This document summarizes information presented by Magnus Lundin on Swedish business incubators and science parks. It discusses that Sweden has 43 business incubators and 33 science parks that support over 5000 growing companies and 72,000 knowledge workers. The incubators accept around 10% of the 4500 business ideas evaluated annually and help startup companies with resources, funding access, and networking. Science parks act as hubs for innovation and collaboration between industry, academia and the public sector. Both incubators and science parks provide training, coaching, and networking to support business leadership and management skills. Their goals are commercializing ideas and renewing existing companies through a knowledge-based approach.

1. Workshop on “Management and
Leadership Skills in High-Growth Firms
OECD/Polish Ministry of Economy
Warszawa May 6th
Magnus Lundin, CEO

2. Triple helix-based nodes in regional
innovation system
43 Business Incubators (accelerators),
33 Science Parks,
12 regional seed capital funds
Focus on processes, commercialization
and renewal of businesses
5000 growth companies with 72000
knowledge workers
Swedish Incubators & Science Parks

3. 3
1/131 – Innovation Capacity Index 2011
2/125 – Global Innovation Index 2012
1/82 – Global Creativity Index 2011

5. 5

9. Swedish business incubators 1/2
 A business support process that accelerates the successful development
of start-up companies by providing entrepreneurs with an array of
targeted resources and services. A business incubator’s main goal is to
produce successful firms with high growth potential.
 Incubation program manager/CEO,
 Linkages to higher education resources/research and strategic partners,
 Networking activities among incubation program clients,
 Marketing assistance,
 Access to financing and capital,
 Measures outcome data.

10. Swedish business incubators 2/2 (appr.)
 Annually 4500 business ideas are evaluated, 10 % accepted
 1/3 of the ideas from academia, 1/3 from freestanding inventors and
entrepreneurs and 1/3 from companies
 800 start ups presently in the incubators (200 projects, 600 companies)
 150 companies attracts venture funding annually
 ROI on tax payers investment (for running the incubators) approximately
8-10 times annually
 The incubators operational funding comes from local, regional and
national public bodies, some private funding/sponsorship
 Most Swedish incubators runs business angels networks, 9 (+9) have a
affiliated seed capital fund (private money)

11. Leadership skills needed for start up CEO’s
 …jack of all trades…
 Driven
 Market knowledge
 Innovation
 International sales
 Visionary leadership
 Finance
 Business administration
 …and that’s just the CEO

12. Leadership and management skills - incubators
 Key issue, key part of incubators process
 Match making idea – entrepreneur (and investor)
 Training programs for entrepreneurs
 Experience-sharing between entrepreneurs
 Business coach (and often advisory board) gradually substituted to
board of directors and chairman
 Team building support, social activities, story telling
 National incubation program (Innovation Bridge/ALMI) and SISP
supports incubator manager development

16. Global value chains
Open innovation
Small & medium-sized companies

17. STING – eco system for innovative technology
startups from Sweden
Business Incubator
 Closely connected to all major innovation environments in Stockholm
= large and qualified deal flow. Evaluating 150–200 new projects per year
 12–15 of them accepted to the incubator every year, 8% of deal flow
 Highly qualified business development support, ½ -1 day per week during
max. 2 years
Business Angel Network
 Close to 40 established and respected entrepreneurial business angels
Venture Capital Fund
 STING Capital I - in volume, the largest early stage investor in Sweden
In-house Recruitment Service
 STING Search for Talents - to supply the companies with key personnel

20. Swedish science park
 A triple helix-based meeting place for
ideas, innovations, entrepreneurs, talent, investors, research, c
ompanies - with knowledge intensive business in focus!
 Regional platform for innovation (support) system
 Operator and host for business development and innovation
processes, test beds/living labs, clusters, …
 Place development and place branding
 The goal is to promote the economic development and
competitiveness of regions and cities.

21. Success factors SMEs
 < 6 % 10-50 employees
 Grow with knowledge, (radical, open) innovation and internationalization
 Will to grow
 Leadership for growth (not only CEO)
 Ability to deliver
 Sale! (and dare to choose customers)
 Attract (the right) employees
 Right setting (neighbor companies, network, test
beds/demonstrators, finance, clusters, value chains)
 …obvious offer from a science park!

22. Industri Academia Samhälle
Karlsborg
Götene
Strömstad
Tanum
Dals-Ed
Åmål
Bengtsfors
Mellerud
Färgelanda
Vänersborg
Munkedal
Grästorp
Lidköping
Uddevalla
Trollhättan Essunga
Lilla
EdetStenung-
sundTjörn
Orust
Lysekil
Sotenäs
Kungälv
Ale Vårgårda
Alingsås
Herrljunga
Vara
Skara
Falköping
BoråsLerum
Göteborg
Öckerö Partill
e
Mölndal
Härryda
Mark
Bollebygd
Ulricehamn
Tranem
o
Svenljunga
Tidaholm
Skövde
Hjo
Tibro
Mariestad
Töreboda
Gull-
spång
FoU
Science Parks in West Sweden
Interactive research, development & innovation arenas
Innovatum
Science Park
Lindholmen
Science Park
Sahlgrenska
Science Park
BoråsJohanneberg
Science Park
Industry Public sector
“These platforms place Västra Götaland on the European
research map as a region that is innovative, entrepreneurial
and “thinks outside the box”.
OECD Territorial Review Sweden
Gothia Science Park

23. Regional knowledge cluster
Johanneberg Science Park
Life science
Medicine
Biotech
Intelligent Vehicle &
Transport Systems
Mobile Internet
Modern Media & Design
Lindholmen Science Park
Sahlgrenska Science Park
Innovatum Gothia Science Park
Espira
Urban/Communit
y development
Energy
Materials & Nano

24. Leadership and management skills – science parks
 Key issue – but different aspect (existing companies)
 Social activities, story telling
 Clusters (networks, value chain approach)
 Training programs for CEO’s, board of directors, sales staff etc.
 Experience-sharing between entrepreneurs
 Business coaching
 SISP runs national science park development program for science
park-CEO’s and management staff (Innovation Excellence)

27. metamorphase
What do you do? How do you do it?
Supporting
processes
Management
System
Strategic
Development
Resource
Building
Core
processes
Providing
Facilities
Innovation
Support
Business
Development
Support
Innovation
Ecosystem
27
Based on discussions in the workshop, we identified 4 high level core processes that are common to
all Science Parks. We also agreed 3 standard high level support processes

28. Success factors incubator – and science parks
 Not one solution – synergy among multiple factors. Scale & critical mass,
 Long term broad support (triple helix) – embedded in society,
 Complementing market – public sector funding but also companies' payment
 Mission with targeted business development and management guidance…
 …put in to practice by practitioners/entrepreneurs/CEOs,
 Commercialization and knowledge based renewal of existing companies
 Selecting clients/tenants (based on cultural fit, fit to value chain, potential
for success, client needs at entry),
 Showcasing companies/effects to the community and potential funders,
 Place management/branding attracting talent and investments

29. Swedish Business Incubators & Science Parks
sisp.se
@sisp
@magnusswede
magnus.lundin@sisp.se
linkedin.com/in/magnuslundinsweden
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