What Dalarna Science Park does

Dalarna Science Park (legal entity Stiftelsen Dalarna Science Park, org. nr. 882601-1549) is a Swedish non-profit foundation established in 2009 (rebranded from Teknikdalen in 2018) and headquartered at Forskargatan 3, Borlänge. It operates as a publicly funded neutral innovation arena for the Dalarna region, connecting startups, established enterprises, academia (notably Högskolan Dalarna), and the public sector. The organization is financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERUF), Region Dalarna, Falu kommun, and Borlänge kommun, with additional seed-capital activity routed through its wholly-owned subsidiary DalaCapital AB (co-financed by Sparbanksstiftelsen Dalarna, LF Dalarnas, and Region Dalarna). Approximately 45 staff operate the platform, which delivers all core services free of charge to entrepreneurs and companies.

The core product set is a portfolio of programs spanning the full innovation lifecycle: the Inkubator Dalarna incubator program (6-24 months of structured support; 195 cumulative companies, 1.25 billion SEK combined turnover, 550 jobs across alumni); the HIT (Hållbar Innovativ Tillväxt) innovation program for established companies (81 participants since 2021); the Cirkulära Industriacceleratorn matching industrial firms with startups around waste-stream valorization (SSAB, SMA Mineral, Falu Energi & Vatten, Borlänge Energi); the Livsmedelsinnovation food-processing program (9M SEK); the Akademinära Innovation Dalarna (AID) academia-industry program; the recently launched Regional AI Hub (24.6M SEK, June 2026); and a new IoT World Dalarna node (sixth nationally). Supporting infrastructure includes the "Jag har en idé" idea competition, Women in Tech Dalarna, Dalarna Talks, Dalarna Innovation Days (~2,000 participants), Techarena participation, and Almedalen presence. Underlying technology is not proprietary software but a platform architecture of project-based EU/regional funding, distributed coaching, and convening events across all 15 Dalarna municipalities (43 visits annually, 74+ open events in 2025).

The business model is grant-funded and non-commercial: revenue derives from multi-year EU and regional development project budgets (totaling 105+ million SEK committed across active projects), core operational appropriations from Region Dalarna and the two founding municipalities, and capital deployment (not revenue) via DalaCapital. The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven: free advisory intake meetings, municipality visits, workshops, and signature events position Dalarna Science Park as the default regional entry point for any entrepreneur or SME seeking innovation support. The incubator has held Vinnova's excellence designation for two consecutive years (2024-2025), and the organization won the international Gullpollen competition in 2026 with its Dear Economy initiative (co-organized with EY). Customer segments are primarily Dalarna-based startups, SMEs, and established companies, with secondary segments in the food processing industry, industrial companies with circular-economy potential, and the regional public sector.

Name

Dalarna Science Park

Legal name

Stiftelsen Dalarna Science Park

Website

https://dalarnasciencepark.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dalarna Science Park is a publicly funded Swedish non-profit innovation arena in Borlänge that delivers free incubation, innovation, and acceleration programs to startups, SMEs, and established companies across all 15 Dalarna municipalities, operating the incubator, HIT growth program, Circular Industrial Accelerator, Regional AI Hub, and seed investor DalaCapital.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Borlänge

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Public Funding: Dalarna Science Park is funded by public sources including European Union funds (Europeiska Regionala Utvecklingsfonden/ERUF), Region Dalarna, Falu kommun, and Borlänge kommun. The organization operates as a non-profit foundation (Stiftelsen Dalarna Science Park) with organizational number 882601-1549.
2. Project-Based EU Funding: Various development projects receive dedicated EU and regional funding, such as the regional AI hub receiving 24.6 million SEK from ERUF, Region Dalarna, Högskolan Dalarna, and private contributors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Dalarna Science Park is a publicly funded non-profit innovation hub that runs a portfolio of business incubation and accelerator programs (including Inkubatorprogrammet, HIT-programmet, and the Cirkulära Industriacceleratorn) for startups, scaleups, established SMEs, food companies, and industrial firms in Dalarna county, Sweden. It supplements these programs with free idécoach and business coaching, advisory services in digitalization and international trade, an IoT regional node (IoT World Dalarna), an emerging Regional AI-hubb, co-working office space, and a wholly-owned investment subsidiary (DalaCapital AB). Core customers are founders, growth-stage ventures, and corporate innovation teams in Dalarna.

