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Inside Paul Allen’s Former Yacht on Sale for $90 Million

By Katie Schultz

The estate of the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen is offering the sale of his 303-foot-long superyacht , Tatoosh , for a cool $90 million, according to Dirt . If you’re thinking those stats aren’t impressive enough for the billionaire and tech magnate , well, you’d be right. Tatoosh , which is currently the 60th largest yacht worldwide, was just Allen’s secondary vessel. His main yacht, Octopus , sold last year for $325 million and stretches 414 feet long, making it the 20th largest yacht in the world.

As for Tatoosh , the recently-listed vessel was custom-built by German shipyard Nobiskrug in 2000 for fellow American tech mogul Craig McCaw before being bought by Allen the following year for an estimated $100 million. The craft was put up for sale shortly after Allen’s death in 2018, but was taken off the market for an extensive refitting that was completed last year.

The dining room aboard the ship. 

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Inside the vessel, 11 staterooms can accommodate up to 19 guests with access to a lengthy list of lavish amenities that includes a heated swimming pool with a hydraulic-powered mosaic floor that can raise and lower, a parquet floor salon complete with a limestone fireplace and a bar, a movie theater adorned in red velvet, a beauty salon, a gym, two helicopter pads, a sunbathing and diving area decked out with a blue-tiled spa, bulletproof windows, a fleet of jet skis, multiple 43-foot tenders, and a crew of 31 to oversee it all. The owner’s quarters include a private deck, two dressing rooms, and an observation lounge with a private galley, all spanning across two of the ship’s five decks, which are all accessible via elevator.

The owner’s stateroom aboard the ship. 

To maintain and staff the superyacht, which will be one of the largest yachts on display during the Monaco Yacht Show later this month, potential new owners will have to be prepared to pay $9 to $10 million per year in addition to the hefty price tag. Tatoosh is being represented by the Monaco-based yachting company Fraser.

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By Katherine McLaughlin

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Iconic yachts: On board Paul Allen's 126m Lürssen superyacht Octopus

When the late Paul Allen’s Octopus was launched in 2003, she stood alone in the yachting world. At 126m length, she was easily the largest explorer yacht ever built, and one of the biggest yachts outright. But in many ways, she heralded a new era of owning very large boats – one where science and research were every bit as important as luxury finish, spas and swimming pools.

Allen himself was said to have commented that his yacht was more of a Land Rover than a Bentley. It’s a view that pays homage to capabilities including an ice-class 1A steel hull, hangar space for two helicopters, a battery of tenders, submersibles and remotely operated vehicles plus a comprehensive dive centre including a hyperbaric chamber. But the boat also has a lavish interior.

Octopus was built by Lürssen in Bremen and Kiel with external styling and design work from Espen Øino . He remembers starting work on her back in 1998, when she was the largest project of his career. “It was a very ambitious brief, because none of the tenders, tools, RVs, subs, helicopters could be outside – they should all be concealed,” remembers Øino. “Particularly the very large tender and the sub. We came up with an interesting solution for launching those through the big transom door, and the travel lift.”

The solution was revolutionary for a private yacht. When the transom door folds up it reveals a world straight out of a Bond movie – a high walkway alongside a 36 metre internal wet dock area overhung with big cranes on gantries. Øino chuckles at the memory: “The stern dock is just an amazing space,” he says.

Allen’s motivation for all this was his love of diving for shipwrecks , which has driven Octopus to many remote corners of the oceans. Her 10-person Pagoo submersible was custom built for the boat – there was no alternative at the time. Subsequently, an autonomous unmanned vehicle was added to the arsenal of equipment, capable of scanning the seabed for features of interest for hours before returning to the mothership. She has six tenders and numerous toys besides.

Among the notable missions undertaken by Octopus was the recovery of the ship’s bell of HMS Hood , sunk by the Bismarck in 2,700m off Greenland, and the discovery of the Japanese warship Musashi 1,000m down in the Sibuyan Sea.

For all that, Octopus is a true superyacht, fitted out in luxurious style by Jonathan Barnett . The interior finish includes an antique bronze door from the 1930s, and is said to set a “harmoniously rugged” tone. There’s solid furniture, lots of wood panelling and serious-looking stainless steel handrails.

