Shaping the future since 1984

In the early 1980s, fewer than 1,000 people in Swedish industry had a doctorate. Recognizing the need for an organisation that could mobilize the scientific expertise of a technical university, Chalmers applied to establish the Chalmers Industriteknik. On November 26, 1984, the foundation was established as part of Chalmers University.

In collaboration with Chalmers University of Technology, Chalmers Industriteknik launched the annual summit Chalmers Executive Seminars. Well-known leaders from business and academia were invited to facilitate concrete collaboration in competence development and research. In 1989, the seminars were incorporated into the CHAMPS international leadership development program.

The production development activities generated good financial results and balanced the investments in the strategic development areas of the Foundation. However, in the summer of 1991, the industry suffered an economic crisis. As a result, Chalmers Industrial Engineering suffered a loss equivalent to SEK 1 million per month.

Chalmers became a foundation in the form of an AB in 1994, which meant greater freedom of movement for the university. Chalmers wanted to create organizational clarity in areas such as venture capital. In 1998, Chalmers Innovation AB was replaced by ChalmersInvest AB, which then took over the Chalmers Industriteknik’s Synergos innovation investments.

Chalmers Industriteknik and Chalmers achieve an international reputation for “the world’s best recurring state-of-the-art S&T updates.” Chalmers Industriteknik is commissioned to design the intellectual content and profile of several technology parks around the world, including Lindholmen Science Park. We provide the basis for government decisions in energy, infrastructure, and innovation support.

IRIS recognized Chalmers Industriteknik as an institute (Industry Research Institutes of Sweden). Chalmers will have its university-based institute at its disposal.

The Foundation now has 344 partners, 40% of whom are manufacturing companies in Sweden and 15 other countries in Europe, the US, Asia, Africa and Australia.

A development process is launched to streamline, develop and clarify our activities for our clients in academia, industry, and government. Several of the subsidiaries are sold off. Chalmers Industriteknik has become a recognised university-based institute for research-related development with approximately 80 employees in the parent foundation and specialist companies. Most of the foundation’s employees are PhDs, with at least ten associate professors in various departments. As of now, no government funds are spent on running our operations. The same year, Chalmers Industriteknik entered the design field and formed the subsidiary BOID.

Our foundation further develops collaborations around complex collaborative projects with partners from academia, industry, and government nationally and within the EU. New areas of expertise are established, while two more subsidiary companies are sold off. Today, Chalmers Industriteknik has more than 100 employees working primarily in five areas of expertise – Innovation Management, Energy, Materials, Circular Economy and Applied AI. Our areas of expertise have changed and evolved over the years, but the mission remains the same: to close the gap between research and industry.