From Idea to Impact – Jan Wende and His Team at Mediq Help Startups Navigate Market Access from Gothenburg
"Master of Collaboration" is a series of articles created in partnership with Gothenburg’s life science community.
Meet the people shaping life science in Gothenburg — featuring individuals who bring unique perspectives, drive innovation, and inspire both local and global impact.
Developing a medtech innovation is one thing. Bringing it all the way to market – and into healthcare systems – is something entirely different. That’s where we at Mediq Innovation Experts GmbH come in. Working closely with the CO-AX Accelerator, Jan Wende, Managing Director & Founder, Mediq Innovation Experts GmbH, and his team support startups in navigating the complex landscape of market access across Europe.
“Gothenburg is unique in how it combines innovation with deep system understanding. Startups here don’t just get operational support – they gain strategic guidance that can actually take them all the way to market,” says Jan Wende.
Market Access as a Core Strategy
With more than 20 years of experience in health economics, reimbursement, and commercialization, we at Mediq have helped both large corporations and early-stage companies define pathways to adoption. We work with healthcare providers, regional authorities, investors, and industry to align innovations with clinical and economic needs.
As a partner in the CO-AX Accelerator at Sahlgrenska Science Park, Jan and his team lead the market access strategy for participating companies – helping them identify payer value, regulatory steps, and scalable business models.
“A good idea is not enough. If you can’t show who will pay, why, and when – you won’t make it. Gothenburg has created an environment where startups face these questions early, which is key to success,” Jan explains.
Proximity to Real-World Healthcare
One of Gothenburg’s major strengths is its focus on access to testbeds. Through clinical collaborations initiated by Sahlgrenska Science Park, both within Sweden and Germany, startups can validate their solutions in real-world settings and adapt them based on frontline feedback.
“Many regions have innovation hubs. But very few provide such direct access to care environments. That’s an incredible advantage when it comes to proving real-world value – and we are honored to support this initiative,” says Jan.
A European Gateway for HealthTech
With Mediq as a strategic partner, CO-AX Accelerator strengthens its role in guiding companies not just in development – but also in scale-up and international rollout. This is a crucial part of Gothenburg’s growing position as a European hub for medtech and healthtech innovation.
“I see Sahlgrenska Science Park and the Gothenburg region as one of Europe’s most competent environments for early-stage medical innovation. There’s cutting-edge science, healthcare eager to implement smart innovations, and a strong international network. It’s an ecosystem that makes a real difference,” Jan concludes.