Innovation grants
Innovation grants fund research, development and new business models in Swedish companies. The grants come from Vinnova, Tillväxtverket, EU programmes and regional actors, and can cover 30-70% of project costs. If your company is developing new products, services or processes there is likely a grant that fits.
Is your company eligible for innovation grants?
How do innovation grants work?
Innovation support consists of grants and funding programmes that reduce the risks in companies' development work. The support is financed by Swedish authorities and the EU, and is often aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises. The aim is to enable companies to invest in new ideas, products and services without bearing the entire financial risk themselves.
What can you use the support for?
Innovation support can fund several types of development activities:
- Research and development (R&D) - developing new products, services or processes
- Pilot and demonstration projects - testing new solutions on a small scale before full rollout
- Collaborative projects - working with universities, research institutes or other companies
- Scaling up - taking an innovation from prototype to market-ready product
- Business model innovation - developing new ways to deliver value to customers
Who can apply for innovation support?
Most innovation support programmes are aimed at SMEs, but the programmes vary. The basic requirements are typically:
- Level of innovation - the project must have a clear novelty factor compared to existing solutions
- Market potential - there must be a realistic plan for commercialisation
- Execution capacity - the company needs to show it can carry out the project
- Societal value - many programmes reward projects that contribute to sustainability or social development
Common programmes and actors
- Vinnova - Sweden's innovation agency with a broad range of support programmes. Funds everything from early research to market-ready innovations. Budget of roughly SEK 3.5 billion per year
- Tillväxtverket innovation support - aimed at companies developing new business models or products, often with a regional connection
- ALMI Invest - provides equity capital to innovative growth companies in early stages
- Horizon Europe - the EU's research and innovation programme with dedicated SME instruments
- EIC Accelerator - aimed specifically at innovative SMEs with high growth potential. Can offer up to EUR 2.5 million in grants
Key focus areas
The support programmes often focus on areas where Swedish companies have strong potential:
- Digitalisation and AI - artificial intelligence, data-driven innovation
- Sustainable industry - green transition, resource efficiency, circular economy
- Energy and climate - renewable energy, energy storage, climate adaptation
- Life science - medical technology, pharmaceuticals, health innovation
- Space and space data services - a growing sector with strong Swedish expertise
How the application works
Applying for innovation support requires a clear project idea, a realistic budget and well-formulated goals. Competition can be fierce, especially in the larger programmes. A strong application ties the innovation to clear business value and shows how the project contributes to society.
We help you identify the right programme, assess your chances and formulate an application that stands out. You pay nothing until support is approved.