Impact innovation: transition lab for the living environments of the future

ShiftSweden's mission is to transform Sweden, fossil-free and resource-conscious, into attractive and accessible living environments for everyone. Over ten years and in one hundred locations, the program will show how. The work is mainly done in transition labs.

This call for proposals opens for project proposals in three transition labs to develop:

• Building sustainably and flexibly for the future

• Harnessing momentum in major transformation projects

• Transport-efficient and vibrant neighborhoods

ShiftSweden is a programme within Impact Innovation, an effort by the Swedish Energy Agency, Formas and Vinnova.

Apply to innovation projects

We welcome applications for innovation projects in the field of urban planning and mobility, with broad and active collaboration. At least two project parties are required, of which at least one is a need owner. The projects can be exploratory, or test and scale.

Apply to lab assassination project

The call for proposals also opens applications for lab-based collaboration projects with a focus on collaboration, coordination and impact. Projects can involve one or a maximum of two partners.

Funding

Exploratory innovation projects can be granted up to SEK 3 million in funding, project that test and scale up SEK 6 million, and lab-scaled projects SEK 3.5 million. The total call budget is approximately SEK 85 million.

The level of support for innovation projects can be 75 percent and 100 percent for lab-based projects.

ShiftSweden's mission is to transform Sweden, fossil-free and resource-conscious, into attractive and accessible living environments for all. Three major shifts in community building and mobility are needed for a transition to be possible:

• From resource-intensive linear community building processes to sustainable and value-creating circular business models
• From unsustainable transportation to a new freedom reform with competitive alternatives to individual car travel
• From urban planning in the gutter to an integrated ecosystem for the built environment and mobility

Read more about ShiftSweden's mission, shifts and theory of change.

ShiftSweden website

ShiftSweden's theory of change

Attractive and accessible living environments for all are at the heart of ShiftSweden's work. To transform Sweden accordingly, the way research and innovation are traditionally conducted needs to be challenged.

To give the projects the best possible conditions to achieve real impact and influence at a system level, they collaborate in a transformation lab - within a common theme and towards a common goal. All project, as well as the lab as a whole, will contribute to achieving ShiftSweden's mission and three shifts.

Various themes will be in focus through a series of calls for proposals during ShiftSweden's ten-year program period.

Which transformation labs can you apply to participate in?

The call for proposals includes three themes, which will form three transition labs.

This call for proposals is aimed at actors who want to run innovation projects within one of the following thematic transition labs:

• Building sustainably and flexibly for the future

• Harnessing momentum in major transformation projects

• Transport-efficient and vibrant neighborhoods

The three themes focus on one or two of ShiftSweden's three shifts.

The call for proposals is also aimed at actors who want to run one of the three lab assassination projects that will coordinate and coordinate the work of the transition lab.

Building sustainably and flexibly for the future - Shift 1

New construction needs to have a significantly longer lifespan than today. Above all, because society needs to reduce climate impact and the extraction of natural resources and subsequent processing into construction products and materials. This means that buildings and facilities must be designed for 1) a longer technical lifespan; 2) more flexible use during the life cycle as needs will change; 3) flexibility that increases the attractiveness for those who use the built environment, and 4) so that it is possible to dismantle as much as possible for future reuse and recycling.

For buildings, this means, for example, modular wall systems, standardized connections and design for installations, or facade elements for reuse in new project. It can also mean new forms of living or running municipal activities, for example, multi-generational housing, sharing of common areas or different types of co-location such as preschool and senior living or similar that increase the attractiveness of the living environments. For new construction of premises, well-thought-out solutions for tenant adaptations are needed, which minimize the use of new resources. It also involves different system choices in the early stages where frame systems, installation systems, the depth of the building, generality regarding floor and room heights, window areas, etc. need to be designed with consideration for the building being able to be used for different purposes over the long life cycle.

For transport infrastructure, this means, for example, designing bridges, tunnels and other structures with standardized and interchangeable sections that can be reused elsewhere, or using materials that simplify future upgrades and maintenance. Material development and optimized material choices are also important for long-term durability. With significantly longer lifespans for both buildings and transport infrastructure, calculation models for life cycle analysis (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) may need to be updated.

