2023.03.06

Vectura establish Upside Stories in Främre Boländerna

During the spring of 2022, Vectura acquired two properties within Främre Boländerna in Uppsala, totaling approximately 40,000 square meters. Now, the development of Upside Stories begins, which will be the first building on Säbygatan 5 - an innovative hub of about 20,000 square meters where science, health, and sustainability are at the center. Here, actors primarily in the fields of life science and tech will establish their operations and connect businesses, academia, and research. Vectura sees collaboration as the key to the development of both the building and the area, aligning with Uppsala municipality's vision for the growing district.

Upside Stories is the name of one of Vectura's recent major projects in the heart of the old industrial district Främre Boländerna, in central Uppsala. The new destination enables knowledge exchange, bringing together actors to address major societal challenges with a focus on science, health, and sustainability. Upside Stories will contribute to the growing district by hosting world-leading actors in fields such as life science and tech, as well as startups, researchers, and students.

Vectura is creating new destinations in several locations in Sweden that need revitalization. In Mölndal, Vectura has been driving the project of the life science cluster GoCo Health Innovation City since 2018, and today, the development of the area is in its second phase, covering 200,000 square meters. For the establishment in Främre Boländerna, the company brings valuable experience from GoCo and applies it to a new context that is, in many ways, similar to Mölndal.

"Through our projects, we create spaces where people are provided with the right conditions to grow and develop together with others. Uppsala is a new market for us, and we want to develop Främre Boländerna together with those who work and live here. Therefore, during the autumn, we have invited people from the business community, academia, and research in Uppsala to workshops, and together we have created a future vision that serves as the foundation for Upside Stories. It's an incredibly exciting and innovative venture for us that will become a unique place in the heart of the growing district," says Micael Averborg, Business Development Manager at Vectura.

Upside Stories will be a building of approximately 20,000 square meters with two interconnected sections, unified by an atrium. The atrium will be a natural meeting place that showcases research and innovation to both the occupants of the building and the general public. Similar to Vectura's development of Forskaren in Hagastaden, Upside Stories will also become a hub for academia, business, and research.

"To solve today's major societal challenges and strengthen Sweden as a leading industrial and innovation nation, we need physical places that connect academia, business, and society. That's why it's great for the Uppsala region and Främre Boländerna that Vectura is now launching an innovation hub here. The innovation hub will contribute to strengthening Uppsala's position as a deep-tech hub for Sweden within some of our focus areas," says Andreas Larsson, CEO of STUNS and Chairman of the Board of Uppsala Innovation Centre.

Uppsala municipality describes future Främre Boländerna as a vibrant place where new business districts are combined with cultural heritage buildings. It will be an international hub with a focus on technology and excellent opportunities for product development and research. Vectura shares the municipality's vision for the area and aims to create conditions to harness the innovation power present in Uppsala, with its two world-leading universities and a diversity of companies in research and development.

"The Chamber of Commerce has been engaged in the development of Främre Boländerna from the conceptual stage. It's a unique place in a central location that we now see evolving into a cluster where entrepreneurship meets research, enabling innovation and success. Expanding Uppsala's city center and creating a vibrant and attractive place in Främre Boländerna is crucial for the entire region's development," says Håkan Tribell, Business Policy Expert at the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce in Uppsala County.

Vectura acquired two properties totaling approximately 40,000 square meters in 2022. Upside Stories on Säbygatan 5 marks the beginning of their development. Construction is scheduled to start in 2023, and the first building is expected to be completed by 2025. During the development period with Upside Stories, parts of Vectura's other property on Säbygatan 15 will be activated and transformed into a meeting place with a showroom that visualizes the future location and experience.

Vectura
Vectura is a real estate company that develops spaces for new advancements through in-house production and long-term management. We usually say for at least 100 years. In our properties, we want Sweden's leading actors in the life science sector to be inspired by new ideas, emotions, and solutions. Through new ways of collaboration, construction, and thinking, we create conditions for fruitful meetings—for companies, municipalities, and people engaged in care, life, and health. Our higher goal is to address humanity's future challenges. Our long-term perspective is guaranteed by our owners, Patricia Industries, a part of Investor.

Upside Stories
In Uppsala's growing business district, Främre Boländerna, Vectura is developing Upside Stories—an innovative hub of 20,000 square meters that connects actors who want to be part of a vibrant place intersecting science, technology, and sustainability. Here, business, academia, and research come together to tackle significant challenges and develop in collaboration with others. Upside Stories is projected to be fully completed by the turn of 2025-2026.