Today, participants from all over Sweden gathered in Borlänge when Dalarna Science Park held a meeting for the Circular Industry Accelerator. It is Sweden's only initiative that connects industry's residual flows with innovative solutions from startups. The goal is to drive the green transition through collaboration. The meeting offered presentations, new meetings and results from the pilot year.
The premiere round started in the fall of 2024 and ended in June. Arctic Paper, JDE Gevalia and SSAB participated with seven different waste streams.
– It has been exciting to work together with a startup that has different perspectives and working methods than us. It gives us new ideas for how we can take care of our residual streams, says Erik Grånäs, Head of Sales Byproducts, SSAB Borlänge.
During the meeting, we heard how five startups have worked together with industry partners to develop new solutions based on residual flows.
- Anferra collaborates with SSAB and converts residues from steel processing and steelmaking into chemicals for water purification.
- Bright Materia extracts fossil-free lignin and has worked with coffee bean hulls from JDE Gevalia and Fiskarhedenkomponenter.
- Biohumus Sweden makes organic fertilizer, has worked with coffee bean hulls from JDE Gevalia.
- GreenIron recycles metal using fossil-free technology and collaborates with SSAB.
- Allogro develops peat-free growing substrates from industrial waste products, has worked with sludge from Artic Paper and coffee bean husks from JDE Gevalia.
“Getting access to SSAB's residual material has been crucial for us to be able to take our solution further. But perhaps most important of all has been the dialogue, we have learned a lot about the industry's real needs,” says Ebba Adolfsson, CEO of Anferra.
A neutral meeting place for green transition
Dalarna Science Park acts as a neutral platform and enabler, funded by the EU and Region Dalarna. Startups in the accelerator receive both expert support and a path into industry.
– It feels great to be able to bring together people and companies that otherwise would never have met. Now it has resulted in innovation, knowledge exchange and new business opportunities, completely in line with the program's intentions, says Carolina Friberg, project manager Dalarna Science Park.
Next step
Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither are circular business models. But the first year has shown that when there is the will and the collaboration, big steps can be taken in a short time. We have laid a strong foundation to continue building the sustainable industry of the future.
– The first year has been educational, challenging and inspiring. We are proud of the companies that have participated and shown a willingness to change. We have built a new ecosystem where players from different industries meet and create solutions together, says Carolina Friberg.
A new round is now starting in the fall of 2025. More industrial companies and startups are invited to participate with the aim of concrete collaborations and increased circularity throughout the country.
Facts – Dalarna Science Parks Circular Industry Accelerator
- Started in 2024
- Matches industrial companies with startups to utilize residual flows. Participants get access to expert support, networks and test environments
- Funded by the EU and Region Dalarna
- Participants in the pilot round: Arctic Paper, JDE Gevalia, SSAB, Allogro, Anferra, Biohumus Sweden, Bright Materia, GreenIron and others.
- Next program start: fall 2025
