Sustainable mobility initiative calling for US-Sweden collaborations

Vinnova and Lindholmen Science Park have invited sustainable mobility actors in Sweden and the US to send collaborative proposals via the organisations’ joint initiative, Future Mobility.

“Future Mobility and this call for proposals offer good prospects for innovation collaboration, knowledge development and partnerships that contribute to just this,” said Eric Wallgren, programme manager for Future Mobility.

The first call for proposals opened on March 14. The project plans to have two more application rounds until November 30 this year.

Future Mobility has funded several projects, including the AI Aware project, which aims to enhance sustainability and safety in the traffic system. The project involves several parties, including VolvoCars, Carmenta, and the University of California Berkeley.

In addition, the AI Aware project developers plan to roll out the AI solution in Gothenburg and California, which have different climates and geographical conditions, to see whether there will be variations in results.

About Future Mobility

Founded in 2022, Future Mobility aims to promote innovation in sustainable mobility by encouraging researchers and industry players in Sweden and the US to collaborate. Vinnova is scheduled to fund the initiative from 2022 to 2024.

While Vinnova contributes with funding for the program, Lindholmen Science Park provides on-site resources in Stockholm and Silicon Valley.

Vinnova and Lindholmen Science Park have personnel stationed in the US to connect American startups, researchers and venture capitalists with their Swedish counterparts.

Future Mobility intends to lower the “thresholds” for sustainable mobility collaborations between two countries. It has networks and expertise that can help project founders develop their ideas and find potential partners.

At least 10 percent of funded Swedish initiatives are expected to have active partnerships with US firms. The organisers said bilateral relationships between the two countries are mutually beneficial.

Sweden is a hub for various innovative projects, including in its advanced transport sector, which is rapidly shifting to green energy. Meanwhile, the US is considered a “trendsetter” in transportation as the country has a massive geographic spread and progressive research institutions, allowing for the emergence of various cutting-edge solutions in transportation.