Innovative solutions of the future in life science

Development in life science is fast and creates new opportunities for companies, academia and healthcare. To strengthen Sweden's competitiveness and position within the life science of the future, strategic initiatives are needed that promote innovation, collaboration and faster utilisation of research results.

In July 2025, Vinnova the government's mission to establish a programme for Advanced Life Science. The programme will strengthen Sweden's position in the life sciences of the future through increased collaboration, strategic technology development and faster translation of research results. In the long term, the programme will contribute to increased international competitiveness and a stronger Swedish life science sector.

In the first the call for proposals within the programme, companies, academia and other relevant actors will be given the opportunity to carry out collaborative projects to develop innovative and sustainable technologies, products and processes in life science.

The projects can be granted up to SEK 3 million in funding and have a duration of no more than 12 months. The grant can finance a maximum of 50% of the project's eligible costs.

With this call for proposals, Vinnova wants to create the conditions for company-driven project in close collaboration with academia and other relevant actors. By taking a leading role, companies increase the opportunities for research and innovation to be translated into solutions that reach users and the market. We are looking for solutions with high innovation potential, that is, the ability to create something new that meets a concrete need and has realistic opportunities to be implemented. In the short term, the initiative will stimulate new collaborations, strengthen skills and enable the development of innovative solutions. In the longer term, the initiative will contribute to more viable companies, increased international attractiveness and strengthened competitiveness, which strengthens Sweden's position as a leading life science nation.

With the call for proposals, Vinnova wants to:

• contribute to sustainable and advanced technologies, products and processes with high innovation potential in life science
• strengthen cross-sectoral collaboration between relevant actors and thereby increase innovation capacity and the sector's collective competence
• open up new business opportunities that attract talent
• create strong consortia and partnerships that drive innovations with international competitiveness and concrete results, such as funding, products and patents.

What do we mean by life science?

In the national life science strategy, the government defines life science as the activities and actors that, through research, innovation, development and implementation, contribute to promoting people's health. In this call for proposals, in line with the government commission on Advanced Life Science, priority is given to solutions that, through research, innovation and technology development, potential has to improve people's health.

The call for proposals is aimed at companies, academia and other relevant actors who, through collaboration, want to contribute to the development of life science by developing sustainable solutions.

The project should consist of at least three parties where the following actors must be represented:

• company
• academy (university and/or university college)

Foreign companies must have a branch or permanent establishment in Sweden. The costs must be real and linked to activities in Sweden.

All SMEs must be able to demonstrate that they can finance their part of the project. The net turnover or equity must therefore amount to at least 25 per cent of the eligible project costs according to the most recent annual report, see section 6.

The first the call for proposals within the programme gives companies, academia and other relevant actors the opportunity to carry out collaborative projects to develop innovative and sustainable technologies, products and processes in life science. The initiative will contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of Swedish actors and their opportunities to collaborate in national and international networks and value chains. The project can last a maximum of 12 months.

We do not fund:

• small improvements to already existing products, processes, techniques i.e. where there is no high degree of innovation
• that which has a purely academic research focus (basic research).

What costs can we fund?

Our funding is subject to rules about state aid. The rules govern the types of costs that we can finance. These are called eligible costs.

In this the call for proposals, the following types of costs (types of costs) are eligible:

• Remuneration costs: Gross wages and salaries paid, employer's contributions and other non-wage labour costs.
• Equipment, land and buildings: Costs of instruments, equipment and rent for premises other than ordinary business premises.
• Consultancy and licensing costs: costs of consultancy services, knowledge and patents purchased or used under licence from an external actor; These costs may not exceed 20% of an organisation's budget. In case of special needs, for example if the project requires specialist expertise, we can accept a higher percentage. You should then justify this in your proposal, and the justification is weighed into our assessment. Costs for patents do not apply to costs for applying for patents, but to the purchase of patents or licenses for patents.
• Other direct costs: Costs such as materials, supplies and travel necessary to carry out the project.
• Indirect costs (overheads): Costs linked to the project but not directly incurred, such as premises and cleaning. Indirect costs may not exceed 30% of wage costs. Universities, university colleges, research organisations and government agencies may have higher permitted levels, depending on activities.

