Ecosystem effort - verification and validation for commercialization of knowledge-intensive ideas

This effort is part of the government's effort in the Research and Innovation Bill 2025–2028 and Vinnova's work to increase the ability to commercialize and utilize.

In the long term, Vinnova wishes to develop a more coherent, efficient and transparent support system with increased quality and capacity for verification and validation at intermediaries such as innovation clusters, science parks, research and innovation infrastructures. In this way, knowledge-intensive ideas can be developed with lower risk and commercialized, which contributes to growth by companies.

Through this effort, the above-mentioned intermediaries have the opportunity to search funding to analyze, identify and test their hypothesis for the gaps or deficiencies they see within the ecosystem whose aim is to verify and validate business ideas.

The purpose of this effort is to give the above-mentioned intermediaries the opportunity to search funding to analyze gaps and needs in the ecosystem and develop possible solution proposals so that knowledge-intensive ideas are verified and validated for commercialization at the right time.

In the long term, the goal is that the knowledge-intensive ideas that have potential to be commercialized are utilized in a systematic way, that is, verified and validated by actors with knowledge of how this is done in the best way. This is to avoid losing good ideas and not wasting time on ideas that have no potential to be commercialized.

Validating a knowledge-intensive idea means ensuring that the product or service you intend to develop addresses a real need and has potential market demand, for example by testing the concept against potential customers or users. Verification, on the other hand, means ensuring that the idea, concept or solution meets specified eligibility requirements and assumptions.

Knowledge-intensive ideas are ideas that consist of hard-to-acquire knowledge that provides unique characteristics and a sustainable competitive advantage. Examples include ideas that consist of advanced technology that is characterized by unique knowledge assets and often high R&D costs.

The main results that we want to achieve with the call for proposals are:

• Understand and identify what gaps/shortcomings actors within the ecosystem sees today so that business ideas can be verified and validated at the right time/location and by the right actors.
• Suggestions on how these shortcomings can be addressed and the gap closed.
• Identify new ways and actors that help verify and validate knowledge-intensive ideas.
• Increased quality and capacity for verification and validation at actors.
• In the long term, strengthen Sweden's competitiveness through a more coherent, efficient and transparent support system for idea carriers and startups with knowledge-intensive ideas.

Equalized funding by innovations

Your project should integrate gender equality both into how your project team is composed and how you carry out the project. This means that you need to:

• take into account the gender balance within the project team
• assess whether aspects of sex and gender are relevant to the design of the project, and if so, in what way.

By integrating different perspectives, more inclusive and relevant solutions are developed. This strengthens both the innovative capacity and the project's results.

Gender equality as a tool for innovative social development

To apply for this call for proposals, you are an actor within the ecosystem who performs verification and/or validation activities for the development of knowledge-intensive ideas.

Examples of actors are:

• research institute
• regional innovation platforms
• research and innovation infrastructures
• test and demo environments
• science parks
• innovation hubs
• innovation cluster

The call for proposals does not apply to actors granted funding in call for proposals, “Verification for growth 2025” (reference number 2025-01651) or “Support to start-up companies through excellent incubators, period July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2029” (reference number 2023-03309).

We are funding a feasibility study where you conduct an analysis of what gaps, needs and proposed solutions you as an actor identify within the ecosystem linked to what you do today in verification and validation aimed at knowledge-intensive ideas. What opportunities and risks do you see?

Identify and describe the resources required to close the gaps you see today for business ideas to be commercialized at the right time.

A description of which parties require the process, method or tool that you want to develop and who requires the results of verification or validation. Also describe how a successful results of the feasibility study can be taken forward and implemented in the Swedish innovation support system.

What costs can we finance?

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

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

• Salary costs: Gross salary paid, employer contributions and other salary costs.
• Equipment, land and buildings: Costs for instruments, equipment and rent for premises other than regular business premises.
• Consulting and licensing costs: Costs for consulting services, knowledge and patents purchased or licensed from an external party. These costs may not exceed 20 percent of an organization's budget.
• Other direct costs: Costs for, for example, materials, supplies and travel that are necessary to carry out the project.
• Indirect costs (overhead):Costs that are linked to the project but do not arise directly, such as premises and cleaning. Indirect costs may amount to a maximum of 30 percent of salary costs. Universities, university colleges, research organizations and government agencies may have higher permitted levels, depending on activities.

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

Which eligibility requirements apply to costs we finance?

In order for your costs to be eligible for support, the following applies:

• They must be factual, reasonable and necessary for the activities in the project.
• They must be booked correctly and under a separate project code in the accounting. You may not cover project costs with other public funding or own funds intended for other project.
• You may not claim someone else's expenses as your own.

For more detailed information on which eligibility requirements, limitations and exceptions apply, see our general terms and conditions.

