Blue Institute

What Blue Institute does

Blue Institute (legal name Stiftelsen Blue Institute) is a Swedish research foundation founded in 2007 and headquartered at Vasagatan 16 in central Stockholm. The organization operates as a non-profit foundation (Stiftelsen) under Swedish corporate registration number 802426-4072, with 1–10 employees. Its mission is to promote sustainable growth and Swedish industrial competitiveness by producing independent, research-based analysis, scenario planning, and systemic mobilization across industrial value systems. The institute targets Swedish industry and policymakers across process industry, construction, transport infrastructure, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, forestry, and energy — addressing industrial digitalization, sustainability transition, and cross-industry collaboration challenges. Outputs are published as freely available research reports and delivered through round-table discussions, industry events, and webinars, with no commercial pricing.

The foundation's core product is a portfolio of sector-specific research reports rather than a software or platform product. Notable publications include the Swedish IndTech 2021 market analysis, the AI & Digital Platforms study, Infra 4.0 (a digital transformation roadmap for transport infrastructure), Twin Transition analysis linking green and digital transformation, Läkemedelsindustri 2.0 on pharmaceutical industry digitalization, the Global Battery Value Chain, and Grön guld digitala värden on the Swedish forest industry. The underlying "technology" is research methodology — analysis, scenario planning, and stakeholder mobilization — applied to industrial transition. Major initiatives include the Infra 4.0 consortium with Trafikverket, Skanska, NCC, Volvo CE, and Byggföretagen; the 4S standardization initiative with ISO/SIS, IEC/SEK, Lund University, and Produktion2030; and the Digitala Stambanan IndTech project with RISE and MITC.

The business model is non-commercial. Blue Institute does not sell products or services; its research outputs are distributed free of charge. Operating capital comes from Swedish public innovation and research funding — primarily grants from Vinnova, Formas, and Energimyndigheten — and from participation in strategic innovation programs such as Impact Innovation, PiiA, Smart Built Environment, InfraSweden 2030, and Produktion2030. The institute's go-to-market is event- and publication-driven: it reaches industry and policy audiences through published reports, round-table discussions, conferences, and collaborative project launches, supported by an active LinkedIn presence. Its partnership ecosystem is broad and includes major Swedish industry players (Skanska, NCC, Volvo CE, Trafikverket, Sodexo), research institutes (RISE, Automation Region, MITC), and academia (Lund University).

Name

Blue Institute

Legal name

Stiftelsen Blue Institute

Website

https://blueinstitute.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Blue Institute is a Swedish non-profit research foundation founded in 2007 in Stockholm that produces independent research reports, scenario analysis, and cross-industry collaboration initiatives on industrial digitalization, sustainability, and infrastructure transition for Swedish industry and policymakers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Research and Policy Advisory

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Policy, Data Governance & Cybersecurity Standards Cooperation (BPADANAH)

Keywords

• Industrial research reports
• Scenario planning services
• Industry digitalization analysis
• Sustainability transition research
• Strategic foresight studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Research Funding and Project Grants: Blue Institute operates as a research foundation funded through government grants, strategic innovation programs, and collaborative research projects. The institute receives funding from agencies such as Vinnova, Formas, and participates in strategic innovation programs like Impact Innovation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Blue Institute is a Swedish research foundation that produces independent research reports, industry analyses, and scenario studies on industrial digitalization, sustainability transition, and Swedish industrial competitiveness. It publishes reports such as Swedish IndTech, Infra 4.0, Twin Transition, AI & Digital Platforms, and sector studies, and facilitates round-table discussions and collaborative projects funded through government grants and strategic innovation programs.

