Vinnova has evaluated it's financing of 15 Swedish industrial research institutes, often called the IRECO institutes. The evaluation has included an analysis of the roles of these institutes in the Swedish innovation system. Comparisons have been made with institutes in seven European countries.
The IRECO institutes have been subject to investigations, initiated by the government since 1990, with the objective to reform the institute sector, a work that is still ongoing. In 2006, an investigation was concluded by prof Sverker Sörlin, KTH, aimed at underpinning the government's decisions on ownership, financing and governance.
In 2005, Vinnova initiated the present evaluation, aimed at guiding its future decisions on financing of the institutes.