She boasts an owner’s deck with a private jacuzzi and dining area plus a dedicated owner’s lift. Other features include an observation lounge, beach club, pool (which converts into a dancefloor), gym and spa. Most notably, Octopus is fitted with a large cinema and a fully-equipped recording studio – something that has hosted artists from Mick Jagger and Bono to Usher and Joss Stone. “Mr Allen’s interest in music was enormous and the acoustic quality was nothing less than a shore-based one,” says Øino. “There were 54 tonnes of AV/IT equipment aboard. A very complex boat in many ways. I think he loved it.”

The boat sleeps 26 guests in 13 cabins, as well as 57 crew. She had an extensive refit at Blohm+Voss in 2019 and was one of the biggest sales of 2021.

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Paul Allen’s Superyacht Finds Buyer After $278 Million Listing

219 superyachts were sold in the first quarter of 2021, more than double the number during the same period in 2020, says Vessels Value.

Microsoft Corp. Co-Founder Paul Allen Paul Allen. Photographer: Ramin Talaie/Bloomberg

Bloomberg — The late Microsoft Corp. co-founder Paul Allen’s 414-foot superyacht “Octopus,” last offered for 235 million euros ($278 million), has been sold to an undisclosed buyer.

The sale comes amid a record-hot market for the world’s largest luxury boats. A surge in personal wealth due to buoyant markets and a newfound interest in private, socially distanced leisure among the ultra-rich are driving unprecedented numbers of sales of both new and used superyachts.

Two hundred and nineteen superyachts were sold in the first quarter of this year, more than double the number during the same period in 2020, according to ship valuation service Vessels Value. Would-be buyers who once preferred to dabble in renting, or chartering, before springing for a purchase are now diving right in and buying. Smaller starter yachts are being bypassed for 100-footers. The sometimes sleepy secondhand market is suddenly pulsing as clients unwilling to wait a few years for a custom build prowl for deals.

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Explorer yachts such as “Octopus” are a particularly hot category. Capable of cruising 9,000 miles without needing to stop for a refuel, they minimize the number of port stops and thus, opportunities for viruses to infiltrate the guests and crew.

Put on the market about a year after Allen’s 2018 death, “Octopus” was originally offered at 295 million euros, according to its initial listing. A third longer than a football field, it’s one of the world’s largest explorer yachts, capable of traveling beyond the traditional Caribbean and Mediterranean hotspots.

A spokesperson for Burgess, one of the superyacht brokers retained to market the eight-deck vessel, along with Fraser Yachts, confirmed the sale but declined to comment further. The new owner intends to make “Octopus” available for hire for the first time from next year through yacht firm Camper & Nicholsons, according to the SuperYacht Times, which first reported the sale.

Representatives for Camper & Nicholsons didn’t respond to a request for comment. Vulcan Capital — Allen’s family office — declined to comment.

The boat’s 13 cabins can accommodate 26 guests and it also has space for 63 crew members. Other features include two elevators, two helipads, garage parking for both cars and helicopters and an eight-person submarine. The yacht is worth $208 million, excluding the submarine and other specialist equipment, according to Vessels Value estimates.

Allen co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates in 1975 and left in 1983. He turned his stake into a $26 billion fortune over the next three decades, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Through Vulcan, Allen acquired sports teams, real estate, art and invested in startups. Allen had no spouse or children to inherit his empire, though his sister, Jody Allen, is Vulcan’s chair.

Allen had a deep affinity for the German-built superyacht. When it was first delivered in 2003, Allen was overwhelmed by its size, according to his 2011 memoir “Idea Man.” At the time, it was the fourth-largest in the world, with the top three built for heads of state, he said.

“When I first stood on the bridge, I felt as though I was on a spaceship,” he wrote, adding that with features including a pool, basketball court, movie theater, a recording studio with ocean views, “all my passions come together in one movable feast.”

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Paul Allen's 414-foot superyacht is for sale for $325 million. Take a look at the late Microsoft cofounder's yacht, which has 2 helipads and a glass-bottomed underwater lounge.

• Paul Allen's former 414-foot superyacht is for sale for 295 million euros , or about $325 million, yacht brokerage Burgess told Business Insider.
• The Lürssen-built yacht, Octopus , has eight decks, an elevator, a cinema, two helipads, and a glass-bottomed underwater observation lounge.
• The yacht, which Allen reportedly paid about $200 million to have built, has been spotted cruising all around the world in places like Cannes , Hong Kong , Argentina, the Philippines, and even Antarctica .
• The late Microsoft cofounder was known to throw lavish themed parties on board that were attended by A-listers including George Lucas , Mick Jagger, Karlie Kloss , and Chloe Sevigny.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .

A superyacht that belonged to late Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen has hit the market for 295 million euros, or about $325 million, yacht brokerage Burgess told Business Insider.

