The SKAPA prize in Dalarna County was awarded on Tuesday, October 21. This year's winners are Andreas and Josefin Brännström, ZeroCyte Medical AB from Falun. They are rewarded for their innovation EMMA, which can solve one of the most critical and global problems in healthcare, severe obstetric bleeding. An innovation that has the potential to save lives around the world and reduce both physical and psychological complications in childbirth.
The SKAPA Prize is Sweden's largest innovation competition. The competition selects 24 regional winners who go on to the big national final in Stockholm on November 14. The award ceremony for the winner in Dalarna took place on October 21 in connection with the opening of Dalarna Innovation Days at Dalarna Science Park in Borlänge. Here, the winners received SEK 10,000 and a ticket to the final from Birgitta Sacrédeus, regional councilor and chair of the regional development committee.
Andreas and Josefin Brännström have developed a new medical device innovation to quickly stop life-threatening bleeding during childbirth, one of the leading causes of maternal mortality globally. The product works by creating effective pressure against blood flow from the uterus, stabilizing the woman until advanced care can be provided. It is easy to use, requires no sophisticated equipment and can therefore make a big difference in resource-poor settings.
- Receiving the SKAPA award in Dalarna is a fantastic confirmation and a real energy boost. It means a lot to receive external recognition, and I hope it can inspire more people to dare to realize their ideas. Combining the clinical work of a doctor with the pace and commercial demands of entrepreneurship is a challenge - but also a unique opportunity where two worlds meet and can create real change," says Andreas.
Andreas is a specialist in anesthesia and intensive care and has a former military background as a captain in the Armed Forces. Co-founder Josefin is a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology. In the national final, they are now competing for the national SKAPA prize of SEK 500,000.
- In this year's winners, we see how industry experience, creativity and social benefit are combined in a product that in many countries can be the difference between life and death, says jury member and business coach Jörgen Steen, Dalarna Science Park.
Angelica Ekholm, CEO of Dalarna Science Park and one of today's award presenters, is pleased that the SKAPA award recognizes new and important innovations from the county.
- Medical technology innovations are crucial to saving lives and creating more equitable care. By recognizing initiatives like EMMA, we are showing how innovative solutions from Dalarna can have a global impact and contribute to a safer future for mothers and babies around the world," Angelica says.
The jury's reasoning
SKAPA Prize in Dalarna 2025
For their pioneering work in solving one of healthcare's most critical global problems, severe obstetric hemorrhage, Andreas and Josefin Brännström are awarded the regional SKAPA prize in Dalarna 2025.
The winners have developed EMMA (Emergency Maternal Bleeding Stabilizer), a medical device innovation with the potential to save tens of thousands of lives annually. EMMA replaces a flawed emergency measure with an automated, portable and standardized solution, uniquely adapted for obstetrics.
The global potential of the innovation is confirmed by positive clinical trials and interest from international stakeholders. It addresses the UN Sustainable Development Goals on health and equity and enables life-saving care even in resource-poor settings.
Andreas Brännström, specialist in anesthesia and intensive care, and Josefin Brännström, specialist in obstetrics and gynecology, combine deep medical expertise with entrepreneurial drive - a mix that has made EMMA possible.
About the SKAPA award
The SKAPA Foundation was established in 1985 in memory of Alfred Nobel. Since 1986, the Foundation has awarded the SKAPA Prize with the aim of supporting innovators to develop their inventions into products and services on the market. The competition has both an open class and a talent class for young innovators. Dalarna Science Park is the regional competition host for Dalarna.
