Linköping Science Park, in collaboration with LEAD, is now offering test bed tickets within the framework of the project Linköping Climate Neutral 2030. SMEs in Östergötland have the opportunity to get financial support for their sustainability innovations through these tickets. A total of ten tickets are available, which are distributed on a first come, first served basis.
Purpose of test bed tickets
Vinnova defines a test bed as a place where companies, academia and other organisations can collaborate to test and introduce new products, services or processes. The test bed tickets aim to support small and medium-sized companies in the climate and energy sector, by enabling testing of their innovations in areas such as Ebbepark, Vallastaden and other parts of Linköping municipality.
Approved pilot projects must be reported as part of the Linköping Climate Neutral 2030 project. Municipal companies and administrations cannot apply for grants themselves, but they can be partners in the projects.
Advantages of test bed tickets
Test beds offer extensive possibilities. Examples of previous projects include Space-Showers, which reuses 90% of the water, and an HVO station that allows contractors to use fossil-free gas. Each test bed ticket is worth SEK 20,000 and companies can apply for up to two tickets per year. Applications are ongoing until all tickets have been distributed, on a first come, first served basis.
What is a test bed?
Vinnova, Sweden’s innovation agency, defines a test bed as a physical or virtual environment where companies, academia or other organisations can work for change by testing and implementing new products, services or processes in selected areas. As part of the Climate Neutral City 2030 project, Linköping Municipality offers small and medium-sized companies the opportunity to apply for test bed tickets. The goal of these tickets is to enable companies in the climate and energy sector to test their solutions in a real environment, for example in the live test bed in the district of Ebbepark together with local property owners or in other parts of Linköping municipality. The possibilities are limitless with the city as a test bed.
Success stories
Partial renovation instead of complete renovation with InviSense InviSense was the first company to be granted test bed tickets. They aimed to see how small leaks in bathrooms could be detected with their sensors. The results showed that early detection of leakage enables partial clean-ups instead of having to replace entire bathroom units. By identifying and locating leaks early, these sensors save time, money and resources, offering a more sustainable solution. The test showed that more than 1000 kg of carbon dioxide equivalents can be saved. This not only helps property owners save money on renovations, but also helps protect the environment by reducing waste.
Fresh air with Devair: Smart ventilation solutions tested in Ebbepark Devair’s smart ventilation solutions have been tested in Ebbepark to promote fresh air circulation. The system is designed to improve indoor air quality while optimising energy efficiency. During the testing, they were able to explore more features in line with the simultaneous development of their product and software. Devair has now collected a significant amount of data that will be evaluated to provide additional value to the product and its customers, demonstrating that testing products in real-world environments is critical to understanding its performance.
SeaPattern and Tekniska verken are testing new hydropower turbines SeaPattern and Tekniska verken collaborated to test the installation of new hydropower turbines at Svartåfors hydropower plant. The turbines, which are designed to extract energy from flowing water, underwent performance tests with promising results. The cooperation demonstrates progress in renewable energy technologies and underlines the potential of hydropower turbines to contribute to sustainable energy production.
Linköping’s Dragon’s Nest – where courageous ideas lift! In 2023, Linköping’s Dragon’s Nest was unveiled, where entrepreneurs pitch innovative ideas for a panel, also known as the “dragons”. Linköpings draknäste connects entrepreneurial innovations with municipal companies for potential collaboration, and selected companies can then apply for test bed tickets. During the event, entrepreneurs can showcase their concepts to representatives from municipal real estate companies such as Sankt Kors, Stångåstaden and Lejonfastigheter, as well as experts from Tekniska verken and RISE. The event will be held annually in the future.
Viable Cities: Climate-neutral cities by 2030 Viable Cities is a strategic innovation programme with support from the Swedish Energy Agency, Vinnova and Formas, which aims to create climate-neutral cities by 2030. Linköping is one of 23 Swedish cities working towards this goal. By signing the climate agreement, Linköping has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, facilitating innovation and getting citizens to contribute to the change, where the test bed ticket is one of several tools. The aim of the project is to promote and facilitate the transition to a sustainable city.
Before you apply
Before you apply, make sure that:
- Read through the instruction document.
- Your company has a maximum of 249 full-time employees.
- The test starts no later than three months after the approved application.
- You have secured partnerships with either municipal companies, Linköping University, RISE or Campushallen.
The municipality only approves companies that:
- Approved for F-tax.
- Reports and pays taxes and fees.
- I don’t have any debts with the Enforcement Authority.
For more information and application, visit Linköping Science Park’s website.
Source: European Digital Skills & Jobs Platform