The 414-foot yacht, Octopus, has eight decks, an elevator, a cinema, two helipads, and a glass-bottomed underwater observation lounge. Allen reportedly paid about $200 million to have the superyacht built by Lürssen. It was officially launched in 2003.

Allen was known for hosting star-studded parties on his yacht during the Cannes International Film Festival in France. Guests have reportedly included George Lucas, Mick Jagger, Karlie Kloss, and Chloe Sevigny.

The vessel is one of several assets the late billionaire's estate has put up for sale since his death, including a $110 million Beverly Hills property and a MiG-29 fighter jet.

Take a look at Allen's superyacht and the places it's cruised, from Cannes and London to Argentina and Hong Kong.

Paul Allen's superyacht, Octopus, has hit the market for 295 million euros, or about $325 million.

The Microsoft cofounder, who died in October 2018 , reportedly paid about $200 million to have the superyacht built by Lürssen.

The 414-foot yacht, which was built in 2003 and refitted in 2019, has some truly lavish amenities spread out over its eight decks.

On its entertainment deck , the yacht has a cinema, gym, spa, and a basketball court. 

It also comes with a glass-bottomed underwater observation lounge and a hyperbaric chamber.

On its dedicated owner's deck, Octopus has a private elevator, a private bar, a hot tub, and an al fresco dining area.

The yacht can sleep up to 26 guests across 13 cabins, as well as 63 crew members in 30 crew cabins.

The superyacht has plenty of room for toys. Octopus comes with two helipads and storage space for seven tenders, two submersibles, and a large SUV.

It comes with a Pagoo , a submarine that can accommodate eight guests and two crew for dives of up to eight hours. 

Octopus is "one of the most well-traveled yachts in the global fleet," according to Burgess.

It's an ideal explorer yacht for those who want to travel to some of the world's most remote locations, according to the yacht brokerage firm. 

The superyacht has been spotted all over the world, from the coast of Turkey ...

... to London, England ...

... to Hong Kong ...

... to southern Argentina.

According to Burgess, the superyacht has also traveled to Antarctica, the Philippines, and traversed the Northwest Passage.

Allen was known for throwing star-studded parties on board Octopus during the Cannes International Film Festival in France.

The exclusive parties had a different elaborate theme each year, from Bollywood to Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," as Raisa Bruner previously reported for Business Insider.

Guests reportedly included "Rolling Stones" frontman Mick Jagger, model Karlie Kloss, and Hollywood A-listers George Lucas, Mischa Barton, John C. Reilly, and Chloe Sevigny.

At the Bollywood-themed party in 2015, dancers performed musical dance numbers for the guests.

On va dire un groupe de #danse #indienne un peu particulier... Ils dansent sur la piscine recouverte pour la soirée... #Yacht #Octopus #PrivateParty #Cannes #Bilionnaire #Lifestyle #India #Bollywood A post shared by Céline Victoria Fotso (@celinefotso) on May 19, 2015 at 4:45am PDT May 19, 2015 at 4:45am PDT

For the "A Midsummer Night's Dream" party the next year, the yacht was transformed into an enchanted garden.

#enchantedgarden party aboard #myoctopus with a basketball hoop behind me and a #yellowsubmarine below and a helicopter in front! Thanks #paulallen for another incredible night aboard #octopus #cannesfilmfestival A post shared by DANIEL BENEDICT (@danielbenedict) on May 17, 2016 at 7:13am PDT May 17, 2016 at 7:13am PDT

Guests were given flower crowns and the vessel was decked out with floral arrangements and illuminated trees.

What a dreamy night thanks #PaulAllen for yet another spectacular evening. #octopus #superyacht #cannesfilmfestival #cannes2016 #festivaldecannes 🍾🍾🍾 thanks to @ivanbittonstylehouse @ivanbitton for styling me 💞💞 A post shared by Sheila Shah (@iamsheilashah) on May 16, 2016 at 8:20pm PDT May 16, 2016 at 8:20pm PDT

While performers were always brought on board, Allen was known to get onstage himself and rock out to some Led Zeppelin.

Paul Allen is really cool! Playing Led Zeppelin himself for guests on Octopus yacht A post shared by Vasily Klyukin (@vasilyklyukin) on May 17, 2016 at 6:56am PDT May 17, 2016 at 6:56am PDT

Allen's $325 million superyacht is among several sizable assets that have been put up for sale by the late billionaire's estate since his death.

