Strategic innovation program Drive Sweden: Innovations for a sustainable, digitized and automated transport system for people and goods

Drive Sweden is a national gathering of forces for Sweden to take a leading role in using digital technology to create a more sustainable road transport system. This by addressing system issues necessary to enable and benefit from shared, connected and automated mobility and transport.

In this call for proposals we continue to build on Drive Sweden's strategic innovation program's strength: that actors in the value chain work together to bring about system changes. The aim is to develop and test new solutions within shared, connected and automated mobility that touch on system barriers or opportunities. What we want to achieve is more efficient, traffic-safe and accessible road transport systems with the help of digital technology.

Examples of areas that Drive Sweden considers important to focus on linked to shared, connected and automated mobility and transport:

• Business models
• Digital infrastructure
• Data sharing
• Behaviors
• Community planning
• Rule changes, policy or other decision-making processes

Project must be of the character:

• Project duration of a maximum of two years and requested grant funds of a maximum of three million kroner.
• Vinnova intends to grant project with at least 50% co-financing.
• The total grant budget for the call for proposals is approximately SEK 20 million.
• For all project an actor constellation is required, which consists of at least three parties where a need owner has a central role in the project.

We address business, the public sector, academia and interest organisations.

Take part in final reports and documentation from previous project and events

Drive Swedens's vision is for Sweden to take a leading role in using digital technology to create more sustainable road transport systems. The program has an impact logic that guides the work, with long-term impact goals:

• Apply new digital technology so that the use of vehicles, street space and road infrastructure is made more efficient.
• Increased traffic safety at the system level, using digital technology or digital services.
• Contribute to climate change through digital solutions that mean less stress on the climate, the environment and people's health.
• Improved accessibility to mobility and transport for individuals, businesses and at community level.
• Strengthen the Swedish automotive and ICT industry and broaden the mobility market with new actors.

proposal must clearly state how the project's objective contributes to the program's long-term impact goals and vision.

The call for proposals seeks collaborative projects that are deemed necessary for connected, shared or automated mobility and transport solutions to be used and contribute to the above benefits. Therefore, we see a clear need for project with a broader system perspective where actors need to collaborate, test and drive development in order to increase the pace of innovation in the area.

In addition to new technology, changes and development of, among other things, business models, value chains, working methods, methods, digital infrastructure, regulations, decision-making processes and behaviors are required. The projects must create conditions for change at system level by investigating and addressing barriers and opportunities in these areas. It is therefore of great importance that the projects clearly account for the area's current state of knowledge (state-of-the-art) and that the project proposals clearly contribute something significantly new, i.e. in what way the solution differs from already existing solutions. We also want the solution to meet a real need or demand on the market and for the business idea to be scalable.

Contribute to a sustainable system transition

Vinnova is tasked with promoting sustainable growth and system change. In order to implement sustainable system change, Vinnova has chosen to start from the UN's global sustainability goals, defined in Agenda 2030. There, Vinnova prioritizes two perspectives: gender equality and climate change. All efforts and project Vinnova finances are assessed based on how they contribute to these perspectives.

Vinnova therefore always follows up and assesses:

• if women and men participate equally in the project, share in the contribution and have influence and power over the project.
• how well the project analyzes and takes a position on whether there are gender or gender aspects that are relevant to the project's problem formulation, solutions and effects.
• how well the project contributes to climate change with a focus on more efficient use of vehicles and transport infrastructure, as well as reduced burden on the environment, ecological impact and people's health.

Equal innovation - what it means for you who seek funding from us

Agenda 2030 as a driving force for innovation

Social inclusion

A basic principle for sustainable development, according to Agenda 2030, is that no one should be left out ('leave no one behind'). In order for new solutions to benefit everyone, it is crucial to ensure social inclusion in the project. Applicant must therefore describe how social inclusion will be taken into account both in the project's planning and implementation. By social inclusion is meant that the project actively considers and includes different groups term, conditions and needs in society such as gender, age, ethnicity, disability, religion, sexual orientation, as well as socio-economic and geographical factors.

