A new report from Forum for Social Innovation Sweden how impact labs help researchers and staff at Swedish universities translate knowledge into solutions to societal challenges. The report compiles experiences from both established and emerging labs and highlights the need for innovation support that focuses on societal benefit.
Swedish universities have long been working to put academic knowledge to practical use and promote innovation through advisory services, funding, and networking. However, this support has often focused on the commercialization of technical and medical research. The new report, *Impact Labs at Swedish Universities*, describes how several universities are developing broader innovation support to address societal challenges and contribute to sustainable development.
The report is based on a national learning process regarding impact labs conducted by Forum for Social Innovation Sweden Forum for Social Innovation Sweden) in 2025–2026, as well as experiences from impact labs at Örebro University, Malmö University, Lund University, and Linköping University, and from planned initiatives at Linnaeus University, Umeå University, and Luleå University of Technology. What these labs have in common is that they provide support to researchers and other staff who wish to develop knowledge, methods, and research findings into solutions with clear societal benefits.
Örebro University took the lead in expanding support for innovation
The Social Impact Lab at Örebro University began building support for social innovation within academia in 2017 and was a pioneer in efforts to broaden innovation capacity. In 2024, Malmö University launched a Societal Impact Lab, and Lund University has also recently launched an impact lab.
Through the Societal Impact Lab, we can demonstrate the breadth of innovation. Our goal is for our research and knowledge to benefit society. I hope that our lab participants will inspire others to pursue this broad application of our work.
Caroline Wigren-Kristoferson, Vice President for Collaboration and Innovation at Malmö University and Chair of the Steering Committee for Forum for Social Innovation Sweden.
Impact Labs plays an important role in academia
A total of 75 participants have taken part in the impact labs studied since their inception, with a total of 68 ideas that have been developed or further refined in the labs. According to the report, impact labs serve an important function in a context where many societal challenges require new forms of collaboration, implementation, and organization. The labs not only offer support in developing ideas but also provide a setting where participants can test, refine, and gain buy-in for solutions together with others.
Labben provides a space for both researchers and innovation advisors to take a broader approach to innovation.
Malin Lindberg, visiting professor of social innovation at Malmö University, who led the study and is the lead author of the report.
The report also shows that these types of environments can help broaden the perspective on innovation in higher education—from a focus on patents and companies to greater recognition of innovation that benefits society.
Report Provides a Comprehensive Overview of a Field in Development
For Forum for Social Innovation Sweden , the report Forum for Social Innovation Sweden a basis for the continued development of academia’s work on social innovation and civic engagement. It shows that impact labs can play an important role in strengthening higher education institutions’ ability to translate research and expertise into practical change—and thereby help address current societal challenges in new ways.
At the same time, the report provides a comprehensive overview of a field in development. As more universities are now experimenting with new ways to support innovation that benefits society, our understanding of what is needed to build long-term structures where academic knowledge can make a tangible difference in society is also growing.
Watch the webinar announcing the report's release on YouTube:
Read previous news articles about Impact Labs:
How to Foster Social Innovation in Academia
New lab to address societal challenges through research