They create new jobs
The rising unemployment caused by the spread of Covid-19 does not only call for rescue plans, but also increases the need for new job opportunities. Today, companies founded at KTH employ around 2000 people – and here are nine new startups aiming to increase that figure significantly.
Technology from KTH does not only help solve society’s challenges; it also creates job opportunities for thousands of people. The over 250 companies founded by students, researchers and employees at KTH and with support from KTH Innovation today employ almost 2000 people and have generated over 60 million SEK in tax revenue (Skatteverket and Orbis).
In , nine new KTH-projects get extra support and funding to develop their ideas and contribute to Sweden’s competitiveness. Each team has been selected for their potential to create growth and job opportunities in Sweden.
- We’ve seen how hard the current situation has affected companies, and of course startups are no exception, says Viktor Olsson, Program Manager of the Bicky Chakraborty Entrepreneur Program. That’s why it’s even more important to keep supporting these projects and there the Bicky Program plays an important role.
The program was set up following a 5 million SEK donation from Bicky Chakraborty, founder of Elite Hotels, and has been run by KTH Innovation since 2016. The teams in the program get 70 000 SEK in funding, get matched with selected mentors, and take part in a tailor-made training program developed by KTH Executive School , where invited speakers share their knowledge of entrepreneurship and business development.
The teams in the 2020 edition of the program focus on vastly different areas, from monitoring cracks in concrete structures like bridges and tunnels, to a service to help reduce food waste in convenience stores. In common, they have their connection to KTH: all projects have been founded by students, researchers or employees at the university.
For KTH researchers, the program is often a new experience that is quite different to their daily work.
- We’ve discusses sales methodologies and customer segment identification, and how to test our Minimum Viable Product. We’ve learned a lot about entrepreneurship and finding areas where our research can create impact, says Valeria Belloni, a PhD researcher at Sapienza University of Rome who had founded TACK together with KTH researchers.
In August, the plan is to gradually open KTH campus again, but this spring the program has been run entirely online.
- It has been inspiring to see how the teams have been able to adapt and keep working even in times of crisis. Their ability to stay motivated and engaged in a digital program really shows how motivated these people are, finished Viktor Olsson.
Text: Lisa Bäckman
Develop an idea or become a mentor
Do you have an idea or a research result you want to develop? Or would you like to mentor an innovation project from KTH? Reach out to KTH Innovation on innovation@kth.se .
These are the teams in the 2020 program
Satellite Data and AI for Wildfire Detection and Monitoring
Satellite data can play a crucial role in wildfire detection and monitoring. Using a deep learning framework, the innovative wildfire detector can detect active fires and burnt areas automatically from satellite images in near realtime.
Team: Yifang Ban & Andrea Nascetti
Fooin
Fooin helps grocery stores to reduce their food waste by continuously monitoring their inventory levels and expiration dates. Fooin's solution enables the stores to proactively work with critical food.
Team: Niklas Johansson, Jonathan Eriksson & Bure Noreus
Shippy
An app that connects people that wants something delivered with people already traveling.
Team: Caroline Forsberg, Marika Daleke, Tobias Brandter, Martin Örndahl & Michael Edvardsen
TACK
TACK uses augmented reality and a mobile mapping system to monitor the propagation of cracks in concrete structures, such as bridges and tunnels, by comparing images acquired over a period of time.
Team: Andreas Sjölander, Andrea Nascetti, Valeria Belloni & Roberta Ravanelli
Ergotech
ErgoTech Nordic is developing a wearable system for continuous assessment of ergonomic risk factors for the upper body, which gives continuous instant feedback to the users, helping them to prevent injury or pain in the injuries or pain in the musculoskeletal system.
Team: Farhad Abtahi, Mikael Forsman, Jörgen Eklund, Kaj Lindecrantz & Fernando Seoane
Studyguide
StudyGuide Coach is the app that transforms parents of teenagers into world-class study coaches. A two-sided platform where students learn more in less time using better study skills, structure and gamification. By connecting the parent version of the app to the student, parents are empowered to increase their engagement and motivate in a natural way.
Team: Rasmus Sanne, Marcus Pousette & Mattias Bergström
ProTendering
ProTendering is a SaaS software, supporting purchasers in a defined part of the procurement process. It is born from the insights of two senior strategic purchasers, on how to improve procurement efficiency. ProTendering uses the latest technology, some robotics and advanced calculating algorithms. It is simple, cost effective and accessible. It makes every purchaser’s and buyer’s workday better - Less work, better results.
Team: Tina Murray, John Murray, Peter Sandberg, Roger Hult, Johan de Bourg & Maria Bahrami
GORDIAN – Untangling movement traces
GORDIAN provides lightning-fast, novel and unique, transport route analytics. The information in- and speed of the analytics allow the unprecedented optimization of complex transport planning problems. For example, the analytics can be used to find electric road placements that electrify 3.25 times as much transport work or require 80% less infrastructure investments than corridor placements. A savings of 300 megatons in CO2e emissions or 13.2 BSEK in infrastructure costs in Sweden.
Team: Gyözö Gidofalvi & Can Yang
Netspons
Netspons is a marketplace where brands are matched with top level athletes, clubs and events. We facilitate, develop and improve the ability of both parties to run successful sponsorship campaigns.
Team: Rasmus Flink, Ric Sandholm, Tobias Estreen, Ludvig Harting, Theodor Flemming & Wilhelm Kark