The entire battery value chain determines Sweden's competitiveness

What is crucial is not individual factories or technological breakthroughs, but the strength of the entire battery value chain – from raw materials and production to recycling and new business models.

Vinnova is now investing SEK 316 million through four targeted calls for proposals to support, among other things, tests in real environments, industrial scaling-up, collaboration along the value chain and the development of future rules for industry.

Sweden has strong potential but development is slowing down

Sweden has several important strengths: fossil-free electricity, access to raw materials, high expertise and a strong industrial base. At the same time, development is slowed down by high risks in scaling up, lack of coordination and immature business models.

– We have many strong actors in the battery area, but to gain real momentum in development, more parts of the value chain need to collaborate, says Karoliina Junka.

Collaboration determines development

Technological advances and production are important, but the great potential for innovation lies in how the whole system works together. It is also about how companies can create value by using batteries to develop new business models and solutions that accelerate electrification and the fossil-free transition. When different parts are connected, innovation, resource efficiency and circular flows are strengthened.

Vinnova invests SEK 316 million

To meet the challenges and strengthen development, Vinnova, on behalf of the government, is driving a long-term effort on research and innovation across the entire battery value chain. It covers everything from early technology and industrial implementation to reuse, recycling, new business models, as well as policy and regulations that strengthen the conditions for the industry. In total, Vinnova is investing SEK 316 million by 2028 and bringing together industry, academia and public actors.

The initiative will help remove barriers, strengthen innovation capacity, and enable scale-up and increased competitiveness. This will be done through testing and demonstrating new technology in real environments, developing sustainable and circular business models, developing policies to create better conditions for industry, and strengthening collaboration along the value chain.
The projects may, for example, involve developing safer and more resource-efficient battery manufacturing, increasing the recycling of batteries and critical materials, or creating new solutions that can be commercialized and contribute to the industry's competitiveness.

The goal is to strengthen Sweden's long-term competitiveness

– Through the investment, more innovations will be able to be developed, scaled up and reach the market, which will strengthen Sweden's innovative power and contribute to sustainable growth, says Karoliina Junka.
In the short term, the goal is to strengthen innovation capacity in the value chain and create better conditions for more innovations to be tested, verified and scaled up. At the same time, test and collaboration environments are being developed that facilitate collaboration and innovation.
In the longer term, the goal is to contribute to a sustainable and competitive battery sector in Sweden and Europe. It is about building a robust battery value chain that strengthens electrification, contributes to a resilient and fossil-free energy system and creates the conditions for increased circularity and long-term growth.

– In the long run, it is the strength of the entire battery value chain that determines Sweden's position in the global battery race, concludes Karoliina Junka.