For more detailed information on what costs we can fund, see Instructions to eligible costs.

What eligibility requirements applies to costs we fund?

For your costs to be eligible, this applies, among other things:

• The costs must be actual, reasonable and necessary for the activities in the project.
• The costs must be correctly recorded and on a separate project code in the accounts. You may not cover project costs with other public funding or own funds intended for other project.
• You may not include someone else's costs as your own.

The rules about state aid determine how much of the costs we can finance. This is determined individually for each organisation. We therefore distinguish between how big the funding project can get, and how much a participating organisation can get.

How big funding can the project get?

In this call for proposals, Vinnova can finance project up to SEK 3,000,000. Each project can be granted a maximum of 50% of the total eligible costs of the project - the project must thus finance at least half of the total project budget in other ways.

Support to companies for research and development

In this the call for proposals we give support to industrial research or experimental development.

Industrial research can be described as seeking new knowledge through planned research or critical analysis. This is to develop or significantly improve products, processes or services.

Experimental development can be described as combining, shaping and using existing knowledge. This is to develop new or improved products, processes or services.

How much of the costs can we finance?

The organisation's size and type of activity determines how much of the costs we can finance. This is called the maximum aid intensity.

Maximum aid intensity for industrial research:

• Lity of enterprise 80 %
• Medium-sized enterprise 75 %
• Large enterprise 65 %

Maximum aid intensity for experimental development:

• Lity of enterprise 60 %
• Medium-sized enterprise 50 %
• Large enterprise 40 %

Which enterprises qualify as SMEs?

To assess the size of an enterprise, we apply the EU SME definition. The definition is based on the number of employees, annual turnover and balance sheet total.

If the company is part of a group, data for the entire group should be included. If the company owns or is owned by other companies at a rate of 25-50%, this information should be taken into account.

For help in determining whether a company is an SME, see How the EU defines small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Support to universities, university colleges and other public organisations

We give support to organisations not engaged in economic activities. This means that the organisation does not offer a service or product on a market. This usually includes universities, research institutes and other public organisations.

This aid is not covered by the State aid rules. We can therefore finance up to 100% of the costs of such an organisation. The aid is often referred to as ‘not state aid’.

For us to judge your proposal, it must meet some formal eligibility requirements. If the requirements are not met, we will reject proposal directly.

The following formal eligibility requirements applies:

• All participating organisations must be legal entities. Natural persons or sole proprietorships cannot participate. Foreign legal entities may also participate. However, foreign actors that may funding by us must have a branch or an establishment in Sweden, and the costs must be incurred by the branch or establishment.
• Arts with at least three parties, where companies and academia must be represented as actors.
• Small and medium-sized enterprises must show a net turnover or equity amounting to at least 25 percent of the company's total eligible costs for the project (see the paragraph below "Special economic eligibility requirements for small and medium-sized enterprises").
• Project parties must be independent of each other. For example, a research group cannot apply for funding together with a spin-off company that you have started.
• The project may not start before you have submitted your proposal.
• The project may apply for a maximum of SEK 3 million.
• The project must be co-financed with at least 50%.
• Proposal must be written in Swedish or English.
• Proposal must follow the instructions under the heading "How to apply", see section 9.
• Only the mandatory annexes must be included, see section 9.

Special financial eligibility requirements for SMEs

Small and medium-sized enterprises participating in the project must be able to demonstrate that they have sufficient financial capacity to bear their share of the project's costs. The assessment is made on the basis of the company's financial position in relation to the eligible project costs. If the company does not have a registered annual report, an auditor's certificate or a certificate from an authorised accounting consultant must be attached to proposal.

The total eligible project cost is the amount that the organisation applies for in funding and self-financing.

Example: Company Y applies for SEK 500,000 in funding and goes in with SEK 500,000 in self-financing. The total eligible cost is then SEK 1 000 000 and the company must show that it meets the financial requirement of 25% of the total eligible costs, i.e. SEK 250 000.

