2010-08-09

Karlstad University goes for service innovations

Karlstad University, working towards the goal of advancing its research even further, earlier this year created the Grants and Innovation Office (GIO).  It includes Innovation Office Fyrklövern (‘Four-Leaf Clover’), which today has a fruitful co-operation with Inova and other partners. The aim of the initiative is to strengthen the collaboration with the private industry by stimulating innovations, making sure they are put to use, and helping prepare for their commercialisation.

Fyrklövern is an Innovation Office run by a network consisting of Karlstad University, Mid Sweden University, Örebro University and Linnaeus University. “The Innovation Office is to initiate, stimulate and support the exploitation of research at Swedish centres of learning, especially when it comes to the development of service innovations as well as in certain regionally strong business and research fields.” One of the goals is to improve the conditions for research, where external financial backers play a more important role than before. Currently, the Innovation Office is funded by the University, the Vinnova Key Actor Programme and the Ministry of Education and Research. This year, the Swedish Government has approved a grant of SEK 10 million (over EUR 1 million) to the Fyrklövern network.

“This is done by promoting research at the University by way of research and innovation advisors, but the efforts to engage alumni students will also be intensified”, says GIO project manager Håkan Spjuth. Håkan also reveals that the centre aims for a strong position within service innovations. Innovations of this type are normally difficult to promote, but he emphasises that fine competence has been built up, largely thanks to the co-operation with Inova.  Other fields of research in focus are: ‘The forest as a resource,’ ‘Lifestyle, health and experiences,’ and ‘Production systems and industrial technology.’

What characterises the work within GIO and Fyrklövern is the determination to increase the use of research in society. “But,” Håkan Spjuth continues, “no new offices or buildings will be constructed, but we’ll build on and refine what we have today.”

Karlstad University already has very stable co-operation with several of the competence clusters in Värmland, such as Compare, The Paper Province, The Packaging Arena, and Steel and Engineering. This, paired with the collaboration with Inova, Drivhuset and Vivan, makes up a very tight connection to the regional business world.

Inova and Karlstad University co-operate closely when it comes to the commercialisation of research. Some examples of companies created out of this co-operation are: Balansa, Left is Right and EQM.

Read more about the Innovation Office here (in Swedish).

Photo: Håkan Spjuth. (Source: Karlstad University)