Vinnova expands its commitment to AI Innovation of Sweden

AI Innovation of Sweden started in 2019 in collaboration with roughly 40 founding partners. Today, one year later, nearly 70 partners are involved.

In addition to the work carried out on the national level, several regional nodes have been established throughout the year - in Gothenburg, the Greater Stockholm area, Örebro and southern Sweden. Preliminary studies for additional nodes are in progress in northern Sweden and in Linköping.

With the latest commitment by Vinnova, AI Innovation will receive additional funding amounting to SEK 100 million during the period 2020-2024. Vinnova sees the initiative as complementary to WASP and similar research-oriented initiatives that have been launched in Sweden. The allocation of these funds is intended as a means of ensuring the long-term development of the AI ecosystem and a horizontal collaboration throughout Sweden.

'AI Innovation of Sweden plays a decisive role in gathering forces from all over the country and is driving the work with AI-based innovation that solves social challenges and adds to Sweden's competitive strength. 'The initiative is intended to accelerate development within areas in which we can assume a leading role internationally,' says Darja Isaksson, Director General for Vinnova.

The new financial contribution also means that AI Innovation of Sweden can invest further in the development of the Data Factory which serves as a technical platform and infrastructure for the AI projects that are driven within the partnership and will increase access to shared data.

'Through​ the establishment of the new node in Stockholm, new partners and Vinnova's expanded financial commitment, we can scale up our activity and be an even stronger engine in the Swedish ecosystem. By accelerating the use of AI in Sweden, we can create great profits for Sweden's competitive strength and social development,' says Martin Svensson, Co-Director, AI Innovation of Sweden.