This the offer addresses different groups of actors who collaborate around challenges and opportunities to bring about system changes within the road transport system. The offer addresses project constellations:

• with three or more parties;
• with parties in business, the public sector, academia and/or interest organisations;
• with the ability to collaborate across sector boundaries and between different actors;
• which are adapted to the problem the project intends to solve and represent the value chain;
• where need owners are involved in the development work and have a central role in the project.

Need owner refers to a party who needs and benefits from the project results and who can implement, manage and disseminate the results after the end of the project.

Foreign actors may be relevant and possibly necessary to include as project partners in the project. If these actors do not have a branch or place of business in Sweden, they cannot receive support from Vinnova in this call for proposals.

Vinnova works for equal social development. This means that applicant must take gender equality into account when composing the project, for example concerning;

• Selection of project manager and composition of project group or project participants.
• Division of work, power and influence in the project such as for sub-project managers and participation in the steering group.
• Involvement of target group.

This the offer finances research and development activities that create the conditions for system change, necessary to enable shared, connected or automated mobility in the road transport system.

The research and development issues that are judged to be able to create system change can, for example, concern, but are not limited to:

• Development or testing of new services, methods, value chains or business models.
• Mapping or preparation of scenarios or travel plans.
• Preparatory projects for system demonstrations or supplementary questions to ongoing demonstration and collaboration projects.
• Use and application of new technology.
• Platforms for knowledge exchange and learning.
• Coordination of the needs of Swedish actors within, for example, regulatory development, standardization or other developments decided in international or Swedish bodies.
• Digital infrastructure deemed necessary for shared, connected or automated mobility in the road transport system.
• Behavioral, acceptance and user issues.

The call for proposals does not fund:

• Product development
• Marketing
• Commercialization
• Project that has TRL level above 7

Which costs can be financed?

Vinnova's funding is covered by rules on state aid. The rules govern what kinds of costs we can finance. These are called eligible costs.

In this the call for proposals these types of costs are eligible:

• Personnel costs: Salaries, social security contributions and other personnel costs
• Equipment, land and buildings: Instruments, equipment and rent for premises other than regular business premises
• Consulting and licensing costs: Consulting services, knowledge and patents purchased or used under license from an external actor. Costs for consulting services may not constitute a maximum of 20 percent of a project party's budget. In the case that consulting services are to be used, this must be described and justified in a clear way in proposal. The percentage of consulting costs and the justification are taken into account when your proposal is assessed.
• Other direct costs: For example materials, stock items and travel necessary to carry out the project.
• Indirect costs (overhead): Costs that are not incurred as an immediate consequence of but can be related to the project, for example regular premises and cleaning.
  Indirect costs may constitute a maximum of 30 percent of personnel costs

For more detailed information on which costs Vinnova can finance, see Instructions for eligible costs

Which eligibility requirements apply to costs that Vinnova finances?

For a cost to be eligible for support, it must be necessary for the activities of the project. Project costs must also be properly accounted for and reported separately from the organization's other costs. An organization may also not take up someone else's costs as its own.

For more detailed information on which eligibility requirements, limitations and exceptions apply, see Instructions for eligible costs

The rules on state aid also govern what proportion of the costs that Vinnova can finance. This is determined individually for each organization. Vinnova therefore distinguishes between how much funding the project can receive, and how much each participating participant can receive.

How much funding can the project receive?

Vinnova's funding can constitute a maximum of 50 percent of the total project budget. The total grant the project can receive amounts to a maximum of SEK 3 million.

In this call for proposals a total of approximately SEK 20 million is available for the project parties who are granted support.

How much funding each participating participant can receive depends mainly on:

• which activities the party will carry out in the project
• party size and activities

In this the call for proposals Vinnova provides support for industrial research or experimental development.

What is industrial research and experimental development?

Industrial research can be simply described as seeking new knowledge through planned research or critical analysis in order to develop or significantly improve products, processes or services.

Experimental development can be simply described as combining, shaping and using existing knowledge to produce new or improved products, processes or services.

For full definition, see Support bases and support levels for funding

What percentage of the costs can we finance?

The organization's size and type of activity determine what percentage of the costs we can finance, i.e. the maximum level of support.

