Dalarna Science Park is home to Dalarna's only business incubator - a greenhouse for innovators and entrepreneurs with exciting ideas and start-up companies. Here, participants receive ongoing business coaching, many new contacts, help finding financing and access to several different networks.
There are currently around 20 companies in the incubator. One of them is the innovative Kwikk, which has developed a new way of charging online.
David Forsberg is the company's CEO and one of the three founders. He sees great advantages in being in the environment offered by Dalarna Science Park's incubator.
- The incubator has managed to gather an extremely competent network of benevolent, humble people who just want to help us grow and deal with all kinds of challenges.
- "We always have experienced people to ask for advice and talk to, whatever comes up. That outside perspective is worth its weight in gold," he says.
Evaluation of ideas
To apply to the Incubator Program, you need to have a business idea that is innovative or has the potential to become innovative. The idea should also be able to generate sustainable value - economically, socially and environmentally.
- But before you apply, start by booking a free meeting with us, says Brita Klingberg, one of Dalarna Science Park's business coaches.
During the 45-minute kick-off meeting, new innovators and entrepreneurs are helped to evaluate their ideas at a global level and advised on how to move forward.
- Some ideas are perfect as they are, others need to be modified to fit in the incubator. If we see that the ideas do not match our criteria, or have the potential to do so, we can help entrepreneurs further to, for example, Nyföretagarcentrum or Almi.
Strong together
Participants in the incubator program receive coaching in areas such as marketing, sustainability, leadership, international trade, board work, intellectual property and sales.
The business coaches also help participants to find ways to get funding and to get in touch with different development projects, industry networks and other science parks with specific competences.
- In our experience, entrepreneurs who form teams early on are the most successful. So even if you have come up with a business idea on your own, invest in getting one or two people who can complement your knowledge and experience," says Brita.
- As a team, you can turn questions around and evaluate the choices you will have to make. And perhaps most importantly, you can share both successes and failures with each other.
Ready to leave the nest
Before leaving the incubator, a company needs to meet several criteria. Among other things, it must have a functioning governance, a profitable business model where sustainability is integrated, a functioning organization and an active customer approach.
This development and maturity journey can take from six months to two years.
- Our goal is to equip the incubator companies so that they have the best possible conditions to succeed on the market. We support and encourage, but it is above all the time and commitment that the innovators put in that determines how quickly they become ready to fly. Then there can also be things happening in the outside world and in private life that affect both pace and direction," says Brita.
Strong result
In its 18 years of operation, the incubator has valued 2 760 ideas and 170 companies have gone through the program. Last year, these 170 companies generated a combined turnover of SEK 805 million and employed nearly 500 people.
- The innovation power in Dalarna is strong and we are very proud of our incubator companies, both those we have here now and those that have flown on. Right now we also have several exciting ideas coming in, so the question is whether we coaches can have the very best job in Dalarna. Brita thinks it's a real privilege to spend time with all the wonderful innovators every day.
Facts about Dalarna Science Park's incubator program
- Duration: 6-24 months
- Prerequisites: None
- Content: Marketing, sustainability, leadership, international trade, board work, intellectual property, sales and more.
- Number of participants: 20-30 participants are accepted annually
- Coaching: 12 hours/month
- Cost: 1 000-2 000 SEK/month
- Bonus: discounted rent for office space in Workflow Open
- Application: Always open.
Dalarna Science Park's incubator is part of the state innovation agency Vinnova's ambitious excellence program, which means that innovative companies can receive extra support.
Do you want to invest in your idea? Then we would like to meet you.
Book an idea evaluation where you get help from one of our business coaches during 45 minutes to evaluate your idea on an overall level and advice on how to proceed.
Find out more and book a meeting here
