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Success for KTH startups

Funki receives a prize check and diploma as the winner of the Inission Award
Published Dec 08, 2023

In the past month, startups and founders from KTH have been recognized with prizes, awards, and funding. Here are some of the teams that stood out, all founded by students, researchers and employees at KTH and with support from KTH Innovation!

Funki won one million in the Inission Award

Maria Svahn, founder of funki on stage during the Inission Innovation Award Finale
Maria Svahn, founder of funki on stage during the Inission Innovation Award Finale

Funki  won development and manufacturing services worth one million SEK in the Inission Innovation Award . Funki was founded by Maria Svahn and Josefine Hölling, who started developing their idea with support from KTH Innovation as students at KTH. They build accessible musical instruments, which enable everyone to play together, regardless of cognitive function level.

"We are incredibly happy and almost shocked by the win, says Josefine Hölling. It is only now that it has started to sink in that it actually happened. This award means that we can now know for sure that in the near future we will be able to deliver a well-functioning product that creates inclusion, community and joy for everyone through music, which feels so much fun!"

Two of three finalists in the Inission Innovation Award have started with support from KTH Innovation. Caplyzer , a KTH spinoff that develops unique electrolyzer technology that reduces the costs of green hydrogen production, also made it to the finals.

Reselo and IPercept made the 33-List

Every year, Ny Teknik recognizes Sweden's 33 most outstanding and promising young technology companies . This year, two companies founded at KTH made the list: Reselo , that develops a rubber material from forest biomass, and IPercept , that has developed a fitness tracker for industrial machines.

​Stockholm SKAPA winners

Three out of four of this year's SKAPA award winners in Stockholm County  have started at KTH Innovation. Kristina Stojanovic from Ovulai , Thibault Helle from Quandify  and Dennis Carl Eriksson from NYZÜ Life Science  were awarded.

Scholaro won young business idea of the year

Vendela Werkelin and Henrik Tingström won Young Business Idea of the Year in Solna City. They have founded Scholaro, a platform to solve students' problems in finding suitable scholarships. It was the third year in a row that this award went to a KTH founder.

​IPercept won Las Vegas visit

IPercept won a trip to CES 2024  in Las Vegas in Teknikföretagen's competition Jumpstart.

Akira Science won Nordic Ninja's Pitch Competition

Akira Science accepting a prize check
Akira Science founders Álvaro Morales López and Tiziana Fuoco (in the middle) accepting their award.

After winning the Sweden final, Akira Science  emerged victorious in Silicon Viking's New Nordics Pitch Competition  during Slush in Helsinki. Akira Science is working on a novel solution for regenerating breast tissue using a degradable polymer compatible with current 3D printing technology.

Kitocoat won in Germany

Kitocoat , a KTH spinoff developing an edible coating that makes fruit and vegetables last longer, won the Rise Europe award at Heilbronn Slush'D in competition with startups from all over Europe. Kitocoat was founded by Joydeep Dutta, Michael Neuman and Fei Ye.

Agteria Biotech a top-five business idea

Agteria Biotech  is among the five winners in the Venture Cup  IDEA Region East. As part of Batch 18 in the KTH Innovation pre-incubator program, they are developing a new feed additive to reduce methane gas emissions from cows.

Students Paula Runsten and Felix Kruse win the Grand Prize for Engineering

Paula Runsten and Felix Kruse, founders of Rebaba , clinched the student category in the Grand Prize for Engineering . Their startup focuses on recycling electric car batteries into safe and cost-effective Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). They are also part of Batch 18 in the KTH Innovation pre-incubator program.

Stipend and award to Ramtin Massoumzadeh

Ramtin Massoumzadeh shakes hands with the king
Ramtin Massoumzadeh accepting his award as Settler of the Year

Ramtin Massoumzadeh, co-founder of Quandify, received an award from the King as Settler of the Year , and this year's Göran Bredinger stipend .

Success in Vinnova funding calls

Six out of the 21 companies that secured funding in Vinnova's competitive 2023 acceleration of deeptech companies call, and ten out of the 76 companies receiving funding in Vinnova's Innovative Impact Startups call have been founded with support from KTH Innovation.

Record number of new ideas

So far, we have met 394 teams with new ideas this year, which is enough to break the the previous record of 373 new ideas from 2019, and the year is not over yet! Thank you to everyone who has trusted us with your ideas this year!

Is there more?

Did we miss anything? Reach out to us at innovation@kth.se !

Text: Lisa Bäckman

Page responsible:innovation@kth.se
Belongs to: About KTH
Last changed: Dec 08, 2023