has been an interesting experience being the only female student and watching how my fellow students have reacted and acted in different situations. It´s been highly instructive. Both men and women can be uncertain, but they don´t always show it the same way.

... my position in the next 10-15 years:
I see myself involved in some exciting new project. In the longer term I hope to be able to invest and involve myself in interesting projects and have an opportunity to put my own ideas that pop up from time to time into practice.