In just a year and a half, Dalarna Science Park's Circular Industry Accelerator has demonstrated the power that arises when industry meets innovative startups. By connecting established industrial companies with entrepreneurs, industrial waste, known as residual flows, is utilized and transformed into sustainable business opportunities. The result is new ecosystems, concrete innovation, and long-term green development.
The first accelerator round showed that circular logic belongs in all manufacturing companies. Other conclusions drawn are that it has been proven that change happens when motivated people come together. With funding from the EU and Region Dalarna, the initiative has been able to remain free from special interests, giving participants the opportunity to work openly, creatively, and in a solution-oriented manner.
During the accelerator's first year, well-known industrial companies such as SSAB, Arctic Paper, and JDE Gevalia collaborated with pioneering startups such as Anferra, Allogro, Bright Materia, Biohumus Sweden, and Green Iron. Together, they have developed solutions that not only reduce waste but also lay the foundation for new growth—regionally, nationally, and internationally.
During the accelerator's second year, round two, companies such as SSAB, SMA Mineral AB, Borlänge Energi, and Falu Energi & Vatten have joined, and work is underway to find startups that can solve the industrial companies' residual current challenges.
One of the accelerator's greatest successes is bringing together companies that would otherwise never have met. These meetings generate innovation, knowledge exchange, and business opportunities. Developing circular business models takes time, and the program has shown that both small businesses and large industries benefit from structured processes, realistic expectations, and long-term collaboration. The accelerator offers a neutral arena, a strong international network, and a concrete approach that helps both industry and startups maximize the benefits of their resources.
The Circular Industry Accelerator is an example for all of Sweden, and the world, of how the circular economy can create real sustainability and future growth.
