Sustainable Innovation

What Sustainable Innovation does

Sustainable Innovation is a member-owned, non-profit research organization headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, founded in 2008 by the Association for Energy Efficiency (Föreningen för Energieffektivisering). It operates as a bridge between academic research and practical market application in three focus areas: sustainable energy, sustainable buildings (bebyggelse), and sustainable mobility (mobilitet). The organization coordinates collaborative R&D projects with companies, public sector bodies, and universities, maintaining a network of 1,000+ partners and having completed over 100 projects across 15 years of operation.

Its core offerings consist of project-based research initiatives rather than traditional software products. Notable projects include EV2X (researching V2X bidirectional charging using EV fleets as grid resources, conducted with Kia Sweden, Comsys, and LTH), Policylabb Hyggesfritt (a Formas-funded policy lab developing frameworks for close-to-nature forestry timber in construction, in partnership with SLU and NCC), ReViva (a digital traceability system for forest-to-market value chains), SEEK (procurement models for electrified construction transport), Sömlös Autonomi (integrated mobility booking piloted on Gotland), and Färdplan Färingsö (autonomous rural public transport). The Hållbarhetsarenan, an annual climate stage at Almedalen political week, serves as the organization's flagship thought-leadership platform, drawing 3,000+ participants and 42 events in 2026. Regional climate initiative platforms include LFM30 Malmö, Klimatarena Stockholm, Gävle Klimatavtal, and Klimatinitiativ Örebro län.

The business model combines annual membership subscriptions from member companies (including Vattenfall, Stockholmshem, NCC, Hemsö, and HBV) with project-based research funding from Swedish government agencies (Energimyndigheten, Vinnova, Formas, FFI) and EU programs (Net Zero Cities, Drive Sweden). As a non-profit, the organization does not pursue equity financing or commercialization of intellectual property in the conventional sense; rather, it reinvests in research coordination, methodology development, and network facilitation. Operations span three offices (Stockholm, Örebro, Malmö) with a core team of approximately 15 members organized into program areas for energy, buildings, and mobility.

Name

Sustainable Innovation

Legal name

Sustainable Innovation

Website

https://sustainableinnovation.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sustainable Innovation is a member-owned, non-profit Swedish research organization that bridges academic research and market application in sustainable energy, buildings, and mobility, serving 1,000+ partners including municipalities, major corporations, and universities through collaborative R&D projects funded by Swedish and EU public grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability Research and Innovation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable Cities, Urban Development & Green Infrastructure (BPADALAL), Circular Economy & Sustainable Products (Reuse, Repair, Upcycling) (BPAGALAF), Renewable Energy & Clean Tech Access (Off-grid, Energy Poverty Solutions) (BPAGALAE)

Keywords

• Sustainable innovation research
• Clean energy programs
• Built environment consulting
• Sustainable mobility research
• Climate transition projects

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Sustainable Innovation is a member-owned research organization. Companies and organizations pay membership fees to participate in the network, access research results, and collaborate on projects.
2. Project-based research funding: Projects are funded through public financing from Swedish energy agencies (Energimyndigheten), research councils (Formas, Vinnova), EU programs (Net Zero Cities, FFI), and industry partnerships. Funding supports specific R&D projects aligned with sustainable development goals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Sustainable Innovation is a member-owned non-profit research organization that runs coordinated sustainability programs across three domains: sustainable energy, sustainable built environment (bebyggelse), and sustainable mobility (mobilitet). It convenes municipalities, companies, and research institutions to execute joint projects, host events such as Hållbarhetsarenan, and develop cross-sectoral climate transition initiatives led by named program directors and a systems architect/CTO.

Product overview

Sustainable Innovation is a non-profit research organization that acts as a knowledge network and project coordinator rather than a product company. Their offerings consist of collaborative R&D projects focused on sustainable energy, buildings, mobility, and circularity, delivered together with companies, public sector, and academia. Key offerings include the Hållbarhetsarenan event platform at Almedalen, climate initiative coordination (LFM30, Klimatarena Stockholm, Gävle Klimatavtal), and a portfolio of research projects including EV2X (V2X energy storage), ReViva (forest traceability), SEEK (electric procurement), and Sömlös Autonomi (integrated mobility services). They do not offer traditional software products or APIs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hållbarhetsarenan: Climate stage organized during Almedalen political week, the largest climate stage in Almedalen, featuring seminars and events on sustainability topics.
• LFM30
• Klimatinitiativ Örebro län

