FFI ASP - Accelerated Startup Partnership: increased innovation collaboration between startups and needs owners - 2026

The call for proposals offers funding for innovation collaborations between start-ups and stakeholders. The collaborations will contribute to a sustainable transition in the road transport sector and strengthen Swedish competitiveness. The innovation must have a clear connection to at least one of FFI's four thematic sub-programmes: Circular Economy, Transport and Mobility Solutions, Traffic-Safe Automation and Zero Emissions. For a more detailed description of the sub-programmes, see the Roadmap for FFI – FFI – Road Transport Innovations for a Sustainable Society.

Through the funding, we want to support start-ups with market potential to make progress in their innovation and commercialization work. At the same time, we want to strengthen the innovative power of need owners in areas that are strategically important to FFI through value-creating collaborations. Two types of project forms can be applied for:

• Validation project (TRL and BRL 2-4)
• Implementation project (TRL and BRL 5-8)

Definitions:

Needy person

Refers to private and public organisations operating in the road transport sector. The organisation must have a financially stable activities and the resources and organizational capabilities required to effectively support the Startup in its commercialization journey. Organisations that do not fall within the definition of Startup are considered eligible to apply as Need Owners.

Startup company

Refers to Swedish-based and foreign, knowledge-intensive small companies with the ability and desire to scale up their innovation and business. The company must have been registered for a maximum of 10 years and meet the EU definition of "small enterprise": User guide on the definition of SME.

Maturity levels

• TRL (Technology Readiness Level): an indication of the technological maturity of the innovation (also called the solution). Read more about Technology Readiness Level.
• BRL (Business Readiness Level): an indication of the economic and commercial maturity of the innovation. Read more about Business Readiness Level.

With this offer, we want to promote strategically relevant and goal-oriented innovation collaborations between startups and need-based stakeholders. The collaborations will contribute to a sustainable transition in the road transport sector.

We do this by encouraging innovation projects where the startups' driving forces, agility and innovative capacity are connected to the needs owners' infrastructure, internal resources and market reach.

The innovation collaborations will provide clear and targeted shifts in the technology and commercialization work of the startups and contribute with relevant and highly innovative solutions for the need owners. The collaboration will also lead to increased capabilities for the involved actors to work with innovation collaboration in a more systematic and long-term way.

2.1 Performance targets

The project funded under the call for proposals are expected to meet all of the following performance objectives:

• The solution has achieved the planned movement in TRL and BRL and there is a well-developed and well-established plan for continued scaling, within the project consortium or the road transport area at large.
• The startup has succeeded in developing its business model and has entered into/is planning new business collaborations within the project consortium or the road transport area in general.
• The need owner has evaluated the solution in a relevant way in their activities and generated the necessary knowledge regarding possible further implementation.
• The partnership has been conducted in close collaboration and has resulted in generated experiences and practices for working with innovation or business partnerships in the future, within the project consortium or the road transport area in general.

2.2 Impact goals

The project funded within the framework of the call for proposals are expected to ultimately lead to all of the following impact goals:

• The solution has reached a level of maturity that makes it more qualified to be implemented and contribute to a sustainable transformation of the road transport system.
• The startup has strengthened its innovative capacity with a focus on increasing its business understanding and potential.
• The need-holder has strengthened its innovative capacity with a focus on increased receptiveness for access to relevant solutions.
• The parties have strengthened their innovative capacity with a focus on establishing business processes to work more regularly with innovation partnerships in the future.

2.3 Contribute to a sustainable system transition

Eftersom Vinnova is tasked with promoting sustainable growth and system transformation, so your project should also contribute to increased gender equality and climate change. We are based on the UN's global sustainability goals, defined in Agenda 2030. There, we focus on two perspectives: gender equality and climate change. This means that gender equality and climate change should be integrated into both how your project group is composed and in the intended outcome of your project.

