Innovation Platform Gothenburg

In Gothenburg, Sweden a new Innovation Platform for Sustainable Urban Development are being established. The platform will be an arena where innovative solutions are tested and demonstrated.
By having a comprehensive approach and gathering existing initiatives in the Gothenburg region, a unique collaboration platform for the entire Gothenburg are created. Then visions and policies can quicker become reality.

The project was initiated by the City of Gothenburg, Johanneberg Science Park and Mistra Urban Futures. The three are also responsible for managing the platform.

Åsa Pavic, Johanneberg Science Park, and Ann-Louise Hohlfält, presented the outcomes of the project at the GOLIP workshop 4 Feb 2016 in Hammarkullen

Test and Demonstration

The Innovation Platform will use Gothenburg as a test and demonstration arena where new technology solutions, service innovations and processes will be explored. A clear structure to be able to take advantage of new ideas that can create valuable change will be established. The platform is intended to be a meeting place and a facilitator between different stakeholders. Out puts will hopefully be new business and export opportunities.

Innovation Areas

The River City is a large central area on both sides of the river in Gothenburg that is being developed into a vibrant and attractive city centre that is open to the world, inclusive, green and dynamic. It is this city area the Innovation Platform will focus on.

A City for all, Sustainable Living and Smart Energy Systems are the three innovation areas that the work will be centered around. A City for all is about developing a city for everyone within the River City and particularly the Free Port as test arena. Socially mixed neighborhood creates a diverse urban life and it will be promoted by a broad range of housing with different tenure and size.

The Innovation area Sustainable Lifestyles will conduct a project in Masthugget that aims to make the area into a neighborhood where it is easy to live and work sustainable. Smart Energy focuses on energy efficiency in residential and commercial buildings, lifestyle issues and the producers and consumers responsibility.

One of the four platforms

The initiative stems from Vinnova´s call "Developing innovation platforms for Sustainable attractive cities". The project was granted 8.5 million SEK to develop an innovation platform for sustainable urban development. The funding covers two years with the mission to build a long-term structure, starting July 2013.

The Gothenburg Innovation Platform is one of four innovation platforms for sustainable attractive cities that received Vinnova funding. The other cities that received funding are Malmö, Lund and Borås.
Mistra Urban Futures was also commissioned to conduct a formative evaluation on all four innovation platforms.

What is an Innovation Platform?

The project's take is that an innovation platform consists of actors relevant to the area such as users, customers, municipalities, businesses, universities and research institutes. The partnership is formalized and focuses on a selected geographical area at first, but the goal is to spread ideas and solutions both nationally and internationally. An innovation platform should have a holistic and systematic approach to sustainable attractive cities.

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