Co-production

Co-production forms the basis of Knowledge Foundation’s operation and is an inherent element in the projects and the research and educational environments that we fund. Co-production means that the projects we fund must be designed and implemented in close collaboration between academia and the business sector, usually with co-funding from the business sector equivalent to the funding received from the Foundation.

Strengthened competitiveness through co-production

Meetings between research and practice

Co-production gives researchers and business actors an insight into and an understanding of each other’s needs. Both research and education can be enriched by questions and problems that have arisen in the business actors’ operations.

How it works

It is up to the universities and the business sector to determine and design how a project is co-produced, but there are some basic requirements set by the Knowledge Foundation.

Business sector involvement

Co-funding from business actors

In most programmes, the Knowledge Foundation requires that the projects we fund are co-financed by the business sector. Only organizations that meet our criteria for co-financing business actors can be included as co-financiers.

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-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