Nr 1: Mötesplats Social Innovation
Meeting place Social Innovation, MSI is scaled up and established across the country. Luleå University of Technology, Jönköping University, Malmö University, Stockholm University, Umeå University and Örebro University are the main parties for the establishment, which is supported by Vinnova, Sweden’s innovation authority. The platform will increase knowledge and create meeting arenas to promote social innovation, social entrepreneurship and social enterprise.
The six universities will host regional nodes that will be assembled under the MSI name. MSI’s national work in Malmö will gain further power and spread through physical presence also in Stockholm. The development and development of the knowledge platform engages regions, companies, innovation promoters, educational institutions, municipalities, idea-based organizations, authorities and other valuable players for the area’s development. The work in the knowledge platform will focus on identifying the need for new knowledge in the area of social innovation, sharing and disseminating important knowledge and information, connecting with research and generating opportunities for practitioners and potential practitioners in the field to meet and drive the field forward.
Develop methods and tools
Generating and sharing knowledge is the core business of the HEIs. Collaboration with other actors is an important part of the universities’ mission and it is also of great importance to develop methods and tools that create the conditions for realizing more social innovations.
The Knowledge Platform’s national steering group consists of members from the respective universities ‘management who see the establishment as an important part of the universities’ core activities and collaboration assignments.
– The fact that six Swedish universities are now gathering power provides both regional support and good potential for national reinforcement. Malmö University and MSI already play an important function on the national arena and the meeting place will be more regionally present with this project, which is positive. There is also the capacity to create international connectivity and attractiveness, and to make a significant contribution to the government’s strategy for social enterprises and to help Sweden achieve the goals in Agenda 2030. The knowledge that is now generated will be used by relevant actors such as regional development managers, innovation promoters and authorities, says Judit Wefer, program director at Vinnova.
Long-term work
The national knowledge platform should also be a contact area for international players who want to collaborate with Sweden for the development of social innovation. Learning, experimenting, influencing and creating meeting venues are an important part of the knowledge platform’s long-term work.
“For Luleå University of Technology, the main goal of the project is to establish a regional knowledge platform for social innovation in Norrbotten, in collaboration between actors in academia, business and society,” says Marita Holst, strategist at the university’s innovation office and project manager for the establishment of the regional node.
Norrbotten is in many ways a socially innovative region, with innovative solutions in both urban and sparsely populated areas for an inclusive working life, accessible community service, and vibrant cultural life, she says.
– Luleå University of Technology was early in the forefront of research and collaboration in the area, which led to new knowledge, methods and contacts for the region’s innovators and promoters, and put the university on the map throughout the country. We build on this and create a sustainable knowledge platform for social innovation in the region.
Nr 2: Reach for Change
Inicio is one of the 2019 Change Leaders and has been supported by Reach for Change for up to five years
Tonight, Mikaela Illanes and Mark Smith share the stage with two other change leaders, Drömstort and Mobile Stories, in a ceremony at the Fryshuset in Stockholm when Reach for Change presented this year’s Change Leaders. Appointing Change Leader means financial and advisory support for up to five years to develop one’s innovative ideas and make the difference for as many children as possible.
Getting the Change Leader Award means:
- Financial support that is tailor-made to enable the person to focus on the development of their innovation and idea.
- Counseling and coaching in areas where the person and the business are most in need of development. The focus is on power measurement, financial sustainability, leadership, upscaling and system change.
- Access to Reach For Changes global network.
The jury that appointed this year’s Change Leaders consisted of representatives from Reach for Change, Tele2, Kinnevik, Roschier, Hugo Stenbeck’s foundation, Save the Children and Qvartz.
– It has been an incredibly exciting process this year, with many strong initiatives and driven people. Our partners in the jury really had to fight to choose the winners. I look forward to Dreamstime, Inicio and Mobile stories becoming part of our incubator program, as we see great potential for these businesses to grow and help children and young people in Sweden, says Sofia Breitholtz, CEO Reach for Change.