Products and services

• Hållbar Energi (Sustainable Energy program) Research and program offering for sustainable energy transition, designed for member organizations (municipalities, companies, research institutions) participating in coordinated clean energy initiatives.
• Hållbar Bebyggelse (Sustainable Built Environment program) Research and program offering for the sustainable built environment (bebyggelse), targeting member organizations collaborating on sustainable construction, buildings, and urban development.
• Hållbar Mobilitet (Sustainable Mobility program) Research and program offering for sustainable mobility (mobilitet), designed for member organizations collaborating on transport and mobility sustainability initiatives.
• Hållbarhetsarenan (Sustainability Arena event) An arena-style gathering/event hosted by Sustainable Innovation for members and sustainability stakeholders across energy, built environment, and mobility.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,000+ annual participants at Hållbarhetsarenan climate events
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• KTH (Royal Institute of Technology)coreTechnology or IntegrationResearch partner collaborating on mobility, energy systems, and digital solutions projects including V2X technology testing, autonomous transport solutions, and business model innovation.
• Lunds tekniska högskola (LTH)coreTechnology or IntegrationKey research partner for V2X technology testing in electrical engineering labs, optimization models for vehicle-grid integration, and energy system analysis.
• SLU (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences)coreTechnology or IntegrationResearch partner for forestry and sustainable land use projects including ReViva traceability system and Policylabb Hyggesfritt project.
• Lunds universitetcoreTechnology or IntegrationAcademic partner in built environment and social sustainability research, including H22 Alone Together project on housing and loneliness.
• VattenfallcoreTechnology or IntegrationMember company and board representation through R&D portfolio manager Magnus Berg. Collaboration on energy system, charging infrastructure, and V2X projects.
• Kia SwedencoreTechnology or IntegrationPartner in V2X technology research, testing bidirectional charging capabilities and vehicle-grid integration solutions.
• Gävle kommuncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner in Gävle Climate City Contract Transport Portfolio, EU Net Zero Cities project for climate-neutral transport sector.
• Bring (PostNord)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in 100% electrification of goods terminals project, testing terminal-to-grid solutions and electric fleet logistics.
• Region StockholmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in flexible public transport and autonomous vehicle projects on Färingsö, representing public transport authority SL.
• NCCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember company and partner in construction sustainability projects including Policylabb Hyggesfritt and circular building initiatives.
• SkanskacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction partner in sustainable building and circular economy projects.
• IVL Svenska MiljöinstitutetcoreTechnology or IntegrationResearch partner in lifecycle assessment and climate calculation methodology development for construction sector.
• Applied AutonomycoreTechnology or IntegrationPartner in autonomous vehicle projects including Sömlös autonomi (Seamless Autonomy) and flexible transport solutions.
• ComsyscoreTechnology or IntegrationPartner in V2X technology testing, providing three-phase converters for bidirectional charging research.
• Destination GotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Sömlös autonomi project, testing integrated mobility booking combining ferry, bus, taxi for Gotland travelers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• RISE Research Institutes of Sweden: Sweden's largest state-owned research institute offering applied R&D across energy, mobility, buildings, and circular systems at a much larger scale — operates in the same sustainability-innovation space with broader capabilities.
• Sweco Sverige: Leading European engineering and design consultancy with a substantial Swedish sustainability and climate transition practice — comparable broader incumbent operating in energy, mobility and buildings consulting.
• WSP Sverige (Environment): Global professional services firm with a strong Swedish environmental and climate consulting practice — competes for the same climate/built-environment advisory work as Sustainable Innovation's projects.

Emerging players

• Drive Sweden: Swedish strategic innovation program for automated, electrified and shared mobility, co-funded with Vinnova — closely overlaps with Sustainable Innovation's mobility program area and shares the same funder ecosystem.
• Climate-KIC: EU-backed climate innovation knowledge and innovation community funding and accelerating climate solutions across Europe — broader pan-European peer with a similar research-to-market orchestration role.

Regional players

• Nordic Energy Research: Inter-Nordic platform funding collaborative energy research and policy — overlaps with Sustainable Innovation's energy systems focus but operates at a Nordic rather than Swedish level.

Direct peers

• CICERO Center for International Climate Research: Norway-based independent climate research center producing policy-relevant research on climate mitigation and just transition — analogous Nordic non-profit research actor with similar policy-adjacent mission.
• Viable Cities: Swedish strategic innovation program coordinating municipalities, industry, academia and citizens toward climate-neutral cities by 2030 — directly comparable member/coalition model and mission to Sustainable Innovation's LFM30 and Gävle klimatavtal.
• IVL Svenska Miljöinstitutet: Swedish non-profit environmental research institute conducting applied research on climate, air, water and sustainability, with overlapping focus on construction LCA and circular economy — directly comparable to Sustainable Innovation's built environment and policy lab work.
• Stockholm Environment Institute: Independent research organization headquartered in Stockholm working on environment and development policy, climate governance, and sustainability transitions — closely mirrors Sustainable Innovation's research-to-policy translation role.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@sustainable.innovation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sustainable-innovation
• Instagraminstagram.com/sustainable.innovation.sverige

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Sustainable Innovation