Equal funding of innovations

An innovative force in a sustainable world

The call for proposals is aimed at actors who can accelerate the transition to sustainable road transport and strengthen Swedish competitiveness. Funded project will address focus areas within one of FFI's four thematic sub-programmes:

Circularity — with a focus on minimizing the climate and environmental impact from the production, operation and decommissioning of vehicles.

Transport and mobility solutions — focusing on efficient transport and mobility solutions to meet society's challenges in sustainability, accessibility and resilience.

Traffic-safe automation — with a focus on increasing traffic safety and making transportation more sustainable through safe, connected automated vehicles prepared for next-generation transportation systems

Zero emissions — with a focus on reducing the vehicle's negative impact on the climate and environment in the use phase through integration with user behavior and its charging and refueling infrastructure.

For a more detailed description of the sub-programmes and their focus areas, see the Roadmap for FFI – FFI – Road Transport Innovations for a Sustainable Society).

The target group for the call for proposals is consortia of start-ups and stakeholders involved in collaborative projects, the aim of which is to develop the start-ups' innovation work and commercialisation potential, and to strengthen innovative capacity and/or international competitiveness of stakeholders. Foreign start-ups with programme relevance, unique expertise and which can contribute to knowledge transfer are welcome to apply as participants. Funded innovation collaborations shall aim to contribute to a sustainable transformation of the road transport system.

Within the call for proposals FFI ASP we offer funding for innovation projects between startups and need owners with a connection to FFI's four thematic areas and with potential for a clear shift in maturity level. The call for proposals offers funding for two different types of project, corresponding to two different maturity phases for the startups' business and technology maturity.

Validation project (TRL and BRL 2–4):

Based on already formulated technology concepts, these collaborative projects aim, among other things, to develop and validate the solution in a lab or relevant environment and, where relevant, to develop and test parts of the business model.

Implementation projects (TRL and BRL 5–8):

Based on validated solutions, collaboration projects can include adaptation, demonstration and implementation of solutions in an operational environment, as well as establishing the business model and making it ready for scaling.

Read more about TRL and BRL under “Maturity level” in the list of definitions in section 1.

What costs can we finance?

Our funding is subject to state aid rules. The rules govern which costs we can finance, so-called eligible costs.

In this the call for proposals, these types of costs are eligible:

• Salary costs: Gross salary paid as well as employer contributions and other salary-related costs.
• Equipment, land and buildings: Instruments, equipment and rent for premises other than regular business premises.
• Consulting and licensing costs: Consulting services, knowledge and patents purchased or licensed from an external party. Costs of this type may constitute a maximum of 20 percent of a project party's budget. We can accept a higher proportion than 20 percent in case of special needs. You must then justify the need in proposal. This justification is taken into account in our assessment.
• Other direct costs: For example, materials, supplies and travel necessary to carry out the project.
• Indirect costs (overhead):Costs that are not incurred as a direct result of but can be related to the project, for example regular premises and cleaning. Indirect costs may constitute a maximum of 30 percent of salary costs. Universities, university colleges and certain research organizations and government agencies have higher maximum limits depending on the type of activities.

For more detailed information about which costs we can finance, see Instructions for eligible costs

What eligibility requirements apply to costs we finance?

For a cost to be eligible, it must be:

• actual, reasonable and necessary for the activities of the project
• recorded correctly and distinguishable on a separate project code in the accounting.

An organisation may also not claim someone else's costs as its own.

For more detailed information on which eligibility requirements, limitations and exceptions apply, see Instructions for eligible costs

state aid rules govern how much of the costs we can finance. This is determined individually for each organisation. We therefore differentiate between how much funding the project can receive and how much each participant can receive.

How much funding can the project receive?

How much funding each participant can receive depends mainly on:

• Party size and activities
• What activities the party will carry out in the project.

Within this call for proposals, funding can be provided as follows:

• Validation project: maximum SEK 500,000.

• Implementation project: maximum SEK 750,000.

See the call's definition list in section 1 and section 4 for a description of maturity levels and the different project types.

Only start-ups can be beneficiary. Co-financing of at least 25% of the project's total budget is required in all project. The total budget of the call is a maximum of 22 million SEK, which is distributed over the call's various application opportunities during the year.