About Reach for change
Reach for Change is an international non-profit organization. Through cross-sector partnerships, Reach for Change finds, develops and scales ideas and innovations that help make life better for children. Our core product is support programs for social entrepreneurs.
About Change Leader
A Change Leader is an outstanding person who works with great passion and drive for the rights of children and to ensure that all children reach their full potential.
A Change Leader acts as an example and inspires others to get involved by being part of a global movement that creates a better world for children and young people.
Nr 3: Leksell Social Ventures
Leksell Social Ventures AB: The Leksell family is increasing its social investments in Sweden
In 2018, the Leksell family will strengthen their commitment to social work investments and the continued development of Leksell Social Ventures (LSV). Among the new initiatives are one multi-million investment in a digital solution for the treatment of the mentally ill ill health, including depression, anxiety and burnout. One of the LSVs primary goal is to reach young, young adults, new arrivals and the most vulnerable in the Nordic countries and internationally.
– Society’s resources are not enough in the fight against a growing psychic ill health, especially for young people. We therefore believe that we are through our latest investment and with our partner can take an important step in the right direction by offering a unique, digital, easily accessible and clinically proven method of psychotherapy, says Larry Leksell.
In education, LSV invests in a young company with an exciting technology using AI to personalize learning, with great potential to revolutionize the majority of applications, not least within SFI.
Leksell Social Ventures conducts a continuous dialogue with the appropriate collaboration partners to establish a Swedish social market outcome contracts, so-called Social Impact Bonds, there extra resources will be invested. Leksell Social Ventures created in 2016, in collaboration with Norrköping Municipality, Sweden’s first social outcome contracts to reintegrate placed children and adolescents into society. The organization looks optimistic to a second social outcome contracts may become reality during autumn 2018.
– LSV has acted as a catalyst for state and private discussions on social outcome contracts and now wants to be a key player in the creation of a market that contributes to innovation and results within Swedish welfare, says Larry Leksell.
About Leksell Social Ventures
Larry Leksell with family founded 2014 Leksell Social Ventures, a impact investor focusing on using private investment support Swedish welfare through social innovation projects other education, integration and mental health.
Nr 4: Norrsken foundation
Invest Stockholm and the Norrsken Foundation want to create the world’s best place for social entrepreneurs and investors
Invest Stockholm is partnering with the Norrsken Foundation to support entrepreneurs and innovators who want to solve society’s biggest challenges. The world’s leading climate scientists warn that we only have 12 years to limit the negative effects of climate change and prevent hundreds of millions of people from poverty. Therefore, the City of Stockholm has decided to focus even more on sustainable solutions and climate-smart technology.
Over the past decade, Stockholm has become world-renowned as the “unicorn factory”, with more companies in the billion-dollar-per-capita class than anywhere else, just after Silicon Valley. Thanks to the strong entrepreneurial spirit that characterizes the city, Stockholm has the prerequisites for being able to find sustainable solutions to the most acute world problems.
– Stockholm aims to become a unicorn factory for social entrepreneurs as well, which creates innovations that contribute to the environment and society in a positive way. This is a goal we have in common with the Norrsken Foundation, which is why we look forward to being able to support the more than 300 social entrepreneurs at Norrsken who are working to solve important problems for future generations, ”says Erik Krüger, acting CEO of Invest Stockholm.
– Stockholm has become one of the world’s leading greenhouses for so-called unicorn companies, partly thanks to the support from Invest Stockholm and the fantastic work they are doing. We are extremely proud to work with the city to create equally brilliant conditions for social character entrepreneurs – companies that solve social and environmental problems with the help of technology and entrepreneurship, ”says Erik Engellau-Nilsson, CEO of the Norrsken Foundation.
Through its partnership, Invest Stockholm and the Norrsken Foundation strive to make Stockholm the world’s best place for social entrepreneurs and investors.