Bonus Basics
If the project is covered by one of these bonus bases, we can finance a higher percentage of the costs according to the table:

• Actual cooperation: Some level of cooperation between small and large companies, between companies in two different European countries or between research organizations and companies
• Dissemination of results: Extensive dissemination through, for example, conferences or open databases.
• Other bonus basis

For full information on these bonus bases, see Support bases and support levels for funding

We grant funding in accordance with Article 25 of the European Commission's General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER).

Not state aid

How much funding can a participant receive?

In this the call for proposals we also provide support to organizations that do not conduct economic activities. This means that they do not offer a service or product in a market. This usually includes universities and university colleges, research institutes and other organizations.

We can finance up to 100 percent of such an organization's costs.

How do you determine whether an organization carries out economic activities?

An organization that offers any kind of service or product on a market is considered to be conducting economic activities and cannot be granted this form of support. It does not matter how the organization is financed, whether it is public or private, or whether it has a profit motive. It also does not matter what legal form the business takes. For example, if it is a limited company, a trading company, an economic association, a non-profit association or a foundation.

If you are unsure whether an organization in your project carries out financial activities, contact call manager. However, the organization itself is responsible for assessing whether it carries out economic activities.

De minimis support ( support of minor importance)

How much funding can a participant receive?

In this the call for proposals we can also provide de minimis support, also called support of minor importance. We can finance up to 100 percent of a project party's costs.

An organization can receive a maximum of 300,000 euros over a three-year period in this form of support, regardless of funder and project. This means that if the same organization received support of less importance in other project from other funders before, it affects how big the support can be in this the call for proposals.

Submit a certificate of de-minimum support when you submit proposal. It is required for us to be able to grant this support.

Certificates of de minimis support can be found on this page

We grant funding in accordance with the EU Commission Regulation (2023/2831) on support of minor importance.

In order for Vinnova to take a position on and assess your proposal it must meet certain formal eligibility requirements. If the requirements are not met, proposal is rejected immediately.

Eligibility requirements on organizational form of project partners

• All project parties must be legal entities. Vinnova does not grant funding to individual companies.
• The coordinating party must be a Swedish legal entity and conduct activities in Sweden.

Eligibility requirements for project

• The project manager must be employed by one of the project parties.
• The project may not start before proposal is submitted.
• The actor constellation consists of at least three parties.
• A project party's costs for consulting services from outside parties may not exceed 20 percent of the project party's budget. All consulting services used in the project must be justified.

Eligibility requirements on proposal

• Proposal must be written in Swedish or English.
• Proposal must follow the instructions given in section 9.
• The project description may be a maximum of 10 pages in 11-point font size, excluding cover page, summary and table of contents.
• Proposal must contain all requested attachments, see mandatory attachments in section 9.
• Applications must be received no later than 2:00 p.m. on the last application day via Vinnova's e-services.

What is assessed?

Potential (Weighted 30 percent)

• How well does proposal describe the potential to contribute to one or more of Drive Swedens's impact goals? See section 2.
• To what extent does proposal show that the solution meets a need or demand on the market and that the business idea is scalable?
• How well does the project address the systems perspective and how does the project's idea relate to system barriers?
• How well described is the area's current state of knowledge (state-of-the-art) and is it clear that the project proposal will contribute something significantly new or in what way the idea differs from already existing innovations or solutions on the market?

Actors (weighted 30 percent)

• Does the consortium have the collective competence needed to implement the project and a documented ability to drive innovation and create change in collaborative projects?
• How well the project team is composed based on the question the project intends to solve, as well as:
  - To what extent are the actors who are expected to have direct use of the project's results (need owners) and the actors who can convert the results (implement, scale up and manage) into desired effects, involved?
  - To what extent do the central the actors in the value chain participate, which is needed for system changes to come about?
• How well it is described how the actors will work together in the project. Does proposal reflect the actor constellation's ability to cooperate across sector boundaries and between different actors?
• If consulting services are to be used, what proportion is made up of consulting costs and how well is this described and justified in proposal?

Feasibility (weighted 30 percent)

• How well does proposal describe how the project will be implemented? How is the quality in terms of time and resourced work packages, division of responsibilities, budget?
• How well is the method and approach used in the project described, as well as how the project plans to involve users of the project's solutions? How accessible is the data to be used in the project and is it of the right quality?
• Are there potential obstacles or risks that hinder the team's ability or ability to complete the project, and is there a credible plan for how these will be addressed?
• Is there a well-thought-out strategy for realizing the potential and for the dissemination and exploitation of results?

