The idea is to substantially increase the chances for innovators and entrepreneurs with high-tech business ideas to get funding to start and develop new companies. Investments will be in the range of 500,000 SEK to 10 million SEK.
Main fund investors are the European Investment Fund – which has selected Chalmers Innovation as one of the leading business incubators in Europe – and the Sixth AP Fund. During the coming year, additional will be sought to bring the fund up to 250 million SEK.
“We currently see many quality companies that don’t have enough funding. That is why it feels especially rewarding to be able to offer investments that will increase the value in the companies and their chances to earlier market break through,” said Olle Stenberg, Managing Director of Chalmers Innovation.
The president of Chalmers University of Technology, Karin Markides, added, “The fund is very positive for Chalmers Innovation System. It increases the number of researched based spin-outs, and in the long-term our chances to attract well-renowned scientists to the university.”
“We are pleased to participate in the establishment of this leading technology transfer fund and consequently help to address an unmet need in the field of the commercialisation of intellectual property from universities and research centres,” said Richard Pelly, Chief Executive of the European Investment Fund. “We believe that the size and quality of the deal flow, the track record of the Chalmers team and its hands-on entrepreneurial approach will be key elements of this fund’s success.”
“The possibility for the Sixth AP Fund to get involved at an early stage was dependent on the collaboration with strong actors, such as Chalmers Innovation. Through the Sixth AP Funds investment in Chalmers Innovation Capital, we hope to get the chance to early identify interesting investment opportunities that can continue to grow with the help of the Sixth AP Fund’s financial means and network,” said Susanne Olofsson, Investment Manager at Sixth AP Fund.
Investments will begin during October. An initial condition for investment from the fund is that the company is affiliated with Chalmers Innovation, after which the fund's investments committee decide on each individual investment and its conditions.
Receive the Funding Newswire each Tuesday, our Policy Bulletin each Thursday, and news about bridging Europe’s east-west innovation gap twice a month in The Widening. 
A unique international forum for public research organisations and companies to connect their external engagement with strategic interests around their R&D system.
