Kista Science City - a world-leading ICT cluster
Kista Science City is located just north of Stockholm, Sweden. Leading companies in mobile services and multimedia, broadband systems and wireless services collaborate here with cutting-edge research institutes. Together they create a dynamic and innovative environment that has produced a steady flow of new growth companies in recent years.
Mobile telephony, one of our modern society's most sweeping innovations, first saw light in Sweden over fifty years ago. Today new generations of wireless technology are under development in the information and communication technology (ICT) cluster Kista Science City just north of Stockholm. Kista Science City is home to about 1,400 companies with 31,000 employees, two-thirds of whom work in one of the cluster's 520 ICT companies.
“Kista Science City is home of the cradle of Sweden's ICT successes. But tomorrow's solutions in the three future growth areas of mobile services and multimedia, broadband systems, and wireless services are also under development here,” says Nils-Erik Selin, CEO of Kista Science City AB, the company with the task of marketing and developing the area.
“Today people compare Kista Science City with locations such as Silicon Valley, Bangalore, Sophia Antipolis and the Multimedia Super Corridor in Malaysia. World-leading companies collaborate with cutting-edge research, which in recent years has resulted in several spin-offs in the form of new growth companies. We have also succeeded in creating several networks where both companies and employees can grow together,” says Nils-Erik Selin.
Collaboration drives the cluster
Historically, the development of Kista Science City took off in 2000 when the city of Stockholm, the business sector and academia joined forces with a common vision for the area. Today these companies and organizations have representatives in several strategy groups that work together to blaze a path for the ICT cluster. Representatives of some of the world's biggest ICT companies are here, including Ericsson and IBM, as well as researchers and experienced entrepreneurs.
“Kista Science City is the place to be for research and development in communication technology today. The proximity between companies and institutions generates increased competitiveness, while serving as a hotbed for new spin-off companies. Stockholm Innovation & Growth has shown how this can be done over the past five years,” says Mr. Selin.
Stockholm Innovation & Growth was founded in Kista Science City in 2002 with the goal of creating Swedish growth companies. After five years of work the company has participated in the startup of 45 new growth companies, which primarily have an international market. Its work has been accompanied by the founding of a unique business angel network and the seed capital fund STING Capital.
“Now we are trying to further develop Kista Science City through continued growth of attractive commercial properties and residential units, as well as more meeting places in a creative environment. Right now a modern convention center is being built in the middle of the area that will also serve as a facility for major international conferences,” says Mr. Selin.
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CAPTION: “Nils-Erik Selin, CEO of Kista Science City AB, works with marketing and developing the Kista Science City ICT cluster.”
Some of Europe's leading research institutes are here
Today Kista Science City is a unique location for information and communication technology research and development. It is the home of several research institutions that are on the absolute cutting edge of ICT research. Under the framework of Sweden ICT Research, businesses and research institutions are working closely to develop both new companies and innovations.
“The research institutes within Swedish ICT Research pursue world-leading applied research in ICT, electronics, and optics, and Kista Science City’s research institutions are involved in this initiative,” says Hans Hentzell, CEO of Swedish ICT Research.
The Swedish successes in ICT come from a strong research tradition that laid the foundation early on for firms such as TeliaSonera and Ericsson. Today this tradition is carried on in innovative companies such as Packetfront and Transmode, according to Mr. Hentzell.
Under the framework of Swedish ICT Research, both academia and the business sector are involved in several research and development networks in which Sweden's most prominent ICT companies participate to share everything from test beds for new technology to the researchers' cutting-edge expertise.
“Our activities today contribute to improved profitability and growth in the business sector. In 2006 revenues in the business community project were ten times higher than the actual budget of Swedish ICT Research. Moreover, a large number of new companies have been spun off by the various research projects,” says Mr. Hentzell.
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CAPTION: “Hans Hentzell, CEO of Swedish ICT Research, leads research on the absolute cutting edge. “
Ericsson has its center in Kista Science City
World-leading telecom provider Ericsson is headquartered in Kista Science City–a very important place for management of the company's global research and development, according to Ulf Wahlberg, Vice President of Industry & Research Relations at Ericsson.
“Kista Science City is one of the world's leading ICT clusters and therefore an extremely important place for the management of our global research and development. The cluster offers good access to skilled employees as well as proximity to the Stockholm–Arlanda airport, which is important for us as a global company,” says Ulf Wahlberg.
“Ericsson runs its research and development organization on a global level. This means that we choose to cooperate only with the most prominent research institutions in the world. We have chosen to work with institutions such as the Royal Institute of Technology and research institutions within Swedish ICT Research at Kista Science City,” says Mr. Wahlberg, Vice President of Industry & Research Relations at Ericsson.
“Traditionally, research cooperation has involved new technologies in fields such as mobile and telecommunications and infrastructure and networks, but today projects are also in progress in mobile services and applications, as well as in multimedia. Kista Science City is a strong cluster even in mobile services and multimedia, which is important for Ericsson because we have strong initiatives in these areas. The new Mobile Life Vinn Excellence Center is an example of one such initiative that we support,” he says.
Active and stimulating networks between firms, attractive environments and surroundings, as well as an excellent geographic location are some of the factors that attract new companies to Kista Science City. Long-term and strong support from the City of Stockholm to continuously improve the region around Kista Science City also plays an extremely important role. Ericsson chose to move its headquarters here in 2003.
“Today Kista Science City is internationally renowned as the hub of developments in mobile communication. Kista has a technical breadth that encompasses everything from fixed infrastructure to new services and applications. The new initiatives currently in the works in research and education, infrastructure, and more creative meeting places will secure Kista Science City's position and will also attract more companies,” says Mr. Wahlberg.
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CAPTION: “Kista Science City is a strong cluster in mobile services and multimedia according to Ulf Wahlberg, Vice President of Industry & Research Relations at Ericsson. “
Additional pictures with captions:
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CAPTION: “Kista Science City is a unique location for information and communication technology research and development.”
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CAPTION:"Kista Science Tower is a landmark among the area’s over 500 ICT companies.”
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CAPTION: “New generations of wireless technology are under development in the ICT cluster Kista Science City.”