For properties, there are also questions about financing and ownership models that provide incentives for adaptable buildings, where shared ownership or temporary use agreements can also be applied. Economic incentives also arise from longer lifespans that provide longer depreciation periods and thus likely more favorable loans. Business models such as “product-as-a-service” can also be applied, where property owners purchase the desired performance (e.g. heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting) rather than physical equipment, and where responsibility and incentives for maintenance, upgrading and optimization are placed with service providers with specialist expertise. The transition lab will explore and test different solutions that contribute to increased flexibility and a longer lifespan for buildings and transport infrastructure.

The shift towards building more flexibly and long-term can be hampered by today's regulatory framework, where laws, ordinances, regulations or industry standards may need to be changed to create the right conditions and drivers. The Transition Lab also addresses these types of policy-related issues.

Leveraging momentum in large transformation projects - Shift 1 and 2

Large transformation projects, spanning several years and having a major impact on many people in a municipality or region, can act as catalysts for broader changes to the built environment and mobility. These can include large industrial developments, new transport infrastructure or new hospital complexes. Such initiatives create opportunities to explore, test and scale new solutions for how resources, spaces and functions are reused, shared and coordinated both before, during and after construction.

On the one hand, large transformation projects lead to major challenges both during the construction period when transportation and barriers affect people's living environments and business operations, and after completion when needs for housing, trade, services, transportation, etc. have changed. The tension between short-term and long-term social development needs to be managed, as well as between the temporary and permanent. Planning and governance of the local community also need to be adapted.

On the other hand, large transformation projects give rise to development opportunities that can accelerate change and leave behind old processes, ways of working and solutions. There is great potential to use transformation projects as a springboard for systems innovation.

The Transition Lab will explore how the momentum created by large transformation projects can be used for a climate-neutral and resource-conscious transition to attractive and accessible living environments for all. By taking advantage of the window of opportunity that is created, the lab will find new ways to work with system innovation, testing and implementation that can be integrated long-term into public and private operations. The lab will gather project that, using concrete places as a starting point, explore, test and scale groundbreaking solutions for more circular construction processes and competitive alternatives to individual car travel.

Transport-efficient and vibrant neighborhoods - Division 2

To promote competitive alternatives to individual car travel, a change in the design of city districts that have historically been shaped by the private car as the norm is required. One solution is so-called transport-efficient city districts or blocks that a) apply the proximity principle in a way that promotes walking, cycling and public transport and b) integrate new innovations such as mobility hubs and sharing services, while c) the space for cars and parking is dimensioned based on ambitious objective for sustainable, inclusive living environments. Transport-efficient city districts can be found both in the central parts of cities and in peripheral areas. The concept is linked to the current planning paradigm of the 15-minute city, which, in simple terms, is about creating conditions for reduced car dependence by allowing residents to reach jobs, shops, education, healthcare, leisure and other activities within 15 minutes on foot or by bicycle, and where attractive public transport is available for longer journeys. Transport-efficient neighborhoods not only improve accessibility and reduce the need for transport, but also contribute to more vibrant cities with increased equality, public health and quality of life.

Solutions for transport-efficient city districts and neighbourhoods have been researched, tested and even implemented in various parts of Sweden, but for the most part this development has taken place in newly built neighbourhoods or involved small-scale and limited pilot projects with weak connections to the surrounding area. Implementation has often depended on a few actors who dared to be at the forefront of the development. The Planning and Building Act (PBL) has been identified as a challenge for a broader impact. The parking issue often plays a key role in the possibility of change.

The transition lab aims to enable a broader scaling up of the concept of transport-efficient city districts by working with different locations in the country, primarily through the transformation of existing city districts and blocks, but also innovative concepts such as garden cities can be included. For example, Project will explore how current legislation can be used and interpreted to promote transport-efficient city districts, and how the chosen location is connected to the surroundings and the rest of the city and its transport solutions. Other aspects that can be addressed are, for example, management and cooperation models between different actors ( municipality, real estate actors, mobility actors, etc.), the importance of shared facilities for parking and mobility, innovative measures that promote walking and cycling, design of the physical environment or the integration of local logistics solutions.

