Swedish Mining Innovation

What Swedish Mining Innovation does

Swedish Mining Innovation (also known as SIP STRIM) is a Strategic Innovation Programme for the Swedish mining and metal producing industry, established in 2019 and hosted by Luleå University of Technology in Luleå, Sweden. The programme is funded by three Swedish government agencies — Vinnova, the Swedish Energy Agency (Energimyndigheten), and Formas — and operates as a national coordination platform rather than a commercial enterprise. It convenes the Swedish mining innovation ecosystem, including major mining and OEM companies (LKAB, Boliden, Epiroc, Sandvik, Kaunis Iron, Zinkgruvan, Viscaria), innovative SMEs, 15 Swedish universities, and research institutes, to coordinate research, fund innovation projects, and address challenges across the mining value chain.

The programme's core offerings are organized as networks, events, and funding mechanisms rather than technology products. The SME Network functions as a national mining innovation arena that has facilitated 18 innovation challenges resulting in 124 submitted proposals, with 52% of submissions coming from actors new to the Swedish mining ecosystem. The PhD Student Network, established in 2019 and coordinated by Luleå University of Technology, serves 149 doctoral researchers across 15 universities. The Bergslagen Node (2020–2025) operates as a regional hub led by Örebro University with industry partners Epiroc, Boliden, and Zinkgruvan Mining. Additional offerings include annual flagship conferences (Swedish Mining Research & Innovation Days, Mining@ORU), the recurring AI in Mining & Metals event, the 'Ore, We There Yet?' podcast, a triennial joint research and innovation roadmap, and internationalization grants supporting participation at international events such as PDAC 2026.

The programme operates on a non-commercial model funded by government grants; it does not generate product revenue. Funding flows from Vinnova, the Swedish Energy Agency, and Formas, with regional co-funding from Region Örebro County for the Bergslagen Node. The programme's 12-year mandate concluded in May 2025, with activities transitioning into the successor programme Swedish Metals & Minerals, which has launched 100 million SEK in new funding opportunities focused on social innovation alongside the existing research and innovation agenda.

Name

Swedish Mining Innovation

Legal name

Swedish Mining Innovation

Website

https://swedishmininginnovation.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Swedish Mining Innovation (SIP STRIM) is a government-funded Strategic Innovation Programme hosted by Luleå University of Technology that coordinates research, SME innovation challenges, PhD networks, and regional nodes across the Swedish mining and metals value chain, funded by Vinnova, the Swedish Energy Agency, and Formas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mining Innovation Programme Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Metal Mining (213114), Other Metal Ore Mining (212290)

SIC

Metal Mining (1000)

akta.pro primary industry

Minerals, Mining & Geologic Resources Administration (BPAIAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Project Preparation Facilities & Technical Assistance Windows (BPADAOAI), Value Chain Development & Supplier Upgrading (BPADAMAI)

Keywords

• Mining innovation programme
• Strategic innovation programme
• Mining research funding
• Mineral processing innovation
• Mining industry collaboration

Headquarters

HQ city

Luleå

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Strategic Innovation Programme Funding: Swedish Mining Innovation is funded through three Swedish government agencies — Vinnova, the Swedish Energy Agency (Energimyndigheten), and Formas — as a Strategic Innovation Programme (SIP). The programme does not generate commercial revenue. It awards grants to research and innovation projects across the mining value chain and facilitates collaboration between academia, industry, and government. The programme is hosted by Luleå University of Technology and has been active from 2019 to 2025, transitioning into the successor programme Swedish Metals & Minerals.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Swedish Mining Innovation is a Strategic Innovation Programme (SIP) that funds, coordinates, and connects collaborative research, development, and innovation projects across Sweden's mining and metal-producing industry. It serves as a national innovation intermediary, distributing public funding from Vinnova, Formas, and the Swedish Energy Agency to industry-academia consortia, and operates supporting networks and grant schemes for SMEs, PhD students, and regional clusters.

