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KTH launches three new competence centres

KTH:s campus med torg och byggnader
KTH has been granted funding to lead three competence centres and be part of another three in an initiative by Sweden’s innovation agency, Vinnova. (Photo: KTH)
Published Sep 15, 2023

KTH to lead major initiatives in wireless communication, sustainable building production, and neutron and X-ray science.

Sweden’s innovation agency Vinnova is investing a total of SEK 387 million in eleven new competence centres starting January 2024. The goal is for universities and industry to jointly conduct outstanding research and education in areas such as sustainable industry and digital societal transformation.

The collaboration aims to strengthen Sweden’s competitive capacity. KTH will lead three of the centres within the following areas:

The Swedish Wireless Innovation Network (SweWIN) is a competence centre within advanced digitalisation. The focus is on sustainability and energy efficiency in both wireless communication and sustainable materials. The centre is led by Emil Björnson , Professor of Wireless Communication at KTH.

Neutron and X-ray Science for Industrial Transformations focuses on sustainable materials technology with a particular emphasis on the development of large-scale neutron and X-ray sources. The centre is led by Peter Hedström , Professor of Materials Science.

The third centre, Dig-IT Lab Sustainable Industry, will help reduce energy use and carbon dioxide emissions during the construction and use of buildings. It is led by Jonas Anund Vogel , who is also centre director of KTH Live-In-Lab, a platform for increased innovation in the civil engineering sector.

KTH is also part of three additional competence centres led by other Swedish universities:

  • BioGlue-Centre: Competence Center for Bio-based Glues, responsible researcher: Eva Malmström Jonsson.
  • Advanced Chip Technology - ACT, responsible researcher: Per Erik Hellström .
  • Advanced Computing for Sustainable Thermal Management in Industry - AdTherM, responsible researcher: Mihai Mihaescu .

The universities, companies and Vinnova are investing a total of SEK 1 billion over the first five years.

“The competence centers that have been granted funding have great potential to become knowledge nodes for ground-breaking innovations that can strengthen access to competence to meet the challenges we face,” says Cecilia Sjöberg, head of division, Vinnova.

Text: Sturle Hauge Simonsen

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