ERNACT led and Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme funded MINDSET project partners have made significant progress in understanding the Mission Oriented Innovation (MOI)phenomenon through the recently developed Mission Oriented Innovation in the NPA Area Assessment report. This document reviews the state-of-the-art in 4 Northern Periphery and Arctic (NPA) countries including Finland, Ireland, Norway and Sweden.
In Sweden, the report highlights significant advancements at the national level, including a robust MOI framework developed by Vinnova (Swedish Innovation Agency). This framework, integrating systems thinking and design thinking, focuses on transformative change, emphasizing collaboration, sustainability, and radical innovation.
While EU-funded projects like the European Bauhaus are advancing, Sweden's national MOI programs are still emerging, with new initiatives like the Impact Innovation program started in early 2024. This program aims to accelerate sustainable transitions by enhancing collaboration and breaking down barriers between stakeholders.
At the local and regional levels, MOI-related activities in Sweden are more sporadic. Although small-scale projects are present and often driven by political decisions linked to the Agenda 2030 goals, a systematized project portfolio in accordance with decided missions are not identified.
Despite this, there are notable initiatives that demonstrate the potential of MOI to drive meaningful change. For Example, the Visioner i Norr project unites six Northern Swedish cities—Luleå, Piteå, Skellefteå,Umeå, Örnsköldsvik, and Sundsvall—to enhance sustainability, inclusion, and innovation through collaborative projects supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Vinnova.
Stay tuned as more information will be shared about the current state of MOI in the MINDSET partner regions.