Global role model for sustainable innovations
Dalarna Science Park is the innovation arena for the entire Dalarna region. This means that Dalarna Science Park's mission includes initiatives and activities that can strengthen existing companies and contribute to the creation of new ones in all 15 municipalities in the county. The goal is to contribute to long-term sustainable regional growth with a focus on the green transition. Dalarna Science Park is a foundation financed primarily by the European Regional Development Fund, Region Dalarna, Vinnova, Borlänge Municipality, and Falu Municipality. This makes Dalarna Science Park a neutral platform that works broadly to benefit the whole of Dalarna.
Although the mission is to strengthen the regional business community, Dalarna Science Park's ambition is greater than that. The vision we are working towards is that the initiatives and activities staged in Dalarna will spread globally and contribute to growth far beyond the borders of Dalarna and Sweden. Dalarna Science Park is therefore working strategically towards its vision of becoming a global role model for sustainable innovations and circular solutions by 2030.
Dalarna Science Park's overall focus is on innovation, sustainability, and internationalization. During the year
, strategic investments have been made in industry, digitalization, and circularity.
An industrial engine in transformation
For generations, Dalarna has been the industrial backbone of Sweden, and this remains the case today. However, a historic shift is now taking place in the region's industry. Companies such as Hitachi Energy are leading the way in electrification and sustainable production. At the same time, the mining and forestry industries are growing, agriculture is being renewed, and the tourism industry is flourishing. Dalarna Science Park's initiatives contribute to the green transition and development of industry. Through innovation environments, skills
supply, and strategic projects, Dalarna Science Park contributes to Dalarna's future with the goal of making Dalarna Sweden's leading growth region.
Several regional and cross-regional projects are currently underway, with Dalarna Science Park playing a leading role. These projects are intended to contribute to a faster pace of development throughout northern central Sweden. The main focus is on increasing the supply of skilled labor, creating space for new innovation environments, and relevant transition programs where digitalization and green transition dominate.
Industrial investments
- In Dalarna is a joint initiative to strengthen Dalarna's appeal.
- The Circular Industry Accelerator summarized a year of circular industry development
- Materials Connection Arena, a major investment that strengthens Dalarna's industrial future
Digitalization as a tool for growth
Digital transformation is an important key to Dalarna's continued growth. Dalarna's digital maturity currently lags behind the leading regions in the country. Dalarna Science Park wants to change this by taking on the task of leading the work to increase regional knowledge in digitalization and AI. This will be done by offering increased opportunities for learning among decision-makers, business leaders, and the general public.
Through training, mentoring programs, collaborations, and inspiration, Dalarna Science Park has embarked on an inclusive digital journey for Dalarna. By promoting small and medium-sized enterprises, creating intergenerational learning, and supporting public digitization, a region is being built that is ready for the digital challenges and opportunities of the future.
Digitization initiatives
- The digitalization journey – from a jungle of concepts to strategic change
Circularity – the business model of the future
Sustainable growth requires innovative thinking. That is why the circular economy is at the heart of Dalarna Science Park's strategic initiatives. Through the unique Circular Industry Accelerator, the first of its kind in Sweden, established industries are matched with entrepreneurs and startups from all corners of the world. The aim is for these startups to help industries transform waste streams into new business opportunities. In this way, waste becomes a resource. Problems become innovation.
According to Dalarna Science Park, this is not just smart. It is necessary. Circularity strengthens both competitiveness and climate goals – locally, nationally, and globally. Dalarna Science Park has created a neutral, powerful platform that has the potential to have an impact far beyond Sweden's borders.
The goal is for the initiative within industrial waste streams to become a natural component of future sustainability work. Dalarna Science Park hopes that the accelerator will not only become a role model throughout the country but also internationally. Knowledge about how companies, large industrial companies, and small startups can be matched and work together to utilize industrial waste streams has now been mapped and systematized.
This provides a functioning platform that ensures sustainability and creates growth. The platform, which originated from the circular industry accelerator, benefits not only Dalarna and Sweden, but the whole world.
Today, Dalarna Science Park's sustainability developers regularly conduct highly regarded training courses in circularity. These courses attract small, medium-sized, and large companies alike.
Circularity initiatives
- In Dalarna, food waste is transformed into flavor through food innovation
- The Swedish Wool Initiative's Swedish wool revolution takes shape in Dalarna
Read the entire Dalarna Science Park annual report
This article is part of Dalarna Science Park's annual report for 2025. The report provides an overview of our work, our results, and developments during the year.