Product overview

Blue Institute is a research foundation that promotes sustainable growth and Swedish industrial competitiveness. Rather than a unified commercial product, the organization produces a portfolio of research publications, reports, and industry insights focused on digitalization, infrastructure, and sustainable value chains. Key publications include Swedish IndTech reports on industrial technology trends, AI & Digital Platforms studies, Infra 4.0 roadmap for transport infrastructure, Twin Transition analysis on green-digital industrial transformation, and sector-specific reports covering forestry, pharmaceuticals, construction, steel, mining, food, chemical, energy, and water industries. The organization also facilitates round table discussions and collaborative projects addressing industrial digitalization challenges.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Swedish IndTech 2021 Annual industry report examining the digital transformation of the Swedish industrial technology sector, covering IndTech market dynamics, technology convergence, and Sweden's position as a global supplier of digital industrial technology. Targeted at Swedish industrial firms and policymakers.
• AI & Digital Platforms Study assessing AI development's relevance as a transformative force for industry and creating an internal foundation for PiiA's future development efforts in industrial digitalization. Targeted at process industry stakeholders.
• Grönt guld digitala värden (Green Gold Digital Values) Report on the green and digital development of Swedish forest industry, examining the twin transition where climate transformation and digitalization become inseparable in mutual value creation. Targeted at the Swedish forest industry and PiiA partners.
• Infra 4.0 Vision for a green, innovative, and competitive transport infrastructure sector, including a roadmap for the construction and infrastructure industry's digital transformation. Targeted at Trafikverket, Byggföretagen, Skanska, NCC, and Volvo CE partners.
• Twin Transition Analysis of the green-digital transition where climate transformation of production processes and industrial systems is tightly interwoven with digitalization, creating inseparable mutual value creation. Authored by Örjan Larsson.
• Läkemedelsindustri 2.0 (Pharmaceutical Industry 2.0) Study examining pharmaceutical industry development, Sweden's significance, and digitalization as a force for change in the healthcare sector. Targeted at pharmaceutical industry stakeholders and policymakers.
• The Global Battery Value Chain Analysis of the lithium-ion battery revolution and its impact on the global economy, examining mobility transformation driven by increasingly efficient batteries. Targeted at industrial and mobility stakeholders.
• Teknik är silver, Standard är guld (Technology is Silver, Standard is Gold) Report on the value-creating role of standardization in industrial history and its importance as industry digitalizes, published as part of the 4S initiative for smart manufacturing. Available in Swedish and English.
• Industry Digitalization Reports Series of sector-specific reports examining digitalization consequences for raw material and process industries including steel, mining, food, chemical, energy, and water sectors. Targeted at Swedish process industry stakeholders.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• PiiA (Processindustriell IT och Automation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Institute collaborates with PiiA on research reports including Swedish IndTech studies and AI & Digital Platforms research. PiiA is a strategic innovation program for process industry digitalization.
• TrafikverketcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrafikverket (Swedish Transport Administration) partners with Blue Institute on Infra4.0 project focusing on digital transformation of transport infrastructure.
• ByggföretagencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction industry association Byggföretagen collaborates with Blue Institute on Infra4.0 project for digital transformation of the construction and infrastructure sector.
• SkanskamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkanska participates in Infra4.0 project led by Blue Institute, contributing to development of digital infrastructure solutions.
• NCCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCC partners on Infra4.0 project, contributing industry expertise to digital transformation of construction sector.
• Volvo CE (Construction Equipment)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolvo Construction Equipment collaborates on Infra4.0 project, providing insights on digital services and equipment solutions for infrastructure.
• Smart Built EnvironmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic innovation program Smart Built Environment partners with Blue Institute on projects addressing digitalization in built environment and infrastructure.
• InfraSweden 2030coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInfraSweden 2030 collaborates with Blue Institute on infrastructure digitalization projects including Infra4.0.
• Automation RegioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Institute collaborates with Automation Region on Swedish IndTech research and reports, combining industry network with research expertise.
• Impact Innovation ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Institute is engaged in Impact Innovation, a long-term strategic innovation initiative from Vinnova, Formas, and Energimyndigheten for sustainable transition and global competitiveness.
• RISE Research Institutes of SwedenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRISE collaborates with Blue Institute on Digitala Stambanan IndTech project focusing on information sharing across company boundaries for circular material flows.
• MITC (Mälardalen Industrial Technology Center)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMITC collaborates with Blue Institute on Digitala Stambanan project, studying steel manufacturing processes at Outokumpu Nyby.
• ISO/SIS and IEC/SEKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational and Swedish standards organizations partner on 4S initiative addressing industrial digitalization and standardization, with Blue Institute as a key partner.
• Produktion2030coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic innovation program Produktion2030 partners on 4S standardization initiative addressing industrial digitalization.
• Lunds universitetmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLund University collaborates on 4S initiative through Professor Charlotta Johnsson from the Department of Automatic Control.
• Process IT InnovationsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Institute participates in Process IT Innovations project on VA digitalization (water and sanitation) in a smart ecosystem.
• SodexominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSodexo collaborates in Nollvisionen VRI project focused on reducing healthcare-associated infections through improved cleaning practices.
• TiohundraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare provider Tiohundra participates in Nollvisionen VRI project addressing healthcare-associated infections at Norrtälje Hospital.
• TeximinorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology company Texi collaborates in Nollvisionen VRI project on cleaning and hygiene monitoring solutions.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Nordic applied research organization with similar industrial digitalization, scenario planning, and sector-specific report offerings. Comparable as a state-funded research institution producing publicly available industry transformation insights.
• Chalmers Industrieknik: Swedish research and innovation company spun out of Chalmers University. Comparable as a small Swedish applied research entity producing industrial digitalization and sustainability reports for industry partners.
• Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI): Stockholm-based policy research institute working on sustainability, climate, and industrial transitions. Comparable as a Sweden-headquartered research foundation producing publicly available reports on systemic industrial transformation.
• RISE Research Institutes of Sweden: Sweden's largest applied research institute, collaborating directly with Blue Institute on Digitala Stambanan IndTech. Comparable as a Sweden-based, publicly funded applied research organization producing industry-facing research reports and digitalization insights.
• Mistra (Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research): Swedish research foundation financing strategic environmental research programs with industry and academic partners. Comparable as a Swedish Stiftelsen funding and producing long-horizon industrial transformation research.
• Fraunhofer Institute (especially ISI): Germany's leading applied research network. Fraunhofer ISI in particular produces industrial digitalization, infrastructure, and innovation policy research that overlaps with Blue Institute's mandate and report-style outputs.
• IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute: Swedish non-profit environmental research institute with a similar foundation structure and grant-funded business model. Comparable in producing policy-relevant research reports for Swedish industry and public agencies on sustainability transitions.
• SINTEF: Norway's largest independent research institute, producing applied research on industrial digitalization, energy, and sustainability. Comparable as a Nordic applied research organization producing public-good research reports for industry and policymakers.

Broad incumbents

• McKinsey Global Institute: Global think tank producing large-scale industrial, digitalization, and sustainability research reports. Comparable in report-style and policy-research positioning, but operates globally with vastly larger resources than Blue Institute.
• OECD: International policy organization producing industrial transformation, digital economy, and sustainability reports. Comparable in addressing systemic industrial change and standards/policy cooperation, but at intergovernmental scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1217308

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Blue Institute