Innovation can change and change societies and industries. They can face complex challenges, but need the right conditions to reach full effect and capacity. Vinnova works with methods, develops tools and brings actors together to create all or parts of structures where innovations can flourish and make a difference. We call it system innovation.
Societal challenges are often so large and complex that they need a wide range of efforts over a long period of time to solve. It can range from systematic and long-term work, where major actors work closely with politicians, to sharp environments where actors from several industries contribute in their own way so that a change can become real.
System innovation is a way of working where several systems and structures change at different levels at the same time. It usually occurs through small, incremental changes combined with more large-scale and comprehensive efforts. Together, they provide long-term social change. We can get there when the technology and methodology of new solutions can interact with the infrastructure, regulations and demand needed to make a big, real difference.
It's basically about shaping the future, and taking new steps towards how we want society to be, look and function. Based on how it is today, system innovation helps us stake out new paths to move forward.
With tools and efforts, Vinnova supports system innovation, with the ambition to succeed with system changes that are innovative and at the same time ecologically, economically and socially sustainable. We work to both stimulate innovative power and identify new directions where it can work.
We mobilize and finance project and investments that use new types of innovation tools. Some examples are listed below.
Vinnova develops tools for system innovation together with a wide range of actors. The investments aim at mobilization in the direction of ambitious objective that the actors formulate together. Here are some examples:
Testing innovations in reality, in people's everyday lives, makes it possible to examine what is needed and who is affected in order for a solution to achieve change. One tool for that is system demonstrators.
With system demonstrations, we can test individual solutions or combine several innovative solutions that have potential to create system change that contributes to sustainable transition.
Vinnova finances the development and implementation of several such test environments, for example:
When we work with system demonstrators, we take into account all aspects required to solve a problem and achieve a change. The test environment is designed and implemented with a clear system perspective, and addresses five dimensions of system innovation:
Do you want to involve yourself and your activities in some part of the innovation system? In our calendar we publish opportunities to meet other actors. On our calls for proposals page, we publish ongoing funding opportunities, sometimes for system demonstrators.
Last updated 5 July 2024
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