WHY A NATIONAL INNOVATORS COUNCIL?

There is nowadays broad consensus that Sweden's welfare, growth and jobs depends on innovation. New products, services, processes and systems are what creates and expands Swedish companies and thereby largely retains our nations relatively high welfare. In both the public and the business world, innovation is a top priority.

Several stakeholders have in recent years focused particularly on raising Sweden's innovative capacity. The research clusters Cesis, CIIR, CIND and Circle have since 2004 done specialized research on innovation. RISE has recently also become more clearly focused on innovation. SISP - Swedish Incubators and Science Parks organizes the institutions that have as function to support start-ups, often spin-offs from universities.

To the government R&D bill, specific innovative motions have come from the Swedish National Space Board, the Swedish Energy Agency, Formas, Forte Research Council and VINNOVA. The Swedish Government has formed a National Innovation Council, an advisory body to serve the government.

 

THE INNOVATORS COUNCIL BACKGROUND
Nine prominent Swedish innovators communicated in 2016, independently of each other, the Industry Ministry on matters of weaknesses in the innovation system concerning individual inventors and innovators. In agreement with these and Marie Wall, Örjan Strandberg accepted in June 2016 to represent said innovators in relationship with the Industry Ministry.

The questions in the form of a list of nine points was presented to Marie Wall and Annna Ax at a meeting September 9th, 2016. The issues are common for Swedish innovators and inventors. The nine innovators were joined by an additional five and these 14 prominent individuals decided to form said innovators council, based on the common issues. The council has in 2018 expanded by two prominent Swedish innovators and now consists of 16 members.

 

THE ROLE OF THE NATIONAL INNOVATORS COUNCIL  
The council sees as its function to contribute to developing Sweden as an innovation nation, thereby strengthen Sweden's competitiveness. As nationally and internationally active, the Council members possess an indisputable first insight and experience of the innovation process in all its steps.

In collaboration with industry, labor organizations, public authorities and policy makers, the Innovators Council intends to contribute with solutions to society's challenges. As a source of information, referral organization and a network hub, the Innovators Council will, as professionally active innovators/entrepreneurs, contribute to other institutions engaged in developing an efficient Swedish innovation policy.