Future by Lund
Future by Lund is an independent Swedish economic association founded in 2016 that operates a multi-stakeholder innovation platform connecting approximately 45 member organizations across industry, academia, and the public sector in Lund. It coordinates 16 active innovation portfolios across five thematic areas, funded primarily by Vinnova and EU grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersLund, Sweden
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Future by Lund does
Future by Lund is an independent economic association (ekonomisk förening) founded in 2016 in Lund, Sweden, that operates as a multi-stakeholder innovation platform connecting approximately 45 member organizations across industry, academia, and the public sector. The organization does not sell products or services commercially; instead, it coordinates 16 active innovation portfolios across five thematic areas — Digital Cities & Citizens, Creatives & Changemakers, Future Living & Spaces, Ideas for Society, and Moving Things & People — using its proprietary LIEPT (Leadership, Infrastructure, Ecosystem, Portfolio, Tooling) methodology to manage complex multi-actor collaboration. Flagship programs include Digital Arena Sweden (a national 5G/6G/AI test center with over 300 million SEK in committed consortium investment from Telia, Ericsson, RISE, and Vinnova, launching June 2026), Biotech Heights (a fermentation-based food innovation hub with Tetra Pak and Lund University), Fashion & Textile Transformation, IoT Testbeds, and Archaeology/Cultural Heritage portfolios built around DARKLab's LIDAR/photogrammetry capabilities.
The organization's revenue model is entirely grant-based, with primary funding from Vinnova (Sweden's Innovation Authority), the EU (NetZeroCities, JPI Urban Europe), Tillväxtverket, Region Skåne, the Sten K Johnsson Foundation, and Sida. Future by Lund earns no commercial product or service revenue and does not hold proprietary technology assets of its own; rather, it functions as a neutral convenor and ecosystem facilitator, with AI-based survey tools (Parlametric), LIDAR/photogrammetry for archaeology (DARKLab), and an AI-powered road-damage app (Univrses) deployed within specific portfolio projects. Strategic partners include Lunds universitet, Tetra Pak, Telia, Ericsson, RISE, Lunds kommun, Region Skåne, KTH, Chalmers, Einride, Good Food Institute Europe, and international actors such as UN Habitat Kosovo, Anibar, Greentown Labs (US), Smart Innovation Norway, and the ekip European CCI policy platform. Its go-to-market is community-led: engagement occurs through portfolio participation, international convening (UIIN, ekip, AI+ Norway), and consortium-based project funding rather than direct sales, with no commercial pricing or distribution channels in the conventional sense.
Future by Lund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Future by Lund
- Legal name
- Future by Lund
- Website
- https://futurebylund.se
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Future by Lund is an independent Swedish economic association founded in 2016 that operates a multi-stakeholder innovation platform connecting approximately 45 member organizations across industry, academia, and the public sector in Lund. It coordinates 16 active innovation portfolios across five thematic areas, funded primarily by Vinnova and EU grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Future by Lund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Innovation Ecosystem Services
- NAICS
- Corporate, Subsidiary, and Regional Managing Offices (551114)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Software Engineering & Application Modernization (BPAHAEAD)
Keywords
Where Future by Lund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lund
- HQ country
- Sweden
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Future by Lund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Public Research Funding: Future by Lund is primarily funded through public research and innovation funding bodies. It originated as a Vinnova-funded innovation platform and continues to receive project-based funding from Vinnova and other public sources. Revenue is generated through grants and project financing — not through commercial product or service sales.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels10 records
Future by Lund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Future by Lund is a non-profit innovation platform and economic association that coordinates cross-sector innovation through portfolio-based methodologies. It convenes approximately 45 member organizations and a wider partner network across industry, academia, and the public sector, managing 16 active innovation portfolios across five thematic areas: Digital Cities & Citizens, Creatives & Changemakers, Future Living & Spaces, Ideas for Society, and Moving Things & People.
Product overview
Future by Lund is an innovation platform organization (independent economic association) that facilitates cross-sector innovation through portfolio-based approaches. The organization coordinates approximately 45 member organizations and numerous partners across five thematic innovation areas: Digital Cities & Citizens, Creatives & Changemakers, Future Living & Spaces, Ideas for Society, and Moving Things & People. Key products include Digital Arena Sweden (national 5G/6G/AI test center), Biotech Heights (biotechnology and biosolutions hub), Fashion & Textile Transformation, IoT Testbeds, and the Archaeology/Cultural Heritage & Immersive Tech portfolio. The organization also manages project-based initiatives like CoPilot Lund and Trans-PED for climate neutrality. Services are organized around innovation portfolios rather than traditional software products, functioning as an ecosystem facilitator connecting industry, academia, and public sector actors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Digital Arena Sweden National test center for 5G, 6G, and AI technology testing, providing digital infrastructure for advanced 5G and AI through Telia's national 5G network, an advanced 6G testing environment led by Ericsson with Lund University and KTH, and a common testing/evaluation platform at RISE AstaZero. Accessible to companies of all sizes via a digital portal managed by Future by Lund.