Product overview

Dalarna Science Park is an innovation arena, not a software product company. It operates as a platform of interconnected programs and services supporting the entire innovation lifecycle. The core offerings include the Incubator program for startups (6-24 months), HIT-programmet for established companies' innovation and growth, the Circular Industry Accelerator matching industrial companies with startups, and a Food Innovation program. Recent additions include a Regional AI-hub and IoT World Dalarna node. Supporting initiatives include Dalarna Talks events, the 'Jag har en idé' ideas competition, Women in Tech Dalarna, DalaCapital investment company, and Dalarna Innovation Days. The portfolio also includes projects like Akademinära Innovation Dalarna (AID), Cirkulära Förpackningskedjor, and Woolution for textile industry innovation. These offerings are interconnected - for example, the incubator feeds into DalaCapital investments, and the circular economy programs connect startups with established industrial partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Inkubatorprogrammet (Incubator Program) A structured incubation program for early-stage startups in Dalarna, providing coaching, validation, and growth support from idea to investable company.
• HIT-programmet (Hållbar Innovativ Tillväxt / Sustainable Innovative Growth Program) A growth program for established SMEs in Dalarna focused on sustainable innovation and scaling operations, internationalization, and digitalization.
• Cirkulära Industriacceleratorn (Circular Industry Accelerator) An accelerator program for industrial companies in Dalarna supporting circular-economy transition, sustainable packaging chains, and circular wool-based innovation (Woolution).
• Livsmedelsinnovation i Dalarna (Food Innovation in Dalarna) A program supporting food companies in Dalarna with innovation, value-chain development, and growth advisory tailored to the regional food industry.
• Regional AI-hubb (Regional AI Hub) A regional AI hub providing applied artificial intelligence advisory, training, and capability-building to companies and public-sector organizations in Dalarna.
• IoT World Dalarna A regional IoT node providing IoT infrastructure, expertise, and adoption support to companies in Dalarna.
• Navigator Scaleup A scaleup-stage program for growth-stage ventures preparing for investment, international expansion, and rapid scaling.
• Kontorshotell (Co-working Office Space) Co-working office space at the Borlänge premises, available to incubated ventures and regional tenants.
• Rådgivning (Advisory Services) Free advisory services delivered by business coaches and digitalization coaches covering digitalization, sustainability, and international trade for SMEs and scaleups.

