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  • Cluster of Excellence for Cutting-Edge Technology

Cluster of Excellence for Cutting-Edge Technology

Accelerating technological development, geopolitical uncertainty and a global arms race have increased the importance of an ambitious and goal-oriented technology policy. To secure Sweden's role as a leading knowledge and technology nation, we are now investing in clusters of excellence – powerful environments where research and innovation work together to accelerate development in strategically important technology areas. The aim is for Sweden to become competitive and a world leader in groundbreaking technology.

This web page has been machine translated. If there are any uncertainties, please refer to the Swedish text.

About the upcoming call

The Swedish Research Council and Vinnova will soon open a call for proposals to finance clusters that can make Sweden a world leader in groundbreaking technologies. Here is the latest information.

  • The Swedish Research Council and Vinnova will soon open a call for proposals to finance clusters that can make Sweden a world leader in groundbreaking technologies.

    Some basic conditions have already been decided:

    • Vinnova and the Swedish Research Council are implementing the initiative on clusters of excellence for cutting-edge technology as a joint programme with a coherent process.
    • The call for proposals for the establishment of a cluster of excellence that opens this spring is joint.
    • The call for proposals and the applications are handled and assessed by both authorities together.
    • Applications should describe clusters of excellence that over time encompass both research and innovation.
    • Applications are assessed simultaneously on both research excellence and innovation potential.
    • In terms of innovation potential, this means that initially more research-oriented clusters still need to have a clear intention, readiness and plan for innovation. Early involvement of innovation actors and visionary companies regarding the direction and plan of the cluster of excellence will likely strengthen the application's assessed innovation potential.
    • Clusters of excellence that are ripe for early building of extensive innovation capabilities should have formed a broad collaboration between research, business and innovation actors, etc., prior to proposal. The broad collaboration should be reflected in the cluster of excellence's vision and steering group.
    • Each cluster of excellence should include social science and humanities research. The development and application of new technology always goes hand in hand with questions of power and law and gives rise to social, political, and economic challenges, and sometimes to conflicts where major values such as freedom, health, equality, and welfare are at stake.
    • Proposal are sent via the Swedish Research Council and the Prisma system.
      Till Vetenskapsrådets call page
    • When a proposal to start a cluster of excellence has been granted, it means that:
      • The Cluster of Excellence has been granted. The cluster is now part of the initiative.
      • The research plan in proposal has received funding.
      • The Cluster of Excellence can initiate a process directly with Vinnova to apply for the innovation funding described in proposal. The first innovation funding will therefore come a few months later than the research funding.
    • The call for proposals is open to everyone, including consortia that did not participate in the initiative's previous network and vision grant in 2025.

    Last updated: 2026-02-01.

    The Swedish Research Council and Vinnova will soon open a call for proposals to finance clusters that can make Sweden a world leader in groundbreaking technologies.

    Some basic conditions have already been decided:

    • Vinnova and the Swedish Research Council are implementing the initiative on clusters of excellence for cutting-edge technology as a joint programme with a coherent process.
    • The call for proposals for the establishment of a cluster of excellence that opens this spring is joint.
    • The call for proposals and the applications are handled and assessed by both authorities together.
    • Applications should describe clusters of excellence that over time encompass both research and innovation.
    • Applications are assessed simultaneously on both research excellence and innovation potential.
    • In terms of innovation potential, this means that initially more research-oriented clusters still need to have a clear intention, readiness and plan for innovation. Early involvement of innovation actors and visionary companies regarding the direction and plan of the cluster of excellence will likely strengthen the application's assessed innovation potential.
    • Clusters of excellence that are ripe for early building of extensive innovation capabilities should have formed a broad collaboration between research, business and innovation actors, etc., prior to proposal. The broad collaboration should be reflected in the cluster of excellence's vision and steering group.
    • Each cluster of excellence should include social science and humanities research. The development and application of new technology always goes hand in hand with questions of power and law and gives rise to social, political, and economic challenges, and sometimes to conflicts where major values such as freedom, health, equality, and welfare are at stake.
    • Proposal are sent via the Swedish Research Council and the Prisma system.
      Till Vetenskapsrådets call page
    • When a proposal to start a cluster of excellence has been granted, it means that:
      • The Cluster of Excellence has been granted. The cluster is now part of the initiative.
      • The research plan in proposal has received funding.
      • The Cluster of Excellence can initiate a process directly with Vinnova to apply for the innovation funding described in proposal. The first innovation funding will therefore come a few months later than the research funding.
    • The call for proposals is open to everyone, including consortia that did not participate in the initiative's previous network and vision grant in 2025.