- Biotech Heights Innovation platform and physical lab infrastructure focused on accelerating the development of new fermented foods as an established food category, supporting the protein shift away from animal protein. The portfolio's stated mission is that by 2035 everyone should eat new fermented food every day.
- Fashion & Textile Transformation Portfolio
Quantifiable outcome
- Accelerated biotech food innovation: Mission to have everyone eating new fermented food daily by 2035
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Future by Lund
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Future by Lund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability8 records
Future by Lund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.
- Telia CompanycoreTelia is the lead industry partner in Digital Arena Sweden, providing the national 5G network and the NorthStar innovation program (with Ericsson) that gives companies access to advanced 5G, IoT, and sovereign cloud/AI capabilities. The project runs from June 2026 to June 2029 with over 300 million SEK in total investment. Anders Olsson, VD Telia Sverige, cited the partnership's role in strengthening Sweden's digital security and competitiveness.
- EricssoncoreEricsson is the lead partner for the advanced 6G test environment within Digital Arena Sweden, collaborating with Lunds universitet and KTH. The 6G test environment enables companies in mining, transport, medical technology, and defense industries to test 6G several years before commercial availability. Eriksson's CTO Erik Ekudden described this as creating one of the world's first test environments combining 5G/6G and AI.
- EinridemajorEinride participates in Digital Arena Sweden, combining its expertise with AstaZero to develop test methods tailored for advanced AI and automated transport. The collaboration aims to shorten the path from innovation to certified, large-scale operation for Swedish industry competitiveness in autonomous freight.
- KTH (Kungliga Tekniska högskolan)majorKTH is a partner in Digital Arena Sweden, contributing to the advanced 6G test environment alongside Ericsson and Lunds universitet. KTH participates in the research and standardization efforts around 6G technology.
- Chalmers tekniska högskolamajorChalmers is a partner in Digital Arena Sweden, contributing academic expertise to the national test center for advanced digital solutions. Part of the consortium of academic partners alongside Lunds universitet and KTH.
- Smart Innovation NorwaymajorSmart Innovation Norway organized the AI+ conference in Halden, Norway — Norway's largest AI conference. Following a presentation by Lund University, Future by Lund, and ekip at AI+ 2026, the idea emerged to make AI and Cultural/Creative Industries a dedicated track at next year's conference. This collaboration represents a Nordic cross-border partnership in AI and creative industries innovation.
- Good Food Institute EuropesupportingGood Food Institute Europe participates in the Färdplan för bioteknikbaserad mat (Roadmap for Biotech-Based Food in Sweden) project coordinated by Future by Lund and Biotech Heights. The project runs April to September 2026 and aims to build a national strategy for fermentation-based food in Sweden through four industry dialogue meetings across Lund, Gothenburg, Stockholm, and Umeå.
- Sweden Food ArenasupportingSweden Food Arena participates in the Färdplan för bioteknikbaserad mat project (without compensation), contributing industry expertise to the national strategy for biotech-based food in Sweden coordinated by Future by Lund and Biotech Heights.
- Region SkånemajorRegion Skåne is a partner in Biotech Heights phase 2, contributing regional support and healthcare/food system expertise to the biotech innovation platform. Region Skåne joins Tetra Pak, Lunds universitet, and Future by Lund in accelerating fermentation-based food innovation.
- Tetra PakcoreTetra Pak is a core partner in the Biotech Heights innovation platform alongside Lunds universitet and Future by Lund. The partnership focuses on accelerating the development of new fermented foods as an established food category by 2035, contributing industrial-scale production capabilities through facilities at Kemicentrum in Lund. Biotech Heights received continued funding from Vinnova in its second phase (Biotech Heights 2).
- Lunds universitet (Lund University)coreLunds universitet is a founding partner in Biotech Heights and participates across nearly all of Future by Lund's innovation portfolios, including digital archaeology (DARKLab), Fashion@LU, Biotech Heights, and Digital Arena Sweden. The university contributes research infrastructure, scientific expertise, and student talent to the ecosystem.
- RISE Research Institutes of SwedencoreRISE is a key research and implementation partner across multiple Future by Lund projects. RISE contributes through its technical infrastructure AstaZero (test environment for Digital Arena Sweden), its biotech expertise (Biotech Heights, Färdplan för bioteknikbaserad mat), and its role in the Innovationsledning project. RISE also led the Innovationsledning project coordination.
- AnibarsupportingAnibar is a Kosovar cultural organization partnering with Future by Lund and Lunds universitet in the Tu pa, Tu bo project, alongside UN Habitat, Kosovo's Ministry of Culture, and with support from the Swedish embassy in Kosovo and Sida. The project explores how to support innovation capacity in Kosovo's cultural and creative sectors.
