British Labour leader sees KTH Innovation as a “global model”

Miliband ‘s visit was part of what his host, Swedish Social Democratic Party leader Stefan Löfven. called “an exchange of ideas and experiences” on a crucial issue – jobs.

The Labour leader listened intently as representatives from the university’s innovation programs, including KTH Innovation, and Students Inc., described the structured collaboration model and support systems that successfully launch business startups. KTH Innovation guides researchers through process of defining ideas, evaluating their feasibility and developing and carrying out a go-to-market plan.

“It’s an incredibly inspiring centre,” Miliband said. “It’s one that I want to learn lessons from, to take back to the United Kingdom.”

Donnie Lygonis, a business coach with KTH Innovation, explained how the program works with shifting the inventor’s mindset to focus on how their idea will generate value. “It doesn’t become an innovation until it is put in a context where it generates a value for someone else,” he said. “It’s not what you want to sell – it’s what they want to buy.”

Löfven said that innovation is key to full employment in Sweden and the UK. “Our two parties have a cooperation that’s very focused on creating jobs,” he said. “Ed was interested in coming to Sweden and we wanted to show him what we do here.”

Before leaving to address Sweden’s Parliament, Miiband and his entourage, which included Shadow Foreign Minister Douglas Alexander and Lord Stewart Wood, listened to startup pitches by students from Students Inc. and Stockholm Innovation & Growth (STING). Miliband and his colleagues then mingled with several student entrepreneurs and asked questions about their projects.

“I think everybody here, the students, the teachers, the innovators, deserve many congratulations for what they’re doing, it’s a global example,” Miliband said.

David Callahan