Research that shapes our future
The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research was founded in 1994 with capital from the former wage-earner funds, with the objective to support research in natural science, engineering and medicine that strengthens Sweden’s competitiveness. The founding capital was SEK 6 billion.
We work with several different forms of support. The Foundation is currently funding about 15 strategic research centres. Otherwise, two types of grants predominate; framework grants and individual grants, the latter through the well-established programs Future Research Leaders and Ingvar Carlsson Award. A new program also aims to enhance the mobility between university and industry, in both directions. The period of the grants is normally three to six years.
In 2010, SSF provided funding of around SEK 550 million, with approximate breakdown:
- Framework grants ("group grants"): SEK 280 M
- Strategic centers: SEK 170 M
- Individual grants: SEK 85 M
- Mobility grant: SEK 15 M
Priority areas
SSF's research support depends on the returns on capital. University's expectations are much greater than the current annual contribution of around SEK 600 million. This means that the SSF must identify high priority areas, based on comprehensive strategic planning carried out at regular intervals, in collaboration with qualified researchers from universities and industry.
Current high-priority areas for the Foundation are:
- Biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical technology
- System, information and communication technologies
- Materials development
- Process and product development technology