Innovation

As one of the focuses of this year’s budget, the Swedish Government is tasking the National Agency for Public Procurement with devising ways of strengthening and developing public procurement to promote the climate transition and the shift to a circular economy.

Sweden’s seventh international Office of Science and Innovation was established at the Embassy of Sweden in London on 1 January 2022. The Office will develop and strengthen collaboration between the UK and Sweden on issues linked to the Government’s life sciences strategy, its export and investment strategy, the Research and Innovation Bill, and the Government’s strategic partnership programmes.

To further accelerate the electrification of the transport sector, the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI) was commissioned by the Government to help build knowledge in this area. This need has been clearly highlighted in the work of the Government’s strategic innovation partnership programme Climate neutral industry.

The Government’s Music Export Prize for extraordinary services to Swedish music exports in 2020 goes to Oscar Holter. The Government’s 2020 Special Prize for long-standing contributions to Swedish music exports goes to Ale Möller. The Government’s 2020 Honourable Mention for achievements of particular importance to the internationalisation of Swedish music goes to the duo Sunshine.

As a result of the Government’s innovation partnership programme Climate neutral industry, the National Board of Trade Sweden was recently tasked with establishing an advisory body with key skills to promote innovative and climate-focused standardisation, and Vinnova has been commissioned to support this work.

The Swedish labour market is currently suffering a skills shortage in many areas while at the same time, Sweden has high unemployment. Could a data-driven solution help to resolve the mismatch? Many of the members of the partnership group for Skills supply and lifelong learning think it could.

At the Government’s initiative, Minister for Enterprise and Innovation Ibrahim Baylan and Minister for Foreign Trade and Nordic Affairs Anna Hallberg met with colleagues from Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway on 9 June to discuss opportunities to strengthen and create synergies in Nordic vaccine production.

Swedish Minister for Environment and Climate, Per Bolund, Minister for Gender Equality and Housing, Märta Stenevi, and Minister for Energy and Digital Development, Anders Ygeman, met with French Minister for Ecological Transition, Barbara Pompili, on her visit to Stockholm, to discuss joint efforts to enhance the green transition at national, European and global levels.

On Friday 5 March, Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven will participate in a digital summit with Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi.

The Government’s Research and Innovation Bill outlines the direction of Sweden’s research policy over the next four years. The resources will increase considerably already next year to tackle major societal challenges and safeguard freedom of research. The aim is for Sweden to be one of the world’s foremost research and innovation countries and a prominent knowledge nation. The appropriation will increase by SEK 3.4 billion in 2021. The estimated investments in 2022, 2023 and 2024 are around SEK 3.2. billion, SEK 3.3 billion and SEK 3.75 billion respectively. Research and innovation are needed to restart the economy and build skills, competitiveness and welfare.

Work within the partnership groups in the four innovation partnership programmes has been well underway since they were first launched in June 2019. Viveca Bergstrand is the Project Manager for the innovation partnership programme Climate neutral industry, and she already sees positive results emerging from the work of the partnership group.

The national strategy for a circular economy sets out the direction and ambition for a long-term and sustainable transition of Swedish society. The Government adopted the national strategy for a circular economy earlier this year. The strategy is now available in English. The strategy is based on an agreement between the Government, the Centre Party and the Liberal Party.

Sweden’s national life sciences strategy was launched in late December 2019 to strengthen the long-term competitiveness of Sweden as a life sciences nation.

"Sweden aims to be a leading life sciences nation. Life sciences contribute to improving health and quality of life of the population, ensuring economic prosperity, advancing the country as a leading knowledge nation and achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development."

Today, 23 October, the Government’s 2019 Cultural and Creative Industries Export Prize was awarded to Goodbye Kansas Studios. The rising star award went to Rave Review.

The Government’s prize for extraordinary services to Swedish music exports in 2019 has been awarded to the rock band Ghost. The Government’s 2019 Special Prize for long-standing contributions to Swedish music exports has gone to Marie Dimberg.

Research and innovation are crucial to Sweden’s competitiveness and to rebooting the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic. In the autumn budget, the Government is therefore proposing increased funding to Vinnova, RISE and Business Sweden for measures that help reboot Sweden. The proposal is based on an agreement between the Government, the Centre Party and the Liberal Party.

On Monday 31 August 2020, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, together with Deputy Prime Minister Isabella Lövin, inaugurated the new HYBRIT pilot plant for the production of fossil-free sponge iron in Luleå. Check against delivery.

Together with the Centre Party and the Liberal Party, the Government is proposing an additional SEK 400 million for Almi Invest. The additional funding is aimed at bridging the crisis in small innovative businesses and avoiding the loss of structural capital and intangible assets in the life science sector and others.

The Government has decided to change the requirements on Almi Invest’s operations to facilitate investments in new and existing innovative companies. The measure is part of the Government’s efforts to facilitate the supply of capital to companies and reduce the economic consequences of the virus outbreak.