Innovation projects that go further together

What conditions need to be in place for an innovation project to take the final step, from being described in a report to really changing our perception of a certain issue? Or take the step where a pilot breaks free from an individual location and becomes part of established methods, working methods and plans around Sweden. The ambition of transition labs is that they will enable project to take the full step, create change and make real benefits in society.

To get there, we believe that several innovation projects need to work together within a common theme and towards a common objective, in a transformation lab. The innovation projects in the lab will come from different geographical and organizational contexts and contribute different skills and experiences.

By continuously sharing experiences and learning between the projects in the lab, and taking joint responsibility for national dissemination and scaling, we see that both the innovation projects and the lab as a whole will reach significantly further.

Each innovation project needs to allocate at least 150 hours per year for joint activities linked to the transition lab. We also recommend allocating funds for travel expenses for participation in physical meetings within the joint work in the transition lab. We intend to grant approximately 4-8 innovation projects per transition lab.

Lab assassination project

Collaboration doesn't happen by itself. Leading an innovation project is a difficult task, and leading a lab with multiple innovation projects requires time, the right skills, networks, and experience.

Each lab is linked to a lab coordination project with the responsibility of, together with the lab's various innovation projects, exploring and testing working methods and methods for coordinated system innovation. Coordinated system innovation means coordinating a portfolio of project where the projects are intended to complement each other and collectively contribute to system innovation and structural change.

The purpose of the lab alignment projects is to maximize the lab's effects and impact at the system level, based on the program's mission and the thematic focus of the transition lab. The lab alignment project is responsible for exploring and testing working methods and methods to strengthen the lab's collective transition potential.

The lab conversion project must also have the capacity to identify and implement complementary innovation initiatives within each lab, which can, for example, build on and strengthen results from the individual projects in the lab. We intend to grant one lab conversion project per conversion lab.

A place-based approach - understanding the conditions of the place

ShiftSweden's place-based approach means that the conditions for achieving more attractive and accessible living environments for all, in different ways, are the focus of the program's calls for proposals. A starting point is that understanding the place is central to both formulating relevant challenges and exploring and testing possible solutions. A challenge that is common to many can at the same time be dependent on very different conditions depending on where, and in what context, the challenge needs to be addressed.

The solution to improving people's access to, for example, public transport looks different depending on whether the challenge is to be addressed in a metropolitan environment where many people live, or in a sparser geography where fewer people need to move. The possibility of developing business models that facilitate circular construction or recycling also looks different depending on the market, the size of the surrounding area and the social structures that are available to work with. It can also matter whether a challenge exists in a smaller or larger geographical context.

This place-based approach forms the basis of the program and is expected to contribute to innovative and feasible results for the areas and challenges addressed in this year's and future years' calls for proposals.

The importance of a systems perspective

Urban planning and mobility are complex areas where multiple actors and users, administrative and geographical levels, as well as legal frameworks and policies interact. Having a systems perspective is therefore important, that is, looking at the whole and not just the parts and the drainpipes but their interconnections. The systems perspective is a prerequisite for both understanding and developing solutions that can contribute to a transformation in urban planning and mobility.

Within this call for proposals we have chosen to base ourselves on a system model that consists of five change dimensions that generally need to be explored for system innovation to be possible.

The five dimensions are:

• new technical solutions
• functioning business or value models
• supporting infrastructure and production systems
• enabling policy and regulatory framework
• permissive culture and values

Innovation projects do not need to include all system dimensions but should include at least two of the dimensions. Lab coordination projects should have the competence to handle all system dimensions.

From previous initiatives, we know that collaborative projects that have a clear systems perspective early on have an easier time scaling developed solutions at a later stage and thus contribute to system transformation.

Contribute to a sustainable system transformation

Impact Innovation will contribute to global competitiveness through transformation for sustainable development. Through our efforts, we contribute to the global commitment to achieving the goals of Agenda 2030.

