Continued investment in transport efficiency

Together with Swedish industry, Sweden’s innovation agency VINNOVA will continue to invest in efficient transport solutions by funding the Closer platform. The new funding will extend over four years and pave the way for long-term partnerships between industry, public sector and academia. The Swedish Transport Administration, Region Västra Götaland and Region Örebro County also support Closer.

The new funding will extend over four years and pave the way for long-term partnerships between industry, public sector and academia.

For three years Lindholmen Science Park has operate Closer, a neutral platform for collaboration in transport efficiency. The focus for Closer is on forming partnerships between transport actors, initiating projects and spreading awareness of sustainable and efficient transport solutions.

"The initiative will make it easier to capture the needs and ideas of businesses and public bodies and transform them into projects. This could, in turn, lead to innovative products and solutions. At the same time, we're contributing to research that will benefit both the business world and society in general," says Niklas Wahlberg, CEO at Lindholmen Science Park.

Closer's 17 partners include vehicle manufacturers, transport companies, commodity owners, consultancies and local authorities. During 2015 Closer will also enhance its collaboration with the leading research institutes in Sweden.

"We are seeking to broaden the partnership with more actors from around the country to enable us to initiate activities and projects nationwide," explains Sofie Vennersten, programme manager at Closer.

Bringing together Swedish expertise in this way will enable Closer's partners to tackle the challenges facing the transport sector.

"We're also well underway in establishing ourselves in international partnerships and have already coordinated a couple of large-scale EU projects," concludes Sofie Vennersten.

The investment totals SEK 40 million spanning over four years.

For more information, contact:
Sofie Vennersten, Program Manager Closer, Lindholmen Science Park, +46(0)31-764 70 16, sofie.vennersten@lindholmen.se

Maria Hedlund, Manager Corporate Communications, Lindholmen Science Park, +46(0)31-764 70 45, maria.hedlund@lindholmen.se

About Closer
Closer is the Swedish arena for research, development and innovation within transport efficiency. The arena is a part of Lindholmen Science Park AB. We offer a neutral innovation and demonstration environment for collaboration between industry, academy and public sector.

Closer Partners 

• The Swedish Transport Administration
• AB Volvo
• Scania AB
• Schenker AB
• Region Västra Götaland
• Ramböll Sverige AB
• Region Örebro County
• Örebro University
• Älvstranden Utveckling AB

• City of Gothenburg
• City of Malmö
• City of Stockholm
• Koucky & Partners AB
• Coop Logistik AB
• DHL Freight (Sweden) AB
• Sundsvall logistikpark AB
• Tyréns AB