Product overview

Swedish Mining Innovation is a strategic innovation programme (SIP) for the Swedish mining and metal producing industry, funded by Vinnova, Swedish Energy Agency, and Formas, coordinated by Luleå University of Technology. Rather than a single product, it operates as a coordination and funding programme comprising: the PhD Student Network (national platform for doctoral researchers across disciplines); the SME Network (innovation arena connecting mining companies with SMEs); regional initiatives like the Bergslagen Node; flagship events including Swedish Mining Research & Innovation Days, AI in Mining & Metals, and Mining@ORU; the Ore We There Yet? podcast series; and internationalization grant funding. The programme is now transitioning to its successor programme, Swedish Metals & Minerals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PhD Student Network: National platform for PhD candidates across the mining value chain, established in 2019, coordinated by Luleå University of Technology. Network stats: 149 members, 15 workshops, 15 participating Swedish universities.
• SME Network
• Bergslagen Mining Node

Products and services

• Innovation Project Funding (Strategic Innovation Programme) Core public-funded innovation programme that distributes grants and coordinates collaborative research, development, and demonstration projects among Swedish mining and metals companies, research institutes, and SMEs. Funded by Vinnova, Formas, and the Swedish Energy Agency.
• Internationalization Grants Targeted grant instrument providing financial support to Swedish mining and metals companies, particularly SMEs, to pursue international market development and cross-border collaboration activities.
• SME Network Membership-based network for small and medium-sized enterprises active in the Swedish mining and metals ecosystem, providing access to funded projects, partners, and visibility opportunities. Coordinated by a dedicated SME Network Coordinator.
• PhD Student Network Network connecting PhD students at Swedish universities with industry partners and SIP-funded projects across the mining and metals value chain, supporting talent development and research collaboration.
• Bergslagen Node Regional engagement node focused on the Bergslagen mining and metals region of Sweden, providing localized project coordination and stakeholder engagement for companies and researchers in the area.

Quantifiable outcome

• 18 innovation challenges facilitated, resulting in 124 submitted proposals; 64 proposals (52%) came from actors new to the Swedish mining ecosystem
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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 and minor.

• Swedish Metals & MineralscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2025Swedish Metals & Minerals is the successor programme to Swedish Mining Innovation, launched following the conclusion of 12 years of programme activity in May 2025. Lawrence Hooey serves as Technology Manager for the new programme, which has 100 million SEK in new funding opportunities for social innovation.
• ValeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 May 2025Vale presented its strategy for embedding innovation into business at Swedish Mining Research & Innovation Days 2025, sharing international perspective on innovation scaling.
• RISE Research Institutes of SwedencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 May 2025RISE participated as a speaker at Swedish Mining Research & Innovation Days 2025. Melinda From (RISE) presented on gender equality and inclusion as core business, and RISE contributed to LCA in Mining and Re:moss projects.
• Ministry of Climate and Enterprise (Sweden)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Sweden's Ministry of Climate and Enterprise visited Örebro University in 2024 for a dialogue on AI's role in the green transition and sustainable mining production, together with Zinkgruvan Mining and other stakeholders, facilitated through the Bergslagen Node.
• Sattajärvi SamebycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Sattajärvi Sameby (Sami reindeer herding community) partnered with Kaunis Iron and LTU Business on the Safe, Sustainable Transport in Reindeer Husbandry Areas project, which achieved a 70% reduction in reindeer-vehicle accidents through collar transmitter technology.
• VinnovacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 October 2023Vinnova is one of three Swedish government funding agencies (alongside the Swedish Energy Agency and Formas) that co-fund Swedish Mining Innovation as a Strategic Innovation Programme. Vinnova hosted the Programme Day event in November 2025 and presented the RAMP programme. A 500,000 EUR grant from the programme leveraged 26 million EUR in European funding.
• OECD (Mining Regions)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Bergslagen participated in OECD's work on mining regions (ten regions from several countries, 2023–summer 2025), including a four-day study visit in April 2024 that provided international perspectives on regional strategy and collaboration.
• EUMICONminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023EUMICON formally appreciated the PhD Student Network's participation at Raw Materials Week in Brussels in 2023, where 9 PhD students represented the network in a high-level EU raw materials context.
• Örebro UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2020Örebro University led the Bergslagen Mining Node (2020–2025) funded by Region Örebro County and Swedish Mining Innovation. The university hosts Mining@ORU and AI in Mining & Metals events and has established a long-term strategic collaboration with Epiroc. The Bergslagen Node was managed by Lotta Sartz as Project Manager.
• Region Örebro CountycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2020Region Örebro County co-funded the Bergslagen Mining Node (2020–2025) alongside Swedish Mining Innovation, supporting regional positioning of the Bergslagen mining district in Sweden's national innovation system.
• LKABcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019LKAB is a close collaboration partner in the Swedish Mining Innovation SME Network, participating in innovation challenges to open real operational challenges to innovative SMEs. LKAB representative Jenny Greberg served as a keynote speaker at Swedish Mining Research & Innovation Days 2025, highlighting the joint roadmap as one of the programme's greatest achievements.
• BolidencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Boliden is a close collaboration partner in the SME Network, hosting PhD student visits (Boliden Zinkgruvan) and participating in 18 innovation challenges. Boliden's Anders Sand serves as a board member of Bergforsk and presented at the programme's flagship events.
• EpiroccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Epiroc is a close collaboration partner in the SME Network and has established a long-term strategic collaboration with Örebro University covering education, research, and innovation. Epiroc's Fredrik Andersson presented on Adaptive Automation for Face Drilling, and Mikael Ramström participated in the programme's podcast. The company also hosted PhD student visits at its Örebro factory.
• SandvikcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Sandvik is listed as a close collaboration partner in the SME Network and participates in innovation challenges alongside other major Swedish mining companies.
• Kaunis IroncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Kaunis Iron is a close collaboration partner in the SME Network and partner in the Safe, Sustainable Transport in Reindeer Husbandry Areas project (2.0), which achieved a 70% reduction in reindeer-vehicle accidents in collaboration with Sattajärvi Sameby and LTU Business.
• Zinkgruvan (Boliden)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Zinkgruvan Mining is both a SME Network close collaboration partner and an industry partner in the Bergslagen Mining Node. Hosted PhD Student Network visits at Boliden Zinkgruvan, showcasing the new water treatment plant and tailings dam expansion. Participated in 18 innovation challenges.
• ViscariacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Viscaria is listed as a close collaboration partner in the SME Network, participating in innovation challenges to connect with innovative SMEs for the Swedish mining sector.
• Luleå University of TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Luleå University of Technology hosts the PhD Student Network coordination (Nils Jansson as Network Lead) and the programme office. LTU Business manages projects including the reindeer accident reduction initiative. The university served as venue for Swedish Mining Research & Innovation Days 2025. Pär Weihed served as a keynote speaker.
• Swedish Energy Agency (Energimyndigheten)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019The Swedish Energy Agency is one of three government funding agencies co-financing Swedish Mining Innovation. Jenny Köhler from the agency presented at Swedish Mining Research & Innovation Days 2025 on funding programmes.
• FormascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Formas is one of three Swedish government funding agencies co-financing Swedish Mining Innovation as a Strategic Innovation Programme.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• RISE Research Institutes of Sweden: Swedish state-owned research institute that is itself a partner of Swedish Mining Innovation. Adjacent peer in mining-related R&D capacity and an existing collaborator on LCA in Mining and Re:moss projects.

