Women in Life Science Denmark (WiLD) expands mentoring program to support next generation of female leaders in life sciences

Third cohort of cross-organizational, high-level mentorship program to commence in November 2025

Continued support from the Lundbeck Foundation and
the Novo Nordisk Foundation

WiLD celebrates its third anniversary with 250+ members in Denmark

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Oct. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Women in Life Science Denmark (WiLD) today announces that it is launching the third cohort of its successful Female Leadership Mentoring Program (Mentoring Program), to achieve a more equitable future for women in life sciences and accelerate the advancement of women in biotech, pharma, and academia. This initiative will commence in November 2025, offering a tailored, high-level mentorship spanning 12 months.

The Lundbeck Foundation has committed an additional 470,000 DKK of funding, to be received over two years, to support the development of WiLD’s mentorship program. In February 2025, the Novo Nordisk Foundation also announced additional support, enabling the expansion of the program to include twenty pairs of mentors and mentees.

“The Lundbeck Foundation believes that diversity strengthens innovation and quality in life sciences, but it requires a targeted effort to create real change. WiLD makes an important difference by providing women in life sciences with tools and networks to take the next step toward leadership,” said Mette Eistrøm Krüger, SVP – People & Corporate Affairs, Lundbeck Foundation.

Celebrating its third anniversary in Denmark in September 2025 with 250+ members, WiLD is expanding collaboration across the Nordics through partnerships with organizations in Sweden (VILDA) and Norway (WiLD Norway).

Karin Madsen, Head of WiLD’s Mentoring Program, said: “Together with our partner, Kirsten Poulsen, Founder of KMP+ House of Mentoring, WiLD is committed to building a strong foundation for women in life sciences, addressing systemic barriers and supporting pivotal career transitions through our Mentoring Program. As the only cross-organizational initiative centered on female advancement in life sciences in Denmark, WiLD is championing a unique program with an opportunity for both mentors and mentees to benefit from a mutual learning experience. Our Mentoring Program has proven to drive career advancement, and we are proud to establish a framework for women in life sciences. As our network and membership continue to grow, we look forward to welcoming the next cohort and encourage WiLD’s mentors and mentees to be bold, curious, and courageous.”

Within the life sciences industry, there continues to be a gender equality paradox with biases in promotion, limited access to senior networks and a lack of structured support for women’s advancement, leading to the underrepresentation of women in senior roles. WiLD aims to empower women in the Danish life science sector to pursue leadership roles through professional knowledge sharing and networking via its Mentoring Program.

Trine Ahlgreen, Mentee in the Mentoring Program & CEO of MC2 Therapeutics, commented: “I am incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to be part of WiLD’s Mentoring Program. Through this program, I’ve gained invaluable connections that have opened doors not only to incredible collaborators and new friendships but, in my case, to the next pivotal step in my career. The mentorship I’ve received provided guidance, encouragement, and a platform to grow, both professionally and personally. It’s a reminder of how powerful networks can be in shaping one’s journey.”

Diana Arsovic, Mentor in the Mentoring Program & CEO of Danish Life Science Cluster, added: “The most powerful takeaway from WiLD’s Mentoring Program, where I had the privilege of mentoring the talented Laura Klitten, is that ‘working with your personal values during times of complexity is the best investment you can make in yourself.’ Mentoring goes beyond sharing experience: it’s about mutual reflection, growth, and elevating leadership through dialogue. That kind of reciprocal mirroring is rare and deeply needed in today’s fast paced world.“

According to a recent analysis by Denominator, published in Børsen on 12 October 2025, women remain significantly underrepresented in senior leadership across Danish businesses. Of Denmark’s 1,000 largest companies, only 90 have female CEOs—a stark contrast to decades of dialogue on gender equality and robust evidence demonstrating that diverse leadership drives both innovation and financial performance.

Further information about the Mentoring Program can be found here. The deadline for mentor and mentee applications is 1 November 2025.

About Women in Life Science Denmark (WiLD)

Women in Life Science Denmark is a non-profit organization based in Denmark, which is focused on seeking to increase diversity in professional senior leadership positions in life sciences for the benefit of society.

The network aims to unfold the full talent potential of women in life sciences by increasing visibility of female role models contributing to value creation through professional knowledge sharing and network activities. 

The Initiator of WiLD is Lene Gerlach, PhD, who is a Venture Partner at Hadean Ventures and the Co-Founder and Chair of WiLD. Lene is backed by a strong volunteer board of directors including Vice Chairperson Helle Busck Fensvig, Business Angel and Board member; Gitte Stausholm, Business Angel and Board member; Ingelise Saunders, Chairperson of Boost Pharma and ISD Immunotech; Vibeke Bendix Didriksen, Global Head of Leadership & Development, Falck; Stine Mogensen, Chairman Pharmadanmark, Vice Chair Akademikerne, Scientific Senior Advisor Lægemiddelstyrelsen; Else Beth Trautner, Chairperson Cbio, Board member Uniogen, Board Partner, Investor; Helle Jørnung, Managing Partner and Owner Best Talent, Partner ENEX Global Executive Search Organisation; Karin Søgaard Madsen, Senior Director, Medical Affairs; Lone Krogsbøl, Investment Manager, City of Odense; and Anne Bloch Thomsen, CMO Pfizer Finland, Island, Norway, Denmark. WiLD’s three board alternates are Mette Traulsen, CEO Solid IO; Naram El-Shamary, CEO Improvematic; and Dina Petranovic, CSO NNF Center for Biosustainability, Guest Professor Chalmers University of Technology, Senior Executive Advisor to Provost of DTU.

For more information, please visit us at www.womeninlifescience.dk.

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SOURCE Women in Life Science Denmark (WiLD)