The rules about state aid govern how large a proportion of the costs we can finance. This is determined individually for each organisation. We therefore differentiate between how large a funding project can get, and how much a participant organisation can get.

How big funding can the project get?

The maximum funding that can be applied for is SEK 500,000, project duration three months.

How much funding can a participant organisation get?

How much funding a participant organisation can receive depends mainly on:

• the organisation's size and activities
• which activities the organisation will carry out in the project.

Descriptions in the following sections about what support we can provide are simplified. For complete information, see Support bases and levels for funding.

Support to companies for research and development article 25

In this the call for proposals we provide support to feasibility study.

Feasibility studies can be simply described as a evaluation. It analyzes the following:

• Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks in an upcoming research and development project.
• What resources are required to carry out the project.
• How likely it is that the project will succeed.

How much of the costs can we finance?

The organisation's The size and type of activity determines how large a proportion of the costs we can finance. This is called the maximum support level.

Maximum aid intensity for feasibility study:

• Small business 70%
• Medium-sized company 60%
• Large company 50%

Support of minor importance to businesses

We can also provide de minimis support, also known as support of minor importance. We can fund up to 100 percent of an organization's costs.

A 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 before, it affects 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

Support to universities, university colleges and other public organisations with non-economic activities

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

We can finance up to 100 percent of such an organization's costs.

How is it determined whether a organisation is engaged in economic activities?

A organisation that offers any kind of service or product on a market is considered to be conducting an economic activities and cannot be granted this form of support. It does not matter how the the organisation is financed: whether it is public or private, or whether it has a profit motive. It also does not matter what legal form the business has. For example, whether it is a limited liability company, a trading company, an economic association, a non-profit association or a foundation.

If you are unsure whether a organisation in your project conducts economic activities, contact call manager. However, The organisation is responsible for assessing whether it conducts economic activities.

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

Eligibility requirements on participants

• All participants organisations must be legal entities. Individuals or sole proprietorships cannot participate. Foreign legal entities can participate if they have a branch or establishment in Sweden and the costs arise at the branch or establishment.
• The coordinating party must be a Swedish legal entity and operate activities in Sweden.
• At least 1 participant must participate in the project. This includes the coordinating party. Different parts of a organisation are the same legal entity and are counted as one participant, for example two departments at a university.

Eligibility requirements on the project

• The project may apply for a maximum of SEK 500,000.
• The project must start no later than October 26, 2026 and end no later than January 31, 2027.
• The project may not be started before you have submitted your proposal.
• Costs for consulting services and licenses may not exceed 20 percent of an organization's budget.

Eligibility requirements on proposal

• Proposal should be written in Swedish or English.
• Proposal should follow the instructions under the heading “ How to apply”.
• Proposal should contain all requested attachments.

Applications that meet our eligibility requirements criteria will be forwarded to assessment. In the assessment, we look at how big potential your idea is, how realistic it is and who will implement the project.

What do we assess?

When assessing applications, we look at three main 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 the desired results.

Potential

• How innovative the project proposal is in relation to existing processes and models in increasing the quality and capacity for verification and validation at actors of knowledge-intensive ideas.
• How credible the project proposal's analysis is of the problem picture and the results that the proposed solution is expected to achieve.
• How well the project proposal contributes to increased gender equality by integrating perspectives on sex and gender.

Actors

• How well the project manager and other key people are assessed to be able to lead and implement the project.
• How well the composition, participation, competence and ability of the actor constellation contribute to project objectives and implementation.

Feasibility

• How good the conditions are for the project's results to be taken forward and used after the end of the project.
• How well the gender distribution in the project team and perspectives on sex and gender have been integrated into the project plan.

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.

The 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 evaluator.

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

How does it affect an organization's financial status?

Before we decide on funding we also make a comprehensive assessment of the organizational and financial status of those who receive funding.

We use information we receive from credit reports, currently from Dun & Bradstreet. We may also ask small and medium-sized businesses to demonstrate that they have the financial capacity to carry out the project.

In our assessment we check this:

• That organisations who are granted funding for salary costs are registered as employers with the Swedish Tax Agency. If such 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.
• That organisations is not insolvent, or undergoing liquidation or corporate restructuring. You must also not have any significant unpaid debts with the Swedish Enforcement Authority.
• That the project manager is employed by the coordinating party in the project.
• That a limited liability company has not used up half or more of its share capital.

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 large a proportion 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 happens if you are granted funding?

If we grant you 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 went, your costs and achievements results to us at the end of the project.
• How the results will be used, see our general terms and conditions.

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 liable for repayment.

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.

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

Who can read you proposal?

Your proposal will be read by employees at Vinnova and those 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 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.

General documents and confidentiality