    Last updated: 2026-02-01.

  • During the spring, a lot is happening within the focus on clusters of excellence:

    • March 6: Advance information about the call for proposals is published.
    • March 6 and 10: Information meetings.
    • March-April: Dialogue meetings.
    • April 1: The call for proposals opens.
    • June 3: The call for proposals closes.
    • End of the year: Kickoff for new clusters.

    During the spring, a lot is happening within the focus on clusters of excellence:

    • March 6: Advance information about the call for proposals is published.
    • March 6 and 10: Information meetings.
    • March-April: Dialogue meetings.
    • April 1: The call for proposals opens.
    • June 3: The call for proposals closes.
    • End of the year: Kickoff for new clusters.

  • In March, we will present the program and the call for proposals at two information meetings:

    In March, we will present the program and the call for proposals at two information meetings:

  • Are you interested in meeting other actors in a specific technology area? We invite you to actor dialogues in four themes:

    During our open dialogues, you will interact with other actors and have the opportunity to clarify your role in a potential cluster. The dialogue is driven and shaped by those of you who participate. Pre-registration is required.

    Would you like to create a dialogue meeting within a different theme? Kontakta Vinnova for support.

    Are you interested in meeting other actors in a specific technology area? We invite you to actor dialogues in four themes:

    During our open dialogues, you will interact with other actors and have the opportunity to clarify your role in a potential cluster. The dialogue is driven and shaped by those of you who participate. Pre-registration is required.

    Would you like to create a dialogue meeting within a different theme? Kontakta Vinnova for support.

Latest news

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This spring, a new call for proposals opens to start clusters ...

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Recorded events

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New government assignment

International reports on the conditions for competitiveness clearly point to the need for large, synchronized investments in research and innovation. Most leading innovation countries now pursue active technology policies.

Vinnova and the Swedish Research Council have been commissioned by the government to carry out a large-scale effort on clusters of excellence for groundbreaking and strategic technology. The Swedish Research Council and Vinnova will also create a joint program office for the initiative. The office will coordinate, evaluate the initiatives and work for synergies. It will also support the initiative's high ambitions - to create bold world-leading environments.

Read the government assignment

The investment in the government's research and innovation bill

What is a cluster of excellence?

A cluster of excellence refers to a powerful concentration of resources and capabilities that together can establish a very strong position within their field of technology.

The cluster's ambition is to become a world leader in its field. It will also successfully attract capital and significant international talents and actors to Sweden. Vinnova's part of the investment in clusters of excellence will serve as a clear increase in ambition for Swedish innovation and competitiveness.

Vinnova's objective with its part of the initiative is that there will be up to five world-leading clusters of excellence in Sweden by 2035. Over the next four years, Vinnova will invest approximately one billion kronor in their establishment.

Strategic technology areas

Six technology areas are identified as strategically important for Sweden in the government's assignment to Vinnova, and these focus the effort on:

  • Artificiell Intelligens (AI) and autonomous systems
  • Advanced digital technology, including semiconductors
  • Quantum technology
  • Energy technology
  • Materials and production technology
  • Biotechnology

First the call for proposals: formulate visions

In the first the call for proposals for clusters of excellence, applicant could receive planning grants to formulate a bold vision for a cluster of excellence, mobilize the right actors, and develop an overall plan to realize the vision.

The call for proposals opened on June 10 and closed on September 4. Project could be granted a maximum of SEK 1.5 million each, and were to start no later than November 14, 2025, and end no later than March 31, 2026.

Read the call for proposals

Granted project

Cluster of Excellence at the Swedish Research Council

The Swedish Research Council's (VR) first call for proposals for the excellence cluster initiative closed in August 2025. It was aimed at applications that wanted to create an opportunity for a constellation of researchers to plan for a future proposal for funding for the establishment of excellence clusters for groundbreaking technology, with a focus on future technology areas.

Granted project in VR's first call for proposals

The Swedish Research Council's call for proposals: Network grant for planning future clusters of excellence for cutting-edge technology

Information

Analysis of strategic techniques

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Granted project in the first the call for proposals

Last updated 24 February 2026