What CLOSERse does

CLOSER is a Swedish non-profit collaboration platform founded in 2012 and hosted by Lindholmen Science Park AB in Gothenburg, focused on driving efficiency and sustainability in the Swedish freight transport system. The platform convenes industry, academia, and public-sector partners around research and innovation programs addressing High Capacity Transport (HCT), heavy-vehicle electrification, urban logistics, and maritime transport decarbonization. Key projects include the HCT program (which delivered the December 2023 regulatory approval for 34.5-meter trucks on Swedish roads), REEL (electrified heavy transport), TREE (155M SEK forestry electrification initiative), HITS (urban delivery safety and silent night deliveries), Cargo Express (road-to-sea shift), Blue Supply Chains (green maritime fuels), and SELECT (North Sea fleet electrification).

The platform operates a community-led go-to-market with a simplified single-tier partnership model (no co-financing required) that has scaled base funding 24x and now touches 11% of Sweden's electric truck fleet through partner initiatives. Revenue mechanics are entirely grant-based: base financing flows from Trafikverket, Vinnova, and Västra Götalandsregionen, while project-level funding is sourced from EU Interreg programs (Baltic Sea Region, Öresund-Kattegat-Skagerrak, North Sea Region) and agencies such as the Swedish Energy Agency and Skyltfonden. CLOSER serves multiple customer segments including transport and logistics companies (LBC Frakt, DHL Freight, Småfrakt), forest product companies (Stora Enso, SCA, Södra, Holmen), transport buyers (Martin & Servera, King, Dagab), municipalities, and academic institutions (Skogforsk, IVL, USN), with technology partners including Scania and ABB.

The organization is small (12 employees) but operates a broad coordination role rather than building proprietary technology products; its core "product" is the neutral arena and project-management infrastructure that orchestrates multi-party research and demonstration projects. Notable leadership includes Maria Nilsson-Öhman (Chairman, DHL Freight sustainability lead) and Johan Löfvenholm (CEO of host organization Lindholmen Science Park AB, appointed 2024).

Name

CLOSERse

Legal name

CLOSER

Website

https://closer.lindholmen.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CLOSER is a Swedish non-profit collaboration platform, founded 2012 and hosted by Lindholmen Science Park in Gothenburg, that convenes industry, academia, and government to run research and innovation projects driving efficiency and sustainability in Sweden's freight transport system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Transport Collaboration and Innovation Services

NAICS

Other Support Activities for Transportation (4889), Support Activities for Transportation (488), Support Activities for Rail Transportation (488210)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Transportation & Infrastructure Planning (BPAHAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Data, Monitoring & Analytics for CV Compliance (Sensors, Imaging, Dashboards, Reporting) (TLAJAKAJ), Connected Freight & Trucking Infrastructure (Platooning Support, Smart Corridors) (TLAJAHAK), Intermodal Terminal Value-Added Services (Cross-Dock, Transload, Stuffing/Stripping) (TLAJAFAL)

Keywords

• Transport collaboration platform
• Freight logistics innovation
• Sustainable transport partnerships
• Electric heavy transport
• Logistics research projects

Headquarters

HQ city

Gothenburg

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Funding / Grants: CLOSER is primarily financed by government agencies including Trafikverket (Swedish Transport Administration), Vinnova (Swedish Innovation Agency), and Västra Götalandsregionen. Additional funding comes from EU programs such as Interreg Baltic Sea Region, Interreg Öresund-Kattegat-Skagerrak, and Interreg North Sea Region.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CLOSER operates as a neutral, non-profit collaboration platform and project workshop hosted by Lindholmen Science Park in Gothenburg. It coordinates multi-stakeholder research and innovation projects aimed at increasing transport efficiency and developing a sustainable Swedish freight transport system, covering focus areas such as urban logistics, long-haul transport, electrification, energy supply, and digitalization. The platform brings together industry, academia, and public sector actors through partnerships, events, and dedicated innovation programs.

Product overview

CLOSER is a neutral collaboration platform and project workshop for increased transport efficiency and well-functioning logistics, hosted by Lindholmen Science Park. The platform does not offer a unified software product but rather facilitates multiple research and innovation programs and projects focused on sustainable freight transport. Key programs include HCT (High Capacity Transport) enabling longer trucks, REEL for electric truck deployment, TREE for forestry transport electrification, HITS for sustainable urban logistics, Cargo Express for short sea shipping, Blue Supply Chains for fossil-free maritime transport, and HasT for geofencing-based traffic safety. These initiatives are funded by Trafikverket, Vinnova, Västra Götalandsregionen, and various EU programs, bringing together industry, academia, and public sector actors to develop solutions for a sustainable freight transport system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CLOSER Collaboration Platform

