Research institutes play an important role in most countries’ innovation systems. The Swedish research institute sector is, however, small in comparison with that of other countries. In Sweden, the industrial research institutes play an important role with regard to industrial and commercial needs-driven research that is co-funded by the state and players in the private sector.
One of VINNOVA’s tasks is to develop the role of the research institutes in the Swedish innovation system. This is done by inviting the institutes to participate in VINNOVA’s programmes.