SIO Chronic Diseases - national smart specialization in life science

Purpose and goal

The challenges facing Sweden in the life sciences due to industrial and healthcare transformation requires not only a new type of innovation policy. It requires a coherent innovation policy. The pilot project has investigated the conditions to coordinate regional fund programs in Sweden´s leading life science regions, with the strategic resources and expert skills of the National Strategic Innovation Program SWElife. The goal of the pilot project, that at least one European regional program is coordinated with SWElife, has been achieved during the project period.

Results and expected effects

The Regional Fund Partnership in East-Central Sweden was the first to endorse a strategic project focusing on SME in life science coordinated with SWElife. Thereby a foundation for a unique governance model has been laid, that reduces fragmentation as well as increasing the vertical and horizontal coordination innovation policies, which is usually separated in geographical and sectorial areas. By continuous process evaluation of the European regional fund programmes that are coordinated with SWElife, guidance will be provided on how innovation policy in Sweden can be optimized.

Approach and implementation

Dialogue meetings within the framework of the pilot project showed that the Swedish authorities have different approaches when it comes to state aid regulations. The VINNOVA-supported model of innovation for SMEs within SWElife was thus not compatible with the regulations used by the managing authority of the Regional Fund The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth. Thereby, resource optimization through coordination of resources and capabilities in national and regional innovation policy is hampered, unless a common approach is put to practice.