Descriptions in the following sections about what support we can provide are simplified. For full details, see funding Criteria and Levels.

Support for start-ups

In this the call for proposals we provide support to start-ups. We can finance up to 100 percent of the company's project costs.

A start-up company means a company that:

• has fewer than 50 employees
• is not listed on the stock exchange
• not yet distributed profit
• was registered, started its activities or became liable to pay taxes less than five years ago
• has not taken over another company's activities, acquired or formed through a merger.

Minor Support for businesses

Small businesses that do not meet the requirements for support under Article 22, for example because they are the elderly than five years, may instead be granted support of minor importance. Such support can be provided at up to 100 percent of an the organisation's eligible costs.

An organisation can receive a maximum of 300,000 euros over a three-year period in this form of support, regardless of the funder and project. This means that if the same organisation has received support of lesser importance in other project from other funders in the past, it will affect how large the support can be in this the call for proposals.

Submit a certificate of de minimis support when you submit proposal. This is required for us to be able to grant this support.

Certificate of de minimis support

In order for us to assess your proposal it must meet certain formal eligibility requirements. If the requirements are not met, proposal will be rejected immediately.

Eligibility requirements on participants

• At least two participants must participate in the project, of which at least one is a need owner and at least one is a start-up company. The coordinating party must be a need owner (see definitions in the introduction).
• Foreign startups that do not have activities in Sweden are welcome to participate and apply for funding provided that they meet all formal eligibility requirements and relevance criteria of the call.

Eligibility requirements for the project

• The project's requested funding may not exceed the grant amounts specified in section 5.
• The maximum project duration may be one year.
• The project start date must be specified no later than one month after the call for proposals is published.
• The project manager must be employed by the coordinating party in the project.
• The project may not begin before proposal is submitted.

Eligibility requirements on proposal

• Proposal must be written in Swedish or English.
• Proposal must follow the instructions set out in section 9.
• Proposal must contain all requested attachments.

What do we assess?

Applications that meet our formal eligibility requirements and relevance criteria will proceed to assessment according to the call's assessment criteria. When assessing applications, we look at four main criteria: Relevance, Potential, Actors and Feasibility as below:

• Relevance: We assess whether the project proposal is sufficiently in line with the call's focus, aim and objective. It is not possible to compensate for a deemed insufficient relevance through a high rating against other assessment criteria.
• Potential: We analyze what effects and what value we can expect from the project.
• Actors: We assess the participants' competence and ability to implement the project and achieve the desired results and effects.
• Feasibility: We assess how realistic and credible the project plan is, both for implementing the project and for achieving desired results.

Relevance

The innovation must have a clear connection to at least one of FFI's four thematic sub-programmes: Circularity, Transport and Mobility Solutions, Traffic-Safe Automation and Zero Emissions. For a more detailed description of the sub-programmes, see the Roadmap for FFI – FFI – Road Transport Innovations for a Sustainable Society.

If a foreign start-up company without activities in Sweden is to participate in the project, the following criteria must also be met:

1. The application's justification for the foreign company's unique expertise and the lack of it among actors in Sweden.
2. The application's description of the foreign company's planning for a clear transfer of knowledge to actors in Sweden as a results of the collaboration.

Potential

1. potential of the project proposal to contribute to sustainable road transport and strengthened Swedish competitiveness through the development of innovative solutions with a clear novelty value for the sub-programmes within FFI that the proposal addresses, rather than incremental improvements to existing solutions.
2. The project proposal's potential to achieve the call's outcome objectives and realize the call's impact goals.
3. The project proposal is grounded in knowledge of market needs and growth opportunities.
4. The project proposal's justification of the competitive advantages and customer benefits expected to be achieved as results of the project, for example in the form of increased productivity, improved price/performance, increased sustainability, strengthened intangible assets, reduced manufacturing costs and improved margins

Actors

1. The composition of the actor constellation regarding synergies within, for example, competence, resources, capabilities and corporate strategies in relation to fulfilling the call's results- and impact goals.
2. The project partners' developed abilities to, as a results of the project, drive innovation and commercialization processes in the future.
3. The project manager's ability and commitment to lead the project.