The applications that meet our eligibility requirements will proceed to assessment. In the assessment, we look at how big potential your idea has, how realistic it is and who will implement the project. Proposal should be in line with the aim call described in section 2 and assessed according to the criteria below.

We also look at how well your project integrates gender equality, both in how your project group is composed and how you implement the project. By integrating gender and gender perspectives, more inclusive and relevant solutions are developed. It strengthens both the innovation capacity and the results of the project.

Gender equality as a tool for innovative societal development

What do we assess?

When assessing applications, we look at three main criteria:

• Potential: We analyse what effects and what value we can expect from the project.
• Actors: We assess the participants' competence and ability to implement the project and reach the desired results and effects.
• Implementability: We assess how realistic and credible the project plan is, both to implement the project and to achieve the desired results.

Potential

• How well the project proposal fulfils a high innovation potential and contributes to the aim and objective call, see section 2.
• How well the project proposal contributes to stimulating collaboration nationally and internationally.
• How innovative the project proposal is in relation to existing solutions and ongoing major initiatives in the field.
• How credible the project proposal's analysis is of the problem picture and the results that the proposed solution is expected to achieve.
• How likely it is that the project proposal will lead to new knowledge and new skills that can be used for scaling up or implementing new solutions.
• How well the project proposal contributes to increased gender equality by integrating gender and gender perspectives.
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h5>>Hul>> competence, commitment and ability contribute to project objectives and implementation.
• The composition of the project group in terms of gender balance. How power and influence are distributed evenly between the genders in the project team.
• The project group's national and international networks and partners.
• How good conditions the project manager and other key persons are deemed to have to lead and implement the project.

Implementability

• How relevant and realistic the project plan, budget and type of costs are deemed to be able to realize a solution in accordance with the project proposal.
• How credible the project plan's risk analysis is.
• How well the project plan describes how the results will be anchored, disseminated to relevant actors and taken forward for use after the end of the project.

How do we assess them?

p>When we have received the applications, we review them. We sort out all applications that are incomplete or do not meet our eligibility requirements.

The applications that are correct and complete are distributed among different evaluator and assessed in competition with each other. The evaluators is appointed by us based on their expertise in the field.

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

Vinnova reserves the right to apply a portfolio strategy in the selection of applications for granting.

How does an organization's financial status affect?

Before deciding on funding, we also make an overall assessment of the organizational and financial status of those who receive funding.

We use information that we receive from credit reports, currently from Dun & Bradstreet.

In our assessment, we check this:

• Organisations granted funding for wage costs must be registered as an employer with the Swedish Tax Agency. If such a registration does not exist when we make a decision, you must be able to show that a notification has been made. We do not approve retroactive registration.
• Organisations shall not be insolvent, or undergo liquidation or corporate reorganisation. They should also not have unpaid debts of significance to the Swedish Enforcement Authority.
• The project leader should be employed by a participant.
• Shareholders should not have used up half or more of their share capital.

We can also ask small and medium-sized enterprises to show that they have financial cover to carry out the project.

When we have assessed all applications, we will send you a decision in which we either approve or reject your proposal. Since the applications are assessed in competition, you may be rejected even though you meet all eligibility requirements and criteria.

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

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

What if you are granted funding?

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

• You must sign a special document in which you accept your participation and undertake to carry out the project.
• You must have a written project agreement that regulates your mutual rights and obligations in the project. All parties must sign the agreement before submitting your first progress report. Since it may take time to develop and negotiate an agreement, we recommend that you start with this as soon as possible.
• You should report how it goes, your costs and achieved results to us during the project period. See our General terms and conditions.

We may also decide to add complementary special conditions for individual project. If so, they are set out in the decision.

Can you have to repay funding?

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

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

When the call for proposals closes, you cannot change anything in proposal. Then you can only supplement if we ask for it.

Who can read you proposal?

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

Applications submitted to us become public documents. This means that we have to disclose them if they are requested. However, we treat certain types of information as confidential if it is likely to cause economic damage to the individual if they are disclosed. It concerns information on business and operational conditions, inventions or research results.

General documents and confidentiality