The estate is also selling a $110 million plot of land in Beverly Hills that Allen owned for more than 20 years and his MiG-29 fighter jet.

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Paul Allen’s 414-Foot Superyacht ‘Octopus’ Will Be Available for Charter in Antarctica This Winter

Camper & nicholsons has designed a seven-day tour for intrepid explorers to see the southernmost continent., demetrius simms, demetrius simms's most recent stories.

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Paul Allen’s megayacht Octopus created serious waves when it was launched back in 2003. It’s one of the world’s largest vessels, after all. Now, for the first time, the epic 414-footer will be available for exclusive charter in Antarctica .

The late Microsoft co-founder’s beautiful behemoth, which was added to the Camper & Nicholsons charter fleet back in 2021, will spend the summer in Central America, Northern Europe and the Pacific, before journeying to the Earth’s southernmost continent in late 2022. From here, the UK-based yachting company’s seven-day Antarctica tour will allow intrepid explorers to come face to face with some of the most breathtaking natural wonders.

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Covering an array of notable destinations, from King George Island to the Gerlache Strait to Deception Island, the itinerary is packed with ski tours, polar plunges, scenic hikes and more. You’ll also have the chance to see Antarctic fur seals, humpback whales and penguins, while contributing to wildlife conservation with locally based scientists.

A look at the ship’s pool, jacuzzi and deck.  Courtesy of Camper & Nicholsons

As you might expect, seafarers will be kept in the lap of luxury while aboard Octopus. The ice-class megayacht, which was designed by Espen Oeino , comes fitted with an array of glitzy amenities, including a glass-bottomed aquarium, an observation lounge, a pool, gym, spa and cinema. The vessel also sports two helipads to facilitate comings and goings, along with an array of toys and tenders for day trips and further exploration.

Jonathan Quinn Barnett ‘s interior, meanwhile, which was refit by Monk Design in 2021, comprises multiple dining areas and bars, along with an extravagant master suite, two VIP suites, seven double staterooms and three twins. Naturally, there’s plenty of space for the crew, too.

“She’s the perfect yacht to undertake such a voyage,” Jacqui Lockhart, head of charter marketing Europe for Camper & Nicholsons, said in a statement . “She’s well-equipped to host intrepid charterers off the beaten track with a fully equipped medical suite and dive center on board—complete with hyperbaric chamber—as well as a submarine and two helipads.”

One of the VIP bedrooms on board the Octopus .  Courtesy of Camper & Nicholsons

Octopus has an impressive range of 12,500 nautical miles when sailing at 12 knots and can clock 19 knots when cutting through the sea at maximum speed. Allen, who was an avid ocean explorer, took the vessel to the farthest corners of the globe to further oceanographic research. Now you can make your own discoveries. Charter rates start at $2.2 million per week.

Check out more images below:

Courtesy of Camper & Nicholsons

Demetrius Simms is a digital staff writer at Robb Report. After starting their career in PR, they transitioned to freelance writing in 2020. Their work has now appeared in lifestyle and culture…

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Look inside late microsoft co-founder paul allen’s $90m superyacht.

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The superyacht of the late Paul Allen, who co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates, has hit the market for a cool $90 million.

Allen, who passed away in 2018 at the age of 65 after losing his battle with cancer, purchased the vessel in 2001 for an estimated $100 million.

Named Tatoosh, it’s considered the 60th largest superyacht in the world spanning 303 feet wide.

It was last listed in 2021, before it was taken off the market for an 11-month retrofit. Tatoosh will be available for viewing at this month’s Monaco Yacht Show, from Sept. 28 to Oct. 1. It can also be available upon request.

Pegged as “one of the world’s best super yachts,” it’s equipped with two helicopter pads, large tenders, a heated swimming pool, a beach club and a dive center, a cinema and an elevator servicing all decks, the listing states.

There are 11 state rooms in total that can accommodate 19 guests.

Stuart Larsen with Fraser holds the listing .

The listing comes as Christie’s announced that Allen’s billion-dollar art collection would be auctioned off, which includes 150 artworks spanning 500 years.

Meanwhile, Allen also owned another mega yacht, called Octopus, which spans 414 feet wide and was considered the 20th largest ship in the world. Back in May, the boat was listed for rent .

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Allen co-founded Microsoft Corporation with his childhood friend, Gates, in 1975. According to Forbes, just before his death, he was ranked the 44th wealthiest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of $20.3 billion.

Considered a recluse, Allen expressed interest in one day having a romantic life and a family, but ultimately never married or had children.