To achieve sustainable system transformation, it is important that project manage conflicting goals and minimize the risk of unintended negative effects when designing new solutions. One aspect that is followed up and assessed is whether both women and men equally benefit from the contribution, participate in and have influence over the project.

Equal funding of innovations

An innovative force in a sustainable world

Making scientific publications and results available

This the call for proposals will also contribute to making results available to everyone. Therefore, all scientific publishing should be open access. When results from research and innovation are made freely available, more people can contribute to solving societal challenges. Results that are not suitable for scientific journals can be published in ShiftSweden's report series. Activities and results will be made available continuously at arena.shiftsweden.se.

The call for proposals is aimed at a broad range of actors with interest in and expertise within ShiftSweden's three shifts.

For innovation projects that want to be part of one of the three transformation labs

There is great relevance for municipalities and regions, as well as state agencies, to participate from a discretionary, policy and regulatory perspective. It is also relevant for companies and research performers with expertise and interest within their respective labs to participate.

Overall, we see that there is a strong incentive for interest groups and civil society to get involved and contribute perspectives and expertise to the projects. ShiftSweden welcomes a wide range of actors, even those who do not usually participate in similar project, who can contribute new perspectives on the challenges being addressed.

Innovation projects need to be based on active engagement and drive from all parties, with at least one of the parties being a need owner. By need owner we mean an actor with a clear need and benefit from the expected project results and who has an ambition to implement the results.

The constellation of actors should consist of legal entities such as companies, non-profit organisations, the public sector or research organizations.

International project partners are welcome to participate in the projects, but a prerequisite for receiving funding from Vinnova is that the project partner is active and has an operating location or branch in Sweden.

For lab conversion projects that want to lead the work in one of the three conversion labs

The offer is aimed at one or two actors who have the ability to lead and run a transition lab for the attractive and accessible living environments of the future.

The project manager for the lab assassination project has an important function and must devote 30–50 percent of a full-time job to the assignment over the project period. The project manager may have support from additional people who contribute complementary skills or who handle more administrative tasks.

The project manager for the lab assassination project must be able to work impartially in relation to the other projects within the lab and must have the following skills:

• senior competence/experience in a field relevant to the lab
• experience in leading processes with different actors
• ability to communicate in ways that create commitment to change
• experience in utilizing knowledge

The people involved in a lab assassination project may not simultaneously be part of any proposal for innovation projects in the same lab.

To meet different needs the call for proposals opens up three types of project: exploratory project and project that test and scale up within one of the three themes of the call, as well as lab-based projects.

Innovation project

Exploratory project

This type of project is primarily about generating new knowledge, where the ambition should be to make underlying problems visible and develop ideas, hypotheses and solutions. Preferably based on new perspectives that can lead to old questions being put in a new light.

Project that tests and scales

This type of project should focus on further developing already developed (but not yet verified) prototypes or solutions and testing these in a real environment, with a clear drive towards dissemination and national scaling.

Exploratory project and project that test and scale up should not necessarily be seen as phases or steps that follow one another. Rather, they should be seen as an expression of the fact that a challenge may need to be addressed in different ways, depending on the maturity of the field of existing knowledge and solutions.

All project should be of a groundbreaking nature, where, for example, existing norms, behaviors, regulations, etc. are challenged. The hypothesis is that the transition lab can contribute to, and facilitate, innovation projects to progress further in this regard.

At least two of the five system dimensions need to be included in the projects: behavior, regulations, business models, infrastructure and technology (see chapter 3).

All project should allocate time to contribute to the joint work in the transformation lab. This is an important part of strengthening the aspect of sharing and strengthening knowledge and learning, being able to summarize and strengthen conclusions, as well as increasing the opportunities to scale successful results.

Each project should therefore allocate at least 150 hours per year to participate in joint activities within the transition lab. We also recommend allocating funds for travel expenses to participate in physical meetings.

