Before a technical product can be launched on the market, it must be type-approved. For startups and innovators, this can sometimes be a high hurdle to overcome, but help is available, for example from Dalarna Science Park.
– Type approval is not a technicality, but the key to the market. Without such approval, innovation often remains in the development phase, regardless of its potential, says Victoria Ställberg, startup manager at Dalarna Science Park.
One incubator company that is nearing completion of its type approval is Veyra i Sverige AB.
Over many years, Veyra has developed a new type of auxiliary light that is placed on the inside of the windshield. The solution is patented until 2032, and the Veyra 1 model, adapted for trucks, will soon be launched on a full scale.
The road to this point has involved technical development, regulatory work, and long-term capital and teamwork long before any revenue was generated.
"We have received excellent support from Dalarna Science Park and IUC Dalarna. RISE has also been a great help," says Mikael Carlsson, commercial manager and one of Veyra's partners.
RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden) is Sweden's state research institute, which carries out tests and certifications, among other things. In Veyra's case, this involved complying with global regulations R149 and R10 – a prerequisite for applying for type approval from the Swedish Transport Agency.
“The team from RISE was good at explaining how our products would be evaluated based on the requirements, which made things easier for us. They were also flexible when we needed to adjust the schedule, so overall it was a secure process with a clear structure,” says Mikael.
Wants us to succeed
Since 2022, the Veyrateam has had regular meetings with Dalarna Science Park's coaches, something Mikael finds valuable both for himself and for the team's work.
– Over the past year, type approval has been one of several issues we have focused on. The coaches are very committed and really want us to succeed on all fronts.
One of the coaches looking forward to following the company's continued development journey is Brita Klingberg.
“Veyra shows how long and complex the innovation journey often is before revenues start coming in. When companies receive the right support early on, through collaboration between actors such as Dalarna Science Park and IUC Dalarna, they can get through the tough phases and build the conditions for growth, partnerships, and a future exit,” she says.
Effective product development
Another person with whom Veyra has a lot of contact is Patrick Kenger at IUC Dalarna. For the past three years, he has been supporting the company in a range of product development issues, such as requirements specifications, customer needs, detail development, and legal requirements in the form of regulations.
– My job here is to help make the product development process as structured and efficient as possible.
In general, Patrick thinks it's good when startups and innovators initially think freely and don't set limits for themselves.
– But pretty soon they will need to start looking at requirements specifications and regulations so that they can ultimately obtain type approval. The sooner they get to grips with this, the more efficient product development will be.
Most startups Patrick encounters have no problem developing their products within the given framework, even though it can sometimes be tricky to navigate the regulations.
– Fortunately, there are experts who work with requirements specifications all day long, for example at RISE. This means that startups don't need to spend time familiarizing themselves with all the details, but can instead use their time for other things.
Do you have an idea or a business you want to develop?
Dalarna Science Park is home to Dalarna's only business incubator - a greenhouse for innovation, sustainable ideas and start-ups. Here, participants receive ongoing business coaching, many new contacts, help finding funding and access to several different networks. Read more about and book a meeting with Dalarna Science Park's business incubator.