In 1982, he was diagnosed with Stage 1-A Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and was successfully treated after several months of radiation. He was diagnosed with the same cancer again in 2009, and was again successfully treated.

The cancer returned in 2018, which led to his death by septic shock on October 15, 2018.

“Paul loved life and those around him, and we all cherished him in return,” Gates said in a statement following his death. “He deserved much more time, but his contributions to the world of technology and philanthropy will live on for generations to come. We will miss him tremendously.”

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Meet The Billionaire-Owned Company Making Injectors For Blockbuster Drugs Like Ozempic

One of SHL Medical's automated assembly machines for autoinjectors.

SHL Medical started out in 1989 making medical devices from a single factory in Taiwan. Now the firm is poised to capture a chunk of the booming market for weight loss drugs.

By giacomo tognini , forbes staff.

T he runaway success of weight loss drugs took the markets by storm last year, spurring huge stock gains for drugmakers like Novo Nordisk, which makes Wegovy and Ozempic. Most patients take them at home in weekly injections, using plastic, pen-like devices known as autoinjectors, filled with the liquid medication and fitted with a tiny needle as wide as two human hairs.

As demand for the drugs soars, so does the need for those devices. That growth has now minted a new billionaire: Roger Samuelsson , the 60-year-old Swedish cofounder of Switzerland-based SHL Medical, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of autoinjectors. Forbes estimates he’s worth $3 billion, largely thanks to his 69% stake in the company he cofounded in 1989. The remaining 31% is held by Swedish private equity firm EQT—which has minted seven billionaires over the years —and Athos, the family office of the billionaire Struengmann brothers . Press-shy Samuelsson, who declined multiple requests for an interview, also enjoys fast cars (he raced in the 2016 Ferrari Challenge series) and owns the 414-foot megayacht Octopus , which he bought in 2021; the yacht was built for its first owner, Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen (d. 2018).

SHL Medical makes injectors for drugs treating everything from multiple sclerosis to asthma to psoriasis. Twenty of the world’s 25 largest pharma companies—including giants Novo Nordisk, Amgen and Pfizer—use the firm’s products, as well as a host of smaller biotech startups, according to filings reviewed by Forbes . 90% of the firm’s revenues come from autoinjectors, where it controls 25% of the global market.

"They're single-use devices that have the drug in here, you take off the cap and you inject yourself," says Ulrich Fässler, SHL Medical’s CEO, demonstrating one of the firm’s products—a sleek, cylindrical injector called “Molly” that resembles a whiteboard marker—in a video call from his office in Zug, Switzerland. (Another is called “Maggie”; the company says they are just easy names to remember). “When Roger started in the early 90s, he thought that single-use autoinjectors could transform the administration of drugs. It took 30 years, but it did. We are the fastest-growing company in the industry."

Born and raised in Sweden, Samuelsson studied engineering in the southern city of Linköping and was an avid boxer in his youth. Noticing that all of his boxing gloves were manufactured in Taiwan, he decided to visit the island in 1983 when he was 20 years old. He toured factories and started shipping gloves, bathroom pegs and rehab equipment for the elderly to Sweden.

Roger Samuelsson is now the owner of the yacht Octopus, which once belonged to Microsoft's cofounder Paul Allen.

“I was looking at a lot of different things, from connectors and cables to basically anything that would be profitable,” Samuelsson told Dragon News in 2010. “After going there several times, I loved the energy and excitement of the place and decided to spend more time there.”

He moved to Taiwan permanently in 1988 and started SHL Medical the following year, with his business partner Martin Jelf. Their first big break came in 1994 when they won a deal to make injectors for Kalamazoo, Michigan-based pharma firm Upjohn (now part of Pfizer). Samuelsson bought out Jelf’s stake in 2004 and decided to double down on autoinjectors, landing a contract with Amgen in 2006 to manufacture them for Enbrel, a biologic drug that treats rheumatoid arthritis.

“We made home administration actually possible,” says Fässler, who joined the company in 2010 and led the company’s operations in Taiwan. “That was the starting point of this industry taking off.”

The firm also spent big on technology, investing in machines to automate production more than two decades ago. SHL Medical now boasts robots that seamlessly build every component of the autoinjectors, assemble them and then inspect them to ensure their quality—all customized for each individual customer.

"They are a technology leader by a huge margin," says Andreas Aschenbrenner, a partner at EQT who serves on SHL Medical’s board. "We used to own an [automation] company that wanted to sell a machine to Roger. They came back and said, ‘we've never in our entire lives seen something like this.’"