Lab assassination project

A lab coordination project includes exploring, testing and further developing methodology and working methods for the lab's joint work to achieve system innovation and structural impact, for example (but not exclusively) by:

• develop proposals for working methods based on research and proven experience to drive system innovation, which can be tested and further developed within the lab,
• ensure quality in the lab's work in dialogue with project manager for the project included in the transformation lab by conducting continuous monitoring of the external environment and having knowledge of the state-of-art of relevance to the area,
• support the projects' activities for dialogue with relevant users, target groups and citizens about the solutions developed in the lab,
• create conditions for shared learning within the lab and with other relevant actors in ways that contribute to critical reflection, a holistic view and system innovation,
• compile overall and policy-relevant conclusions from the lab and contribute to dissemination to relevant actors,
• develop and implement a plan for “impact” that, among other things, identifies opportunities and challenges for scaling and spreading ideas and solutions, including opportunities for additional funding,
• Based on the impact plan, implement complementary innovation initiatives that strengthen the lab's ability to achieve system innovation and structural impact,
• Contribute to connecting the lab to similar activities nationally and internationally.

In addition to what is stated above, we also see that the project manager for the lab assassination project should:

• be a point of contact for and between project that are part of the lab,
• be the face of the lab as a whole,
• be in close contact with and be the link between the lab and the program office for Shiftsweden and participate in the program office's activities when relevant,
• Participate in activities for coordination between the various lab killing projects, which is run by the program office for ShiftSweden.

What costs can we finance?

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

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

• Personnel costs: Salary costs, including 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 a third party. Costs of this type may not exceed 20 percent of a project party's budget.
• 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 personnel 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:

• necessary for the activities in the project
• accounted for correctly and separately from the organisation's other costs.

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?

The total call budget is approximately SEK 85 million. Below we describe what applies depending on whether you choose to apply for an innovation project or a lab-based research project.

Innovation project

Exploratory project

Maximum funding per project is SEK 3 million and the maximum project duration is 24 months. Project can receive support for a maximum of 75 percent of their total eligible costs.

Project that tests and scales up

The maximum funding per project is SEK 6 million and the maximum project duration is 36 months. Project can receive support for a maximum of 75 percent of their total eligible costs.

Lab murder project

The maximum funding per project is SEK 3.5 million and the project duration is 42 months. Project can receive support for up to 100 percent of their total eligible costs.

How much funding can a participant receive?

How much funding each participant can receive depends mainly on:

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

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

Support for companies conducting research and development

In this the call for proposals we provide support for industrial research and experimental development.

For exploratory innovation projects, the funding basis is industrial research, and for innovation projects that test and scale, the funding basis is experimental development. For lab-scaled projects, the funding basis is experimental development.

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

Experimental development can be simply described as combining, shaping and using existing knowledge 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 large a proportion of the costs we can finance, i.e. the maximum level of support.

Situations where we finance a higher proportion

If the project is covered by any of these bonus bases, we can finance a higher proportion of the costs.

• Actual cooperation: Some level of cooperation between small and larger companies, between companies in two different European countries or between research organisations and companies
• Dissemination of results: Extensive dissemination through, for example, conferences or open databases.
• Other bonus basis

Minor Support for businesses

In this the call for proposals we can [also] provide de minimis support, also known as support of minor importance. We can finance up to 100 percent of a project party's 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

Support for non-economic activities

In this the call for proposals we also provide support to organisations that do not engage in economic activities. This means that the organisation does not offer a service or product on a market. This usually includes universities and university colleges, research institutes and other organisations.

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

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

An organisation that offers any kind of service or product on a market is considered to be conducting economic activities and cannot be granted this form of support. It does not matter how 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 an organisation in your project is conducting economic activities, contact call manager. However, The organisation is responsible for assessing whether it is conducting economic activities.

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

Eligibility requirements for project parties

• All project partners must be legal entities. Natural persons or individual companies cannot participate.
• Grant-receiving project parties must have a Swedish corporate registration number with a branch or establishment in Sweden. Only costs incurred in the branch's or establishment's activities in the project are eligible for support.
• The coordinating party must be a Swedish legal entity and conduct activities in Sweden.
• Eligibility requirements on number of project parties
  • For innovation projects, at least two project parties are required.
  • A maximum of two parties may be involved in the lab assassination projects.