- UN Habitat KosovosupportingUN Habitat Kosovo partners with Future by Lund and Lunds universitet in the Tu pa, Tu bo project to develop innovation capacity and policy in Kosovo's cultural and creative industries sector. The project is supported by the Swedish embassy in Kosovo and Sida.
- ekip (European Cultural and Creative Industries Policy Platform)coreekip is the European policy platform for Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI). Future by Lund participates in ekip's High Level Policy Events, Policy Labs, and General Assemblies, contributing to the development of open innovation policies that support CCIs across Europe. The platform explores how AI and creative/cultural sectors can drive societal transformation.
- Greentown LabssupportingGreentown Labs (US) partnered with Cleantech Scandinavia in a collaboration that connects Nordic and US cleantech ecosystems. While not a direct Future by Lund partner, Cleantech Scandinavia is listed as a Future by Lund partner, making this a secondary connection within the broader ecosystem.
- Fashion Innovation CentersupportingFashion Innovation Center (externally based) partners with Future by Lund and Lunds universitet in the Fashion@LU research network, contributing industry connections and helping to build external partnerships for textile and fashion sustainability transformation. Works with researchers from all nine faculties at Lunds universitet.
- Lunds kommun (Lund Municipality)coreLunds kommun is a founding member and core partner of Future by Lund. The municipality participates across multiple innovation portfolios including CoPilot Lund (EU NetZeroCities), Trans-PED (plus-energy districts), and the broader Lund Innovation District. Markus Paulsson, energy strategist, leads the Brunnshög energy-positive district vision.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Future by Lund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Invest in Skåne: Regional investment promotion agency for Skåne (same region as Lund), publicly funded, connecting international investors and companies with the regional innovation ecosystem. Comparable as a publicly funded Skåne-region actor in the same ecosystem Future by Lund orchestrates.
- Robotdalen: Swedish innovation program driving robotics and automation commercialization, organized as a cluster with public funding support. Comparable as a Swedish public-funded innovation facilitator with industry-academic partnerships.
- Media Evolution: Southern Sweden-based cluster organization for media, creative, and digital industries, operating as a member-funded non-profit. Closest geographic peer to Future by Lund, with similar non-profit cluster model and ecosystem-building remit.
- Chalmers Ventures: Swedish university-affiliated innovation hub and venture builder, supporting deep-tech commercialization. Comparable as a Swedish innovation intermediary connecting academia and industry through portfolio-based engagement.
Direct peers
- Innovate UK: UK's national innovation agency funding and connecting businesses with research to drive economic growth. Strongly comparable given Future by Lund's role coordinating innovation funding flow, partnerships with academia, and ecosystem-building activities.
- Catapult Network UK: UK's network of independent innovation centers connecting industry and academia across sectors (digital, cell therapies, connected places, etc.). Directly comparable as a publicly funded, multi-stakeholder facilitator running sector-specific testbeds and innovation portfolios, mirroring Future by Lund's model.
- UnternehmerTUM: Munich-based innovation and startup center affiliated with TU Munich, supporting deep-tech ventures and connecting industry, academia, and capital. Comparable as a single-city European innovation platform offering portfolio-level facilitation services.
- EIT Digital: European innovation organization focused on digital transformation with pan-European education, research, and business deployment activity. Comparable as a multi-country innovation platform orchestrating industry-academia partnerships across European cities.
- Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC): Operator of innovation campuses connecting startups, corporates, and research institutions across multiple geographies. Comparable in operating shared innovation infrastructure and managing multi-stakeholder communities.
Broad incumbents
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finnish state-owned applied research organization running large testbeds and applied research portfolios connecting industry and government. Comparable in operating advanced test infrastructure, applied research, and consortium-style partnerships across multiple sectors.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Future by Lund social profiles
Digital presenceFuture by Lund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Future by Lund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Future by Lund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Future by Lund M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Future by Lund
What does Future by Lund do?
Future by Lund is a non-profit innovation platform and economic association that coordinates cross-sector innovation through portfolio-based methodologies. It convenes approximately 45 member organizations and a wider partner network across industry, academia, and the public sector, managing 16 active innovation portfolios across five thematic areas: Digital Cities & Citizens, Creatives & Changemakers, Future Living & Spaces, Ideas for Society, and Moving Things & People.
Is Future by Lund a public or private company?
Future by Lund is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Future by Lund founded?
Future by Lund was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Future by Lund based?
Future by Lund is headquartered in Lund, Sweden, in the Europe region.
How does Future by Lund make money?
One revenue line is on record: public Research Funding.
Who are Future by Lund's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Invest in Skåne, Robotdalen, Media Evolution and Chalmers Ventures. Direct peers are Innovate UK, Catapult Network UK, UnternehmerTUM, EIT Digital and Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC). VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Future by Lund have an API?
No public API is recorded for Future by Lund.
What industry is Future by Lund in?
Future by Lund's product category is Innovation Ecosystem Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAEAD, Software Engineering & Application Modernization. Its NAICS code is 551114 and its SIC code is 8742.