Driving Innovation at No Direct Cost to Startups

Ignite Sweden is a nonprofit organization that connects Swedish startups and scaleups with potential customers in both the private and public sectors.

In this section, you can learn about the services Ignite Sweden provides, the criteria for eligibility, and the value of each service.

Ignite’s Funding & Services

Ignite is partly funded by Vinnova to help us achieve our stated mission. This funding (‘Verifieringsmedel’) allows Ignite Sweden to offer its services at no direct cost to participating small innovative companies.

Services Provided to Startups at No Direct Cost

Ignite Sweden offers two main services funded by Vinnova to eligible companies:

Customer Validation Sprint

  • Matchmaking & Meetings: Startups are pre-selected by corporates or public organizations and receive a 20-minute meeting to discuss collaboration.
  • Preparation & Coaching: Briefings on the organization’s needs, sales training, feedback and follow-up.
  • Value Covered: Vinnova funds 15,000 SEK per ‘sprint’ (i.e. facilitated customer meeting) , with up to three parallel ‘sprints’ per matchmaking event.


Collaboration Mastery

  • Coaching & Mentorship: Guidance for navigating sales processes and partnerships.
  • Legal Support & Templates: Access to startup-friendly contracts and legal advice.
  • Training Workshops: Tailored sessions (e.g., Sales Excellence, Designing the Deal, Go-to-Market Strategies), valued between 1,500 and 10,000 SEK.
 

 

Value Covered by Vinnova for Each Support Activity

  • 1:1 B2B Coaching: 1,500 – 2,500 SEK/hour
  • Legal 1:1 Coaching: 1,500 – 4,500 SEK/hour
  • Sales Excellence workshop: 7,000 SEK
  • Pilot Fast Track masterclass: 2,000 SEK
  • Designing the Deal workshop: 7,000 SEK
  • Marketing Content Excellence: 7,000 SEK
  • Megadeals’s  Designing the Go-to-Market Deal workshop: 10,000 SEK

Please note, the Collaboration Mastery sessions are subject to change in theme and pricing.

 


Eligibility Criteria 

Our main target group is Swedish-based startups and scaleups that have been operating for up to 10 years, have up to 20 employees, and are developing scalable solutions at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3-9.

There are three main criteria to be eligible to participate in our activities at no direct cost:

  1. Be a Swedish-based Small or Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME). The SME definition is regulated by the European Commission.
  2. Have an active profile on Ignite Sweden’s platform, Ignite Magic and have been selected by at least one established organization for a Customer Validation Sprint. 
  3. State Aid Criteria: Meet either Article 22 (a startup operating for less than five years and having received no more than €1,000,000 in public funding over the past three years) or De Minimis (an SME that has received no more than €300,000 in public funding over the past three years). See the full Vinnova funding rules here.

Annual State Aid Form

Startups must digitally sign a State Aid form to confirm eligibility and accept Ignite’s services at the stated value. This process must be completed once per calendar year and is mandatory for participation.

 

Exemption for Incubator Excellence Program

Startups already receiving Vinnova’s Verifieringsmedel through an incubator in the national Excellence Program can join our Customer Validation Sprints. However, participation in Collaboration Mastery is determined on a case-by-case basis after a discussion with your incubator.

Questions?

Please contact us at support@ignitesweden.org prior to your participation. Our team is happy to connect with you! You can also visit our FAQ section on the website.