Feasibility

1. The realism of the project plan in aspects such as budget, time and activity plan, and specified milestones.
2. The project plan's description of the innovation's movement in TRL and BRL between the start and end levels specified in proposal.
3. The project plan's description of how the collaboration will be conducted to meet the needs of the parties. Great importance is placed on the commitment and project management of the needs owners, and the start-up company's ability to adapt the project and utilize available resources.
4. How well the need for consulting services and licenses is justified, if a project party's budget contains more than 20 percent costs of this type.

How do we assess?

Once we receive the applications, we review them. We screen out any applications that are incomplete or do not meet our eligibility requirements.

Applications that are correct and complete are distributed among different evaluator and assessed in competition with each other. The evaluators are appointed by us based on their expertise in the field. Each proposal is assessed by at least three independent evaluator.

Once the evaluators have reviewed the applications, we have an assessment meeting where the evaluators recommend which applications should be granted.

How does it affect an organization's financial status?

Before deciding on funding we also conduct a comprehensive assessment of the organizational and financial status of those receiving funding. We use information we obtain from credit reports, currently from Dun & Bradstreet.

In order for us to grant funding the following applies:

• Swedish organisations seeking funding for payroll costs must be registered as employers with the Swedish Tax Agency. Foreign start-ups must be able to provide proof of equivalent registration in their home countries.
• Organisations must not be insolvent or undergoing liquidation or corporate restructuring. They must also not have any significant unpaid debts with the Swedish Enforcement Authority (or equivalent public authority for foreign start-ups).
• Organisations may not cover project costs in this the call for proposals with public funding or own funds intended for other project.
• Limited liability companies must not have used up half or more of their share capital.
• If requested, startups must be able to demonstrate that they have the financial means to complete the project according to their budget in proposal.

Once we have assessed all applications, we will send you a decision either granting or rejecting your proposal. Since applications are assessed competitively, you may be rejected even though you meet all eligibility requirements and criteria.

In the decision, we state how much of the costs we will cover for each organisation.

You cannot appeal our decision, but you are welcome to apply to us again at another time.

What happens if you are granted funding?

If we grant your proposal, you must follow our general terms and conditions for funding. The terms include, among other things:

• That you will sign a special document in which you approve your participation and commit to carrying out the project.
• That you report how things are going, your costs and achieved results to us regularly during the project period.
• If you are multiple parties, you must agree on your mutual rights and obligations in the project in an agreement. It can take time to get a project agreement in place, so please get this started before the project starts . See our general terms and conditions and get help understanding and fulfilling them

You also need to follow the special conditions that apply to this the call for proposals. For project where a foreign start-up company participates, the following applies:

• Payment of funding is made to the coordinator in Sweden.
• Funds may only be transferred to the foreign party after the coordinator has obtained information from the foreign party about the costs incurred in connection with the progress report or final report.
• The costs must be confirmed with extracts from the party's accounting records or other equivalent documentation.

We may also decide to add supplementary special conditions for individual project. In such cases, they will be stated in the decision.

Could you have to pay back funding?

If you have received more money than you are entitled to or if you do not follow our term, you may be required to repay.

When the call for proposals closes, your proposal will be registered as. We will then send an email confirmation to the person responsible for the user account, as well as to the project manager and the signatory. If you have not received a confirmation within 24 hours of the call for proposals closing, please contact us.

Once the call for proposals is closed, you cannot change anything in proposal. You can only make additions if we ask you to.

Who can read your proposal?

Your proposal will be read by Vinnova employees and the evaluator participating in this the call for proposals. Everyone works under a duty of confidentiality.

Applications submitted to us become public documents. This means that we must disclose them if requested. However, we keep certain types of information confidential if disclosure could be expected to cause financial harm to the individual. This applies to information about business and operational conditions, inventions or research results.

Public documents and confidentiality