Gender equality (weighted 10 percent)

• How well is the project judged to contribute to increased gender equality?
• How well composed the project team is in terms of gender distribution. And how well is power and influence distributed between women and men in the project team?
• How well has gender equality been integrated into the project plan?

How are applications assessed?

The decision process looks like below:

1. Proposal are submitted via Vinnova's e-services.
2. The applications that meet the formal requirements will be assessed against specified assessment criteria by specially appointed evaluator.
3. This results in a combined recommendation for funding the applications. The assessment takes place in competition between received applications.
4. Vinnova then makes the final decision on which project are to be financed.
5. Decision is notified to applicant.

Vinnova also assesses the finances of organizations

Innan Vinnova decides on funding an overall assessment is also made of the organizational and financial status of those who receive funding. Vinnova uses information from credit reports, currently from Dun & Bradstreet.

In order for Vinnova to grant funding, this applies:

• Organizations seeking funding for personnel costs must be registered as employers with the Swedish Tax Agency
• Organizations must not be insolvent, undergo liquidation or corporate restructuring. They must also not have unpaid debts with the Swedish Enforcement Agency.
• Joint stock companies must not have used up half or more of their share capital.

When Vinnova has assessed all applications, a decision is sent in which proposal is either granted or rejected. The decision states how much funding each party in the project is granted. The decision cannot be appealed.

What if you are granted funding?

If your proposal is approved, you must follow Vinnova's general terms and conditions for funding. The terms and conditions include this:

• That you must sign a special document in which you approve your participation and undertake to carry out the project
• That you must report how things are going, your costs and achieved results to Vinnova regularly during the project period
• If you are several parties, you must agree on your mutual rights and obligations in the project in an agreement. It can take time to get a project agreement in place, so please start this before the project starts.
• How the results will be used and how scientific publication will take place.

Se Vinnovas general terms and conditions for funding

Since the call for proposals is part of a strategic innovation program, these special conditions also apply:

Disseminating and discussing project results is one of Drive Swedens's most important activities. We are a knowledge hub and our website has visitors from all over the world. Project videos, reports and presentations are widely distributed.

• When information about the project is shared or project results are published, it must always be stated that the work was carried out within the strategic innovation program Drive Sweden, a joint effort by Vinnova, Formas and the Swedish Energy Agency.
• When a project has been granted, you will be asked to submit information as a basis for Drive Swedens's website and internal project communication, in accordance with our templates.
• At least one participant must represent the project at Drive Swedens conferences and other activities. Assume that at least two activities will be carried out.
• A public final report according to the Drive Sweden template must be sent to programoffice@drivesweden.net and attached to the final report to Vinnova and you are expected to make a shorter recorded oral presentation of the final result, to Drive Swedens's website.
• All images and photos used must be approved for publication.

We can also decide to add supplementary special conditions for individual project. In that case, they appear in the decision.

Can you have to pay back funding?

If you do not comply with Vinnova's term, you may be liable for repayment. This also applies if you have been granted funding incorrectly or with an amount that is too high.

When the call for proposals closes, proposal will be registered. Vinnova then sends an e-mail confirmation to the person responsible for the user account, the project manager and the company signatory. If you have not received a confirmation within 24 hours after the call for proposals closed, contact Vinnova.

When the call for proposals is closed, you cannot change anything in proposal. Then you can only supplement if we ask for it.

Who can read your proposal?

Your proposal will be read by employees at Vinnova and the external evaluator participating in this the call for proposals. Everyone works under confidentiality.

Applications submitted to Vinnova become public documents. This means that Vinnova must hand them out if they are requested. Men Vinnova keeps confidential information that could mean financial damage to the individual if disclosed. This may, for example, be information about business and operating conditions, inventions or research results.

The documents you send to Drive Sweden are not covered by Vinnova's confidentiality regulations. Therefore, they should not contain confidential or sensitive information.

This is how Vinnova handles public documents and confidentiality