Funding program creates a billion opportunities for KTH ideas

Since 2012, KTH Innovation together with KTH Holding AB has managed the funding program VFT, with funds from Vinnova , the Swedish innovation agency. Every year, KTH Innovation and KTH Holding have distributed four to five million Swedish crowns to develop and validate innovative ideas from KTH. In the first stage, teams usually receive around 50,000 Swedish crowns in funding, a sum that can be gradually increased up to 300,000 Swedish crowns per idea.

- We’re not talking about large sums of funding, but it gives these early-stage ideas an opportunity to make sure that they are heading in the right direction, and to carry out important steps such as developing a prototype or patenting their technology, says Daniel Carlsson, who is responsible for the VFT program at KTH Innovation. Providing this kind of funding in an early development phase has proven to yield very good results.

Secured their first patent

One idea that received funding through the VFT program is Tada Group. Katarina Hedbeck, Christopher Blacker and Rebecca Bejhed had an idea to develop a solution to protect patients and infusion lines from damage when an infusion needle is accidentally pulled out, which happens in 10% of all infusions. With funding from the VFT program, they were able to secure their first patent, develop and test prototypes with nurses, and carry out regulatory work around, for example, CE marking. Today they are a team of over ten people and have secured an ISO13485 certification for their company for their first product ReLink.

40 times the money invested

As the program now celebrates ten years, the results show major positive effects on the continued development of ideas. In total, the 481 projects that received funding within the program have brought in 2.4 billion in continued commercial funding, a return of over 40 times the money invested in the VFT program.

All numbers:

• In 53 % of all 481 funded projects, a company has been formed, creating a total of 217 new companies.
• 102 companies have brought in private investors for a total funding of 2 billion Swedish crowns.
• 113 projects or companies have received over 400 million Swedish crowns in public grant funding for commercial development.
• In total, the projects that received funding within the program have secured 2.4 billion Swedish crowns in continued commercial funding. This gives a return of over 40 times the money invested in VFT.
• In around 20 % of the projects, the funding has enabled deals or customer collaborations, such as pilot tests.
• The funding has made it possible for intellectual property rights to be protected through patent applications in 91 projects.
• The proportion of funded projects with female founders has increased to over 40 % in the last three years.
• 20 % of funded projects have gone on to national and international incubators or accelerators. Many have moved on to Sting , a partner of KTH that has been ranked as the world's best accelerator.
• In 14 % of the projects, the funding has made it possible to complete the team with external entrepreneurs.
• More than 50 % of the projects that received funding can be categorized as deeptech, i.e. complex technology with long development cycles that have large potential to change a market, but are associated with significant risk.
• 48 % of projects are still alive today

Continued funding in 2023

KTH Innovation has received new funds to continue running the VFT program in 2023. The funding will go towards developing and verifying innovative ideas from both researchers and students at KTH.

- This new injection of money will be distributed among 60-80 projects that need to conduct market analysis, develop a prototype, apply for patents, build a team, travel to meet industrial partners, and more, says Daniel Carlsson.

The goal is to bring the projects closer to market and utilization, to make them ready for continued investment or to enter into a partnership with industry.

- This is a fantastic program for both researchers and students at KTH. Small funds can make a big difference at an early stage and enable important activities that do not fit into traditional research funding, says Daniel Carlsson.

Need funding for your idea?

Do you have an idea or a research result you want to develop? Do you need funding to move forward for example to develop a prototype, apply for a patent, or conduct a market survey? Contact us for more information about the funding program and how we can help you!

KTH Innovation's support is open to students, researchers and employees at KTH.

• Send us an email!