Direct peers

• EIT RawMaterials: EU-wide knowledge and innovation community for raw materials. Most direct international peer to Swedish Mining Innovation, performing the same convening role across industry, academia and government but at pan-European scale.
• METS Ignited: Australian Industry Growth Centre for mining equipment, technology and services (METS). Closest international analogue in mission — accelerating innovation collaboration between miners and technology SMEs.
• Vinnova SIP — Metallic Materials: A sibling Swedish Strategic Innovation Programme also funded by Vinnova, Formas and the Swedish Energy Agency. Operates under the same SIP framework with similar governance, funding logic and convening role, but focused on metallic materials.
• AMIRA International: Minerals industry collaborative R&D facilitator connecting mining companies, suppliers and research organisations. Comparable function to Swedish Mining Innovation's SME Network, with a global membership base.
• Mining Finland: Finnish national mining innovation cluster offering SME-to-mining-company challenge programmes. Closely comparable mission and structure to the SME Network within Swedish Mining Innovation.

Regional players

• CRC TiME (Transforming Maintenance through Engineering): Australian mining innovation Co-operative Research Centre. Comparable model of long-term, multi-stakeholder mining R&D collaboration, though operating in a different geography.

Emerging players

• EIT Manufacturing: Pan-European KIC focused on manufacturing innovation with mining-relevant digitalisation and automation overlap. Less direct than EIT RawMaterials but comparable in public-co-funded convening model.

Broad incumbents

• Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI): University of Queensland institute coordinating industry-funded mining research across the value chain. Larger, research-led equivalent of Swedish Mining Innovation's academic-industry convening role.
• International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM): Global industry association convening major mining and metals companies on sustainability and innovation. Overlaps with Swedish Mining Innovation in convening role for LKAB, Boliden, Epiroc and Sandvik, but at global rather than national level.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SipStrim
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/swedish-mining-innovation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Swedish Mining Innovation