For more information about the partnership, contact:
Ariane Pousette, Project Manager Start-ups, Invest Stockholm, ariane.pousette@stockholm.se
Thom Feeney, General Manager, Norrsken House Stockholm, thom@norrskenfoundation.org
About the Norrsken Foundation
Norrsken Foundation is a Swedish non-profit organization founded in 2016 with the aim of solving some of the world’s most urgent challenges. The foundation runs the award-winning technology hub Norrsken House, a EUR 30 million social venture capital fund for investments in prominent entrepreneurs that solve the world’s biggest challenges, as well as two proprietary start-ups: Klarity and 29k. The foundation was founded by Niklas Adalberth, one of the founders of the payment services company Klarna.
Nr 5: Yesbox
YESBOX – a dream factory for entrepreneurs and innovators
YESBOX is a collaborative project between dozens of actors in guidance, counseling and training aimed at entrepreneurs and innovators seeking support and assistance at the beginning of their business. It is an inspiring meeting place for anyone who develops ideas, thinks about, plans for or runs a business in any form.
Now we have come a long way with the anniversary initiative called ‘the entrepreneurial Gothenburg’, which has since started under the working name new startup / entrepreneurship / entrepreneurship / e-block. Among others. All of these have been working names on the collaborative project to create a common meeting place where all the actors working in the new entrepreneurial area can meet their customers.
What we are doing now is that by autumn 2017 we will establish a physical location in Gamlestans Fabriker where we will gather existing players who offer guidance, advice and training to entrepreneurs and innovators who want to start up or develop their companies. The location will be an inspiring meeting place where the diversity of actors ensures both excellence and a broad offer – all gathered under one and the same roof. All players deliver different kinds of knowledge at the same address.
The fact that we are now changing the work name / project name is part of the packaging and communication to reach the target image 2021 – “Gothenburg is an international role model through its entrepreneurial attitude and atmosphere.”
The name of the meeting place aims to set the tone for the vision: ‘that Gothenburg should be Northern Europe’s most creative and innovative city’. It can only happen if we first reach the mission: ‘to be a city with entrepreneurial attitude and atmosphere’.
YESBOX is a physical meeting place. We have addressed this in terms of name and communication. The meeting place is a place where we provide support and instill courage (box for box), a community where we add knowledge and contacts (box for box) to give our future entrepreneurs and innovators the right tools and insights (box for box) to take next step. Something that is best illustrated in a name that gives the feeling and attitude we desire.
From sugar refinery to the city’s new meeting place for entrepreneurs and innovators
Old Town has always been a place for new ideas. Here, for example, King Gustav II Adolf came to the idea of moving the then New Lödöse and building a new city that was a little better for international trade. It was in 1621 and the new city was called Gothenburg. 100 years later, the brothers Jacob and Nicolaus Sahlgren started an entrepreneurial venture on the processing of sugar in Gamlestaden (which they came to call the area where Nya Lödöse once was).
And so it continues. The area where Gamlestadens Fabriker is today has always been true innovation and entrepreneurial district. Maybe it can be said to be Sweden’s foremost entrepreneurial district !? It has at least been the place for new companies and innovations, since 1621. And that tradition we thought to build on.
Welcome to a dream factory that contains part of Gothenburg’s industrial history – including successful start-ups such as SKF and Volvo.
Welcome to YESBOX – Home of entrepreneurs.
Sources:
https://www.ltu.se/ltu/Samverkan/Nyheter/Storsatsning-pa-social-innovation-1.184174
http://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/inicio/pressreleases/inicio-aer-en-av-2019-aars-change-leaders-och-faar-stoed-av-reach-for-change-i-upp-till-fem-aar-2830878
https://www.aktiespararna.se/analysguiden/nyheter/leksell-social-ventures-ab-familjen-leksell-okar-sina-sociala-investeringar-i-sverige
http://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/investstockholm/pressreleases/invest-stockholm-och-norrsken-foundation-vill-skapa-vaerldens-baesta-plats-foer-sociala-entreprenoerer-och-investerare-2827737
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