Quantifiable outcome

• 195 companies admitted to incubator program up to 2024, with combined turnover of 1.25 billion SEK and 550 employees
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers23 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Högskolan DalarnacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026Dalarna Science Park's key academic partner for the regional AI hub and other innovation initiatives. Högskolan Dalarna provides research-based knowledge and collaboration in AI development, digital infrastructure, and regional innovation. The university rector Jörgen Elbe serves as a key voice in Dalarna's AI strategy.
• EcoDataCentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026EcoDataCenter has attracted Mistral AI, Nvidia and CoreWeave to the region and is a key partner in the regional AI hub. John Wernvik, Head of External Relations and Sustainability at EcoDataCenter, participates in AI hub development.
• FortumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026Energy company contributing to AI hub development, bringing expertise in sustainable energy and digital infrastructure.
• Falu Energi & VattencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026Municipal energy company in Falun, co-financing the AI hub and providing sustainability expertise. Also a partner in Cirkulära Industriacceleratorn providing ash waste as circular resource.
• Borlänge EnergicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026Municipal energy company in Borlänge, co-financing the AI hub and providing circular economy expertise through waste stream partnerships.
• Nordion EnergiminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026Energy company contributing to AI hub development in Dalarna.
• Women in Tech SwedencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2026Non-profit organization with over 30,000 members and 50 partners, organizing one of the largest tech conferences in the Nordics. First local Women in Tech Dalarna event organized in collaboration with Dalarna Science Park.
• InDalarnacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2026Project co-organizing Women in Tech Dalarna event, contributing to the local tech ecosystem development.
• EYcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 March 2026EY collaborated with Dalarna Science Park to organize the Dear Economy event on sustainable and resilient economic future, winning the prestigious Gullpollen competition internationally.
• SSABcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 March 2026Major industrial partner in Cirkulära Industriacceleratorn, providing waste wood and iron oxide as circular resources and participating in the Circular Industrial Accelerator with companies using their industrial waste streams.
• SMA MineralcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 March 2026Lime producer in Rättvik participating in Cirkulära Industriacceleratorn with three different waste streams for circular use.
• IoT WorldcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 February 2026IoT World is Sweden's largest cluster for Internet of Things with 156 members nationally. Dalarna establishes a regional node, becoming the sixth in Sweden alongside Linköping, Jönköping, Västernorrland, Kalmar, and Halland.
• Borlänge kommuncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 February 2026Municipal partner as founding member of IoT World Dalarna node.
• Swedish TextilecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2026Leading company in Woolution project, building a modern wool-spinning facility and developing the Swedish wool industry value chain from sheep to finished product.
• Holma-HelsinglandscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2026Historic textile industry company hosting the Woolution system demonstrator in Sörforsa outside Hudiksvall, with over 100 years of textile industry presence.
• AxfoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2026Sustainability organization leading the Woolution project together with Dalarna Science Park, having previously demonstrated over 30 products through Swedish Wool Initiative.
• Paper ProvincecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Paper Province is the project owner of the Cirkulära Förpackningskedjor project, coordinating the entire packaging value chain from design and material development to recycling across Northern Central Sweden.
• RISEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Research institute contributing to Cirkulära Förpackningskedjor project with expertise in packaging, materials, and circular economy research.
• PropellminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Innovation support organization contributing to Cirkulära Förpackningskedjor project.
• NIFAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Organization contributing to Cirkulära Förpackningskedjor project for circular packaging innovation.
• IUC (Industriella Utvecklingscentra)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2023IUC is the project partner for Cirkulära Industriacceleratorn, a unique national initiative matching industrial companies with startups and innovative companies globally to create circular business opportunities.
• Ignite SwedenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 November 2021Ignite Sweden connects startups with international major companies and public sector/operators for business development, working with SKAPA-priset winner GREEN BUFFERS.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ideon Science Park: Ideon is one of Sweden's largest science parks, located in Lund. It operates as a non-profit innovation hub connecting startups, academia (Lund University) and corporates — directly comparable to Dalarna Science Park's role in Borlänge.
• Kista Science City: Kista Science City is the Stockholm-based innovation cluster focused on ICT, telecom and deep tech. Like Dalarna Science Park, it acts as a neutral arena facilitating collaboration between startups, established companies, academia and public sector — although at much larger scale.
• Lindholmen Science Park: Lindholmen Science Park in Gothenburg is a non-profit innovation hub focused on mobility, ICT and sustainable cities. It runs accelerator/incubator programs analogous to Dalarna's incubator, HIT, and Circular Industrial Accelerator offerings.
• Luleå Science Park: Luleå Science Park is a regional innovation hub in northern Sweden focused on industrial transformation, space, AI and sustainable industry. Its mix of incubator, accelerator and regional development programs matches Dalarna Science Park's portfolio structure.
• Mjärdevi Science Park: Mjärdevi Science Park in Linköping is a non-profit innovation hub connecting Linköping University with industry and startups. Comparable to Dalarna Science Park in operating model (university-anchored, public-funded, multi-program).
• Minc (Malmö): Minc is a non-profit startup incubator in Malmö offering early-stage startup support, business coaching and an international growth program (Minc Gear). It is a direct peer to Dalarna Science Park's Incubator Dalarna program.
• STING (Stockholm): STING is a Stockholm-based non-profit accelerator helping tech startups scale. Its venture/accelerator program structure and public-private funding model closely parallel Dalarna Science Park's incubator + DalaCapital stack.
• Chalmers Ventures: Chalmers Ventures is the investment arm of Chalmers University in Gothenburg, providing incubator, accelerator and seed capital to deep-tech startups. Comparable to Dalarna's combined incubator + DalaCapital approach, with a similar university-anchored governance model.
• Innovatum Science Park: Innovatum Science Park in Trollhättan is a regional innovation hub with incubator/accelerator programs and a focus on industrial transformation. Comparable to Dalarna Science Park in size, regional anchoring, and industrial-circular focus.

Broad incumbents

• Almi Företagspartner: Almi is Sweden's national state-owned business development and financing company, offering advisory, loans and venture capital to SMEs nationwide. It complements Dalarna Science Park's services at broader scale rather than competing head-on in any single region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dalarnascience
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dalarnasciencepark

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dalarna Science Park