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The KTH Innovation Award

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The KTH Innovation Award aims to celebrate people from KTH who with creativity, grit and courage have contributed to solving society’s challenges with their innovations. The Award was founded in 2020 and made possible by donations from Mathias Uhlén, professor at KTH and Spotify founder Daniel Ek.

The monetary award is 500 000 SEK. The KTH Innovation Award Foundation hands out the award.

About the KTH Innovation Award

For nearly 200 years, KTH has been home to people with skills and passion to solve some of humanity's greatest challenges. People from KTH have contributed to transforming entire industries and have together impacted millions of lives.

The KTH Innovation Award celebrates and recognizes those who have contributed to a better society with their innovations. The Award will be handed out for a minimum of ten years, starting in 2021.

For those who have taken on big challenges

A recipient of the KTH Innovation Award can be one or several individuals who are, or have been, affiliated with KTH through research or education. It is someone who has taken an active role in creating a brighter tomorrow.

500 000 monetary award

Drawing from generous donations from Daniel Ek, Founder of Spotify, and Mathias Uhlén, KTH professor and entrepreneur, the recipient of the KTH Innovation Award receives a monetary award of 500 000 SEK.

Anyone can nominate

Anyone can nominate a candidate to the Award. You can also nominate yourself. It cannot be awarded posthumously.

Selection criteria

Find all selection criteria here

Donors

The KTH Innovation Award was made possible by generous donations from Spotify founder Daniel Ek, and Mathias Uhlén, KTH professor and entrepreneur.

The 2026 Award Committee

Members of the 2026 Award Committee were KTH President Anders Söderholm, the 2025 recipients of the Award Anton Osika och Fabian Hedin, Vinnova's Anne Lidgard, Leandro Saucedo, Prima Materia, and Peter Holmstedt, Eugenies. 

Recipients

The KTH Innovation Award will be handed out for a minimum of ten years, starting in 2021.

Elena Fersman

Elena Fersman - KTH Innovation Award 2026

Elena Fersman tilldelas KTH Innovation Award för sin nyckelroll i Ericssons AI-transformation. Med en tydlig vision och stor målmedvetenhet har hon drivit utvecklingen av AI framåt, långt innan det blev en självklar prioritering.

Läs mer

Anton Osika & Fabian Hedin

Anton Osika & Fabian Hedin - KTH Innovation Award 2025

Lovable founders Anton Osika & Fabian Hedin received the 2025 KTH Innovation Award for their mission to democratize access to technology and unlock innovation for all.

Portrait of Mats Danielsson

Mats Danielsson - 2024

Mats Danielsson received the KTH Innovation Award for his work in developing groundbreaking medical technology enabling early detection of tumors and faster treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Padideh Kamali-Zare

Padideh Kamali-Zare - 2023

Padideh Kamali-Zare is the CEO and founder of the biotech company Darmiyan which helps patients with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s to access better health and care.

Janne Wallenius

Janne Wallenius - 2022

As a researcher at KTH and an entrepreneur in the company Blykalla/Leadcold, Professor Janne Wallenius has been driving the development of small lead-cooled nuclear reactors, known as SMRs or Small Modular Reactors, since 2013. He is the recipient of the KTH Innovation Award 2022.

Portrait of Rustam Nabiev on KTH Campus. Trees and brick building in the background.

Rustam Nabiev - 2021

Rustam Nabiev has a crystal clear goal: “A day when no mother or child dies or suffers from preventable diseases".

Contact

Lisa Bäckman
Lisa Bäckman Marketing and communications manager, KTH Innovation