Eligibility requirements for the project

• The project manager must be employed by the coordinating party in the project.
• Costs for consulting services and licenses may constitute a maximum of 20 percent of a project party's budget.

Eligibility requirements on proposal

• Proposal must be written in Swedish or English.
• Proposal must follow the instructions given in section 10.
• Proposal must contain all requested attachments.
  • Please note that proposal must contain the Project Description appendix according to the template provided on the call's website and according to the format described in section 10.
  • Project partners seeking support of minor importance/de minimis must submit a correctly completed certificate of support of minor importance to Vinnova in connection with proposal.
• The people involved in a lab assassination project may not simultaneously be part of any proposal for innovation projects in the same lab.

Applications that meet our eligibility requirements will proceed to assessment. In the assessment, we look at how much potential your idea has, how realistic it is and who will implement the project.

What do we assess?

Proposal are assessed based on the criteria below. All formal eligibility requirements need to be met for proposal to be assessed.

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 desired results.

Eftersom Vinnova is tasked with contributing to increased gender equality and climate change, and we always follow up and assess these perspectives.

Assessment criteria

The assessment criteria apply to both innovation projects and lab-based killing projects.

Potential

• How much potential the project proposal have to achieve the call's objective and aim.
• How much potential the project proposal has to contribute to ShiftSweden's mission and shifts.
• How innovative the project proposal is and its potential to challenge existing structures, such as norms, working methods, behaviors, business models and regulations.
• How well perspectives on sex, gender and climate change have been integrated into the project proposal, and what significance these have for the project's results.

Actors

• How well the composition, participation, competence and ability of the actor constellation contribute to project objectives and implementation.
• How well the project manager and other key people are assessed to be able to lead and implement the project.
• The participation of the project participants is well described and appropriate for the project's objective.
• How well the financial contribution, participation, power and influence are distributed in an equal manner in the project team.

Feasibility

• Planned activities and methods are realistic and appropriate to achieve expected results during the project period.
• To what extent is the project based on clear descriptions of what the project will lead to, with measurable, concrete and well-defined objective, and how the project will be evaluated.
• To what extent does the project contribute to new locations being involved in ShiftSweden.
• The schedule and budget are realistic and appropriate in relation to the project's aim and objective.
• How good the conditions are for the project's results to be taken forward and used after the end of the project.

• How well gender equality has 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.

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 have reviewed the applications, we have an assessment meeting where the evaluators recommend which applications should be granted. Vinnova may also call for an interview for the lab-based research projects.

Vinnova reserves the right to apply a portfolio perspective when selecting applications that are 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:

• Organisations seeking funding for payroll costs must be registered as employers with the Swedish Tax Agency.
• 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.
• 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, SMEs must be able to demonstrate that they have the financial capacity to carry out the project according to their budget in proposal.
• If proposal contains a foundation or association, the latest annual report must be attached 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 it is a good idea to get this in place before the project starts.
• How the results will be used and how scientific publication will take place.

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:

• All innovation projects must contribute to the joint work within the transformation lab, where each project needs to allocate at least 150 hours per year to this.
• For lab killing projects the following also applies:
  • The lab-assassination project must be represented at the conferences and other activities organized within the program, approximately 1 to 2 times per year. The costs for such participation are eligible for support.
  • The lab assassination project shall maintain a continuous dialogue with the program office throughout the duration of the project.
  • The lab assassination project will use ShiftSweden as an affiliation or sender in its communications.
• When providing information about the project and when publishing project results, it must be stated that the work was carried out within Impact Innovation-programmet ShiftSweden – an initiative of the Swedish Energy Agency, Formas and Vinnova.
• In connection with the final reporting of the project to Vinnova, a summary of the project results must be sent to the program office according to the template available at www.impactinnovation.se
• Activities and results from the project must be continuously presented at ShiftSweden Arena
. Participants in a lab conversion project may not simultaneously hold any role in an innovation project within the same conversion lab.

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.

How we handle public documents and confidentiality