Quantifiable outcome

• 11% of Sweden's electric trucks now operate within CLOSER initiatives
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• Trafikverket (Swedish Transport Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain funder and strategic partner providing base financing for CLOSER operations. Contributes to policy development and research coordination for Swedish transport system.
• Vinnova (Swedish Innovation Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary research funder through FFI (Fordonsstrategisk Forskning och Innovation) and other innovation programs. Supports CLOSER's role in coordinating innovation projects.
• Västra GötalandsregionencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional government partner providing base funding and supporting innovation ecosystem development in western Sweden.
• Region NorrbottencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner extending CLOSER's northern node with guaranteed funding through 2028. Supports regional transport innovation in northern Sweden.
• Lindholmen Science ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost organization providing administrative infrastructure, office space at Lindholmspiren 3-5, Gothenburg, and integration with broader innovation ecosystem.
• ASKO Maritime ASmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorwegian maritime company pioneering autonomous and electric short-sea shipping. Partner in Cargo Express project applying Norwegian innovations to Swedish cross-border applications.
• Sustainable Autonomous Mobility Systems Norway (SAMS)majorTechnology or IntegrationNorwegian partner in Cargo Express bringing expertise in autonomous mobility solutions for maritime transport.
• University of South-Eastern Norway (USN)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner contributing expertise in maritime transport and multimodal logistics to Cargo Express project.
• SkogforskmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerForestry research institute coordinating TREE project for electrification of forestry transports. Lead research partner in 155 million SEK initiative.
• ScaniamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVehicle manufacturer providing electric truck technology, charging solutions, and technical expertise for REEL and TREE projects.
• Stora EnsomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerForest products company participating in TREE project for electric timber transport trials with world's largest electric timber truck.
• SCAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerForest products company operating electric timber trucks as part of TREE project trials.
• SödramajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerForestry cooperative participating in TREE project for electric transport solutions.
• HolmenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerForest products company involved in TREE project for sustainable forestry logistics.
• IVL Svenska MiljöinstitutetmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental research institute leading studies on green bunker fuels and hydrogen for maritime transport in Blue Supply Chains project.
• Umeå Hamn ABmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPort authority in northern Sweden case study for hydrogen fuel introduction in Blue Supply Chains project.
• KVARKENHAMNAR ABminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPort operator inKvarken region participating in Blue Supply Chains for green shipping corridor development.
• DHL FreightmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor freight company supportive of HCT implementation and contributing to efficient freight transport development.
• LBC FraktmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHaulage company operating world's largest electric timber truck and participating in REEL and TREE projects.
• Johan LöfvenholmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew CEO of Lindholmen Science Park (from August 2024) with experience from automotive industry at Autoliv and Veoneer.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ERTICO - ITS Europe: European public-private partnership for intelligent transport systems and innovation. Comparable as a multi-stakeholder coordination platform convening industry, public sector, and academia around transport innovation projects in Europe.
• VTI (Statens väg- och transportforskningsinstitut): Sweden's national road and transport research institute. Directly comparable as a Swedish public-sector research organization focused on transport efficiency, safety, and sustainability, operating with similar funder mix (Swedish government agencies).
• ALICE (Alliance for Logistics Innovation through Collaboration in Europe): European Technology Platform for logistics coordinating industry, academia, and EU institutions on freight and supply chain innovation. Closely comparable multi-stakeholder collaboration model targeting sustainable freight transport.
• Smart Freight Centre: Global non-profit organization coordinating logistics industry decarbonization efforts. Comparable as a neutral collaboration platform facilitating emissions reduction across freight transport value chains.

Regional players

• Polis Network: European cities network for transport innovation and deployment. Comparable as a coordination platform for urban mobility and freight, but city-focused rather than national freight-system oriented.
• Nordic Logistics Association (NLA): Nordic regional association coordinating logistics industry collaboration. Comparable multi-stakeholder model targeting Nordic freight and supply chain efficiency, though broader industry rather than innovation-program focused.

Broad incumbents

• TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research): Larger Dutch applied research organization with significant transport and mobility research portfolio. Comparable as a publicly-funded research coordination entity but operates at much broader scale and scope.
• Lindholmen Science Park: Parent host organization of CLOSER. Comparable as a Swedish innovation cluster coordinating industry-academia partnerships across mobility and transport, though broader in scope than CLOSER's freight specialization.
• Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems IVI: German applied research institute focused on transportation and infrastructure. Comparable in coordinating industry-academia-government transportation research consortia, but with proprietary technology development capabilities.

Emerging players

• Chalmers University of Technology - Transport Area: Major Swedish technical university with transport and mobility research. Comparable as a Swedish research partner in electrification and sustainable transport, though academic rather than industry-collaboration-platform model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/closerse

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 CLOSERse