Research and Innovation

Sweden ranks as one of the world’s top three innovative nations.


Sweden invests heavily in research and development, encourages critical thinking from an early age, and embraces international influences. The country has also enjoyed a prolonged period of economic growth and social stability and has a generous welfare system—conditions that encourage entrepreneurship. Another significant strength is the close triple-helix collaboration between academia, industry, and government to identify, fund, research, and develop innovative technologies and services.

Leading research areas

An active research policy approach has enabled Sweden to acquire a leading position in several areas, including environmental technology and life sciences. Sweden also has a high level of expertise in nanotechnology, which has applications in a wide variety of research fields, from medicine to sustainable energy.

Around 70% of the research taking place in Sweden is privately financed. These investments have helped companies such as ABB, Ericsson, Sandvik, and the Volvo Group to become global leaders in their fields. The remaining 30% of the research is publicly financed.
Man doing research and development in an industrial setting.Man doing research and development in an industrial setting.
Man doing research and development.
Sweden invests 3.5 percent of its GDP in research and development.
Photo: Ulf Lundin/imagebank.sweden.se

Universities

There are around 50 mostly state-run universities and university colleges in Sweden. Independent institutions of higher education include like Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Jönköping University, and the Stockholm School of Economics. The oldest universities are Uppsala University (founded in 1477) and Lund University (founded in 1666). The largest university in terms of student population is Stockholm University.

Swedish universities regularly place high in global rankings; five of them make it into the top 100 almost every year—Karolinska Institute (a medical school), Uppsala University, Lund University, Stockholm University, and KTH Royal Institute of Technology—a remarkable score for a small country.
The MAX IV Laboratory in LundThe MAX IV Laboratory in Lund
The MAX IV Laboratory in Lund
The MAX IV Laboratory is a super-modern synchrotron radiation facility in Lund, south Sweden.
Photo: Per Pixel Petersson/imagebank.sweden.se

Research infrastructure

At Lund University, the European Spallation Source (ESS)—planned to be fully operational by 2027—will use the world’s most powerful neutron source to provide insights into everyday materials. Also connected to Lund University, the MAX IV Laboratory puts Sweden at the forefront of materials and nanotechnology research.

ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST INNOVATIVE NATIONS

Several global indices rank Sweden as one of the most innovative countries in the world. The Swedish innovative spirit builds on a long tradition with inventions such as Anders Celsius’ thermometer in the 1700s and Alfred Nobel’s dynamite in the 1800s. Many life-changing (and lifesaving) inventions come from Sweden, including the rear-facing child seat, the safety match, automatic identification systems, Bluetooth, the three-point seat belt, the ultrasound and the ECG, the pacemaker, the modern-day zipper, and the adjustable wrench. Among recent Swedish unicorns are Klarna and Spotify.
No. 2 among 132 countries
WIPO’s 2023 Global Innovation Index

No. 3 among 87 countries
U.S. News & World Report’s Best
Countries 2023 Ranking
Smart Textiles in BoråsSmart Textiles in Borås
Smart Textiles in Borås
Smart Textiles in Borås is a Swedish center for research, development, and production of textiles that integrate advanced technology. Photo: Sofia Sabel/imagebank.sweden.se