Entrepreneurs from two KTH Innovation alumni startups receive scholarship
Entrepreneurs from two of KTH Innovation’s alumni startups, Martin Engman from Nordic Welding Engineering (NWE), and Dongfang Li från Finecell win a scholarship from Åforsk as entrepreneurs of tomorrow’s society 2018.
The ÅForsk foundation andSwedish Incubators & Science Parks have selected entrepreneurs of tomorrow’s society 2018. The entrepreneurs, presented during Sveriges Innovationsriksdag in Borås, are awarded ÅForsk’s entrepreneurship scholarship of 200 000 SEK.
Among the scholarship holders are two entrepreneurs with connection to KTH Innovation, Martin Engman from Nordic Welding Engineering (NWE), and Dongfang Li from Finecell.
Nordic Welding Engineering (NWE) has developed a way to quality-assure welded constructions. From 2015 to 2017 they received support from KTH Innovation, including advice in legal issues, and in securing funding. In the fall of 2017, NWE went on to STING, one of KTH Innovation’s partners, to continue expanding their business.
Finecell is sprung from KTH research on fiber and polymer technology. They have developed a new type of nanocellulose that can be used in as widely different ways as in makeup or composites. In addition, their product is renewable and the method is environmentally friendly. Finecell has also gone through the KTH Innovation Pre-incubator Program, where KTH startups lay a solid foundation to be ready to accelerate after one year. Daniel Carlsson, Business Development Coach at KTH Innovation, says:
- Finecell has developed a unique technology, providing material that can open a string of growing market segmentations and applications for nanocellulose. The market for this kind of material is expanding, and is partly unexploited, but Dongfang and the team have already come a long way by establishing contact with potential customers, scaling up their technology, and focusing on early sales on a smaller scale. He has shown great commitment, and has fully chosen the entrepreneurial path, by focusing his career on building Finecell.
Daniel Carlsson has high hopes for the technology in the future:
- Given that they find the right segment in the many possible avenues of implementation of their technology, manage to develop their business model, and secure funding to scale up, this could become a very interesting case in a traditional industry.
Big congratulations to the winners from us at KTH Innovation!