Fässler took over as CEO in January 2018, with Samuelsson staying on as the firm’s majority shareholder. That same year, the firm completed a new, 680,000-square-foot factory in Taiwan and moved its headquarters to Switzerland. Two years later, EQT acquired a 31% stake from Samuelsson and two smaller investors who cashed out in the transaction, paying more than $400 million according to filings in Luxembourg.

SHL Medical's 680,000-square-foot facility in Taoyuan City, Taiwan, completed in 2018 and opened the following year.

Then in 2022, the Struengmann brothers—best-known for backing BioNTech, the biotech firm that partnered with Pfizer to make one of the first Covid-19 vaccines—bought part of EQT’s stake. SHL Medical now has 6,000 employees spread across production, design and assembly facilities in China, Mexico, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and the U.S., where it first opened a design center in Florida in 2004.

When EQT first invested in SHL Medical in 2020, it valued the company at $2.1 billion. At the end of 2022, that jumped to $3.4 billion— a 61% return in just two years. "It's a market leader in a very important niche,” adds Aschenbrenner, referring to the market for autoinjectors.

That niche is about to grow much larger thanks to rocketing sales of Ozempic and Wegovy, part of a category called GLP-1 agonists, named after the hormone they target. Fässler estimates that by 2027, those drugs will make up nearly a third of SHL Medical’s total revenues and almost 50% of its production volume, up from less than a third now. Much of the rest comes from biologics, a class of complex drugs produced using living cells or microorganisms, which help treat conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease.

The total revenues for drug delivery systems—including autoinjectors, pens and inhalers—was estimated to be $2.1 billion at the end of 2022 and is expected to grow 10% each year to $3.2 billion by 2027, according to an analysis by publicly traded Stevanato Group. Drugs like Ozempic will drive that growth even higher. In 2023, 61% of all therapies newly approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration required injectors, up from 46% in 2014.

"If you take obesity and diabetes out of the equation, the rest of the market will grow between 10% and 15%, no matter what,” says Aschenbrenner. “If you take obesity into the equation, it's an incredibly good market. If you were to [include] vaccines, it's an unbelievable market."

SHL Medical aren’t the only ones chasing the growing market for autoinjectors. Stevanato Group, majority-owned by the billionaire Stevanato family , supplies syringes used in injectors for Eli Lilly’s weight loss and diabetes drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound. Switzerland-based Ypsomed—founded by billionaire Willy Michel —announced an agreement to supply autoinjectors for Novo Nordisk in September. And Novo Nordisk’s parent company announced a $16.5 billion deal to acquire drug packaging firm Catalent in February, moving to ramp up supply of Wegovy to meet skyrocketing demand.

"There's a desperate attempt to increase capacity,” says Paul Knight, an analyst at KeyBanc Capital Markets. Adds David Windley of Jefferies: "Lilly and Novo can move whatever amount of volume they can get in the market. They're in a mode of gobbling up capacity.”

Despite the competition, there’s more than enough business to go around for SHL Medical. "It's not a concern at all," says Aschenbrenner, pointing to the Catalent acquisition. "We have a very good partnership with Novo and it's very important that the supply chain works.”

SHL Medical is ramping up production to meet that new demand: It plans to make 750 to 850 million autoinjectors a year by 2028, up from its current volume of about 300 million. And it’s investing heavily to make that a reality, acquiring a Swiss automation firm last July and a plastic injection mold manufacturer in North Carolina in January. A new, $200 million factory in South Carolina is set to open this summer, with another $100 million facility in Switzerland coming in 2026.

While he’s no longer CEO and isn’t involved in day-to-day operations, Samuelsson now lives in Switzerland and remains the firm’s largest shareholder. "Roger's mantra is 'look around very carefully, listen very attentively, think a long time and then execute like hell,'" says Aschenbrenner. "Everything can be improved everywhere at all times."

Back in his office in Zug, Fässler takes out an example of one of the firm’s newest products: an autoinjector that transmits a signal when the cap is removed, notifying a doctor that the patient has taken their dose. "You lift it off, that means it's activated. Our data goes directly into the cloud,” he says.

Fässler and Aschenbrenner envision a near-term future where many more drugs—from vaccines to cancer therapy—could be taken at home. "We are working on a solution by the end of this decade to have an oncology treatment,” says Fässler. Adds Aschenbrenner: "Imagine a world where you can provide vaccines in a delivery device which doesn't need a doctor.”

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