Dalarna is the region in Sweden where there is steady growth in the regional business sector. Since 2022, around 60 different businesses in Dalarna have officially announced investments of over SEK 50 million. The fastest-growing industrial player is Hitachi Energy, which in 2023 received Sweden's largest ever industrial order worth SEK 147 billion.
Even though large companies in Dalarna are growing and new industries are choosing the region as their location, some existing entrepreneurs believe that the market will not improve until 2026. This is according to the Small Business Barometer from Företagarna, Sparbankernas Riksförbund, and Swedbank. There are significant expectations that the number of employees will increase in the coming years, as will sales volumes. Dalarna Science Park, which through various programs, projects, and initiatives helps both established and new companies to sharpen their business offerings, is seeing an increased influx of entrepreneurs who want to move forward.
Dalarna Science Park's incubator, the only one in Dalarna, is an environment where ideas take root and entrepreneurs receive support to take the next step. Here, drive, experience, and a broad network come together to give innovative companies a strong start. What companies accepted into the incubator have in common is that their basic idea is innovative and, in many cases, has the potential to be the answer to a societal challenge. Over the past year, the incubator has received a high number of applications from entrepreneurs who want to join. A total of 31 companies have been incubated in Dalarna in 2025. Of these, eight are completely new companies.
The program, coaching, and expertise
The incubation program lasts between 6 and 24 months and offers support in business development, marketing, leadership, sustainability, law, financing, and internationalization. Admission is ongoing, and all ideas are handled confidentially. Each company accepted into the incubator is assigned a head coach who follows their journey and offers guidance in both big and small decisions. Participants also get to take part in "Expert Hours," which are webinars with invited specialists. In addition, there are open events, lectures, and workshops that strengthen both the company and the entrepreneur.
Capital and investor networks
DalaCapital and Tregion Startup Invest offer early-stage capital, and the incubator also opens doors to external financiers and innovation funds. Participants also have the opportunity to take part in investor events such as Dalarna Science Park's own Dalarna Startup Arena, as well as external events such as SLUSH, GoWest, and Techarenan. The fact that the incubator is also part of Vinnova's excellence program makes it even more attractive to financiers. In 2025, the companies in the incubator have collectively attracted nearly SEK 20 million, which is a mix of both public innovation funds and external capital (known as seed capital) to finance development.
The result of more than two decades of development
In just over 20 years, thousands of entrepreneurs have had their ideas evaluated, and by 2024, 195 companies had been accepted into the incubator program. Together, these companies had a turnover of SEK 1.25 billion in 2024, employed 550 people in the same year, and generated a total turnover of nearly SEK 1.25 billion.
With clear processes, experienced coaches, and a strong business network, Dalarna Science Park's incubator continues to be one of the most successful in the country. The incubator is part of the Swedish government agency Vinnova's Excellence Program.
Sustainable startups in the business incubator
Zerocyte Medical aims to reduce maternal mortality with new innovation
Carthago Fragrance creates fragrance innovation at the source
MODD Sports creates innovation for the future of cross-country skiing
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.
The annual report can be read online or downloaded in PDF format.
