230 million for future digital solutions for industry

The global competition to develop the advanced, digital solutions of the future and to attract excellence in research and innovation is fierce. In order for Sweden to continue to stand strong in the rapid development, the Advanced digitalisation program has received a greatly increased budget from the government. In late autumn 2023, Vinnova has decided on funding of approximately SEK 230 million for various project that can contribute to developing advanced system solutions in industry - and the skills required to benefit from these.

It is about everything from cyber security and AI in industry to promoting circular product flows through increased traceability with digital product passports. One of the calls for proposals was specifically aimed at deeptech companies, innovation-driven startups that base their business on pioneering and emerging solutions. The government funding is matched with equal amounts from the projects themselves.

The interest in the total of eight open the calls for proposals within advanced digitalisation, most of which opened in June 2023, has been great.

- We received many qualified applications and have now granted a large number project at the absolute forefront of digitization that will make a difference. They represent a breadth of technology and competence areas, all of which are needed for Swedish industry to be competitive and to be a global forerunners in the green transition. We see an extra large interest in AI-related project, everything from how to get greater security in the use of AI to cutting-edge applications for industry, says Cecilia Sjöberg head of division for Industrial Development at Vinnova.

Greatest interest in AI and cyber security

Just over SEK 110 million goes to project within the calls for proposals Cyber security for industry and AI for advanced digitalisation. One of the cyber security projects that is funded is ACE Cybersafe, which is about increasing security and resilience against cyber attacks in connected properties. The solutions will be researched and tested on real property systems in Arctic Center of Energy at Campus Skellefteå.

The AI projects mostly focus on image analysis and language models in mainly health/ healthcare, production processes and transportation. One of the projects that received funding is Focus AI - a solution that should be able to scan stand-up areas at airports without people being identified. An automated arrival process can reduce aviation emissions by shortening the time on the ground and also increase safety. Part of the parking process that has so far been difficult to automate is precisely the inspection of the parking spaces due to privacy and GDPR challenges during camera inspection.

In the call for proposals New tools and methods for gender equality in digital technology development, among other things, a project that deals with the highly topical issue of risks that can arise when AI solutions are based on stereotyped data is funded. A stakeholder group led by Linköping University is developing a solution that should be able to eliminate gender bias in so-called synthetic data, artificially generated copies of real data that cannot be linked to individuals.

Newly opened call for proposals within Advanced digitalisation

Another call for proposals within the Advanced digitalisation program has opened in November. It is the third round in a recurring call for proposals within the program which is aimed at broad research and innovation projects in advanced digitalisation that are driven by industrial needs.

Advanced and innovative digitalisation 2024 - first call for proposals

Another call for proposals in cyber security opens in December.

Cyber security for advanced industrial digitalisation 2024

Programmet Avancerad digitalisation is a collaboration between the state and business to speed up and strengthen Sweden's ability to create future digital solutions for industry. It is run by ABB, Ericsson, Saab, Teknikföretagen and Vinnova and has an established program office. In the spring of 2023, the government commissioned Vinnova to increase efforts within the program. Up to and including 2027, Vinnova will invest at least SEK 2.3 billion in project that contribute to developing powerful digital solutions that give Swedish industry a leading role in the world. In total, this means a budget of at least SEK 4.6 billion within the program as the government funding must be matched with at least an equal amount from the respective project.

Read more about the program Avancerad Digitalisering

The projects that have received funding in the respective call for proposals

• Advanced and innovative digitalisation 2023 - others the call for proposals
• Cyber security for industrial advanced digitalisation
• AI for advanced digitalisation
• Acceleration of deeptech companies
• Product passport for advanced digitalisation
• Data-driven labs for advanced digitalisation
• New tools and methods for gender equality in digital technology development
• Green and digital transformation for sustainable freight transport and logistics