How academia and business collaborate

The Knowledge Foundation contributes to strengthening Sweden's competitiveness. We do this by funding research and competence devlopment at Sweden's university colleges and newer universities, when it is conducted in collaboration with the business sector.

Start / Co-production

What does the ”business sector” mean for us?

By business, the Knowledge Foundation primarily refers to privately owned business. In cases where there is public ownership in a company whose operations are conducted on a competitive market, and the company finances its operations in the way that companies do in business, this operation can also be included in the concept. This means that the company must not have public contributions or fees as a decisive part of its income.

For all activities, it must not be of a purely administrative nature. The business must primarily produce products or services. The companies must be active in Sweden to such an extent that their efforts constitute a value for the co-production and that they have the opportunity to integrate the results from the co-production in their operations here. The participation of business in specific projects is described in detail in our program descriptions and call texts.

Strengthened competitiveness through co-production

Value for businesses

There are many advantages for business to co-produce research or education with academia. This could, for example, be about increased competence development, shared development costs and the development of new solutions.

Value for academia

For academia, co-produced projects with business can, for example, mean access to relevant, new and upcoming knowledge. It also creates opportunities to develop employees, develop partnerships and gain access to data and materials that would otherwise not have been possible.

Value of co-production

Co-operation works best when it is based on mutual respect and is long-term

" Collaboration between academia and industry is absolutely crucial to securing Sweden's future economy, prosperity and environment. Collaboration is part of the academy's statutory task and very often leads to completely new, exciting research questions.

Johan Schnürer

Vice-chancellor Örebro University

It's a win-win situation

" We connected our trucks 15 years ago, but are convinced that there is still a lot to learn about what we can do with the information. Halmstad University has expertise in machine learning which enables us to develop an even better system for control and monitoring. At the same time, we can give the university a receipt that their theories work, says Jonas Klang, Program Manager Innovation, Toyota Material Handling in Mjölby.

Jonas Klang

Program Manager Innovation, Toyota Material Handling

Academia needs the industry and the industry needs academia

" The optimal collaboration between academia and business is probably what is established as long-term and with give and take. This does not only apply to research issues, but also education, skills provision and access to grant funds for brave ventures. Especially now when the whole world has to manage to change towards sustainability.

Jenny Elfsberg

Head of Innovation Management at Vinnova and previous senior positions within the Volvo Group

The business sectors participation and benefit

Forms of funding with co-production in focus

In the foundation's toolbox there are a number of programs from which Sweden's colleges and newer universities can apply for funds to co-produce research or education together with business.

How does it work in practice?

Benefits for the business sector

All applications received by us are assessed based on four assessment criteria, one of which aims at the project's ability to co-produce and benefit business.

Co-production and assessment