PEAK Summary 2011

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2011

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THE JÄMTLAND

REGION

MID SWEDEN

2 | PEAK INNOVATION SUMMARY

Peak Innovation is the Jämtland region’s investment in future growth. Its goal is to stimulate research and business development; the vision is that by 2016 the Jämtland region will be the leading European environ-ment for research and business development in tourism, sports and the outdoors. It will do this by creating growth in new and existing companies, producing research that is of commercial interest, attracting invest-ment and strengthening the region’s branding and competitiveness.

Peak Innovation is a partnership between business, academia, the public sector and the sports movement. The stakeholders are business (through Peak Business & Sports AB) Jämtland-Härjedalens Idrottsförbund, Mid Sweden University, the municipalities of Östersund, Krokom and Åre, and Jämtland County Council. Peak Innovation is run by a jointly-owned company – Mid Sweden Science Park AB.

PEAK INNOVATION

PEAK INNOVATION SUMMARY | 3

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CONTENTS10 DIGITAL INNOVATION

DEVELOPING SKIING

14 INTERNATIONALISATION– IN SEARCH OF EXCELLENCE

16 A WORLD CLASSTESTING & RESEARCH LAB

24PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTAT SPORTSTECH

36NEW SERVICESFOR FUTURE TOURISM

40A REWARDING PARTNER-SHIP WITH SOG

46ALPINE ACTIVITIESIN ÅRE

52 ELMACCHINA– AN ELECTRIFYING FUTURE

4 REGIONAL COOPERATION – A MOTOR FOR GROWTH 5 IN BRIEF – NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS 13 PEAK INNOVATION ADVISORY BOARD 23 NEW INVESTMENTS IN TRADE AND INDUSTRY 28 PEAK INNOVATION AWARD 29 NEW COLLABORATIONS 30 SCANDINAVIAN OUTDOOR SUMMIT 32 THIS IS THE PEAK REGION 33 DEVELOPMENT FUNDING 34 POPULAR CAPITAL MARKET DAYS 44 VINNOVA – TASKED WITH GROWTH 56 IN BRIEF – NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS 58 PEAK INNOVATION OFFERS

PEAK INNOVATION SUMMARY highlights a selection of activities that Peak Innovation has initiated, contributed to or been indirectly involved with during the period July 2008 – April 2011. These include everything from inspiring discussions, creating meeting places for idea generation, helping with financial solutions to supporting actual implementation.

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD AND THE MANAGING DIRECTOR

REGIONAL COOPERATION CREATES GROWTHStrong partnerships with higher education, business, local authorities and the sports world are the foundation of the Jämtland region’s investments in tourism, sport and the outdoors. We are at an early stage in this innovation system; during our first 30 months we have established a platform from which we can achieve the vision of being “a leading European environment for business development and research in tourism, sports and the outdoors”. We are now intensifying and focusing our activities to create growth in the Peak industries and to strengthen the region’s and the nation’s international presence.

THE WORLD IS INCREASINGLY interested in what Jämtland has to offer in tourism, sport and the outdoors. We are living longer, are healthier for longer, we have disposable income and we choose to spend it on these activities and experiences. This international trend provides the region and the nation with great potential for the future.

Receiving the nation’s and Vinnova’s approval for our work on assuming this international position is an honour, but also an obligation – and we definitely have all the right conditions for success. However, this type of development takes time and we are at an early stage. The financing from Vinnova stretches for eight years, but international experience shows that it takes 12-15 years before an innovation system achieves full effectiveness.

Mid Sweden University is making targeted investments in re-search environments and programmes and courses with the rel-evant specialisations. We have a sports movement at the leading edge of creating the right conditions for the international elite, and we have a regional association that focuses on the munici-palities of Åre, Krokom and Östersund. We also have trade and industry with many small players who see themselves as a natural part of this development. Peak Innovation will utilise and coordi-nate the drive for development found in the more than thousand

small and medium-sized businesses in the Peak industries. This will take place in partnership with research environments and with their own business development.

Important elements in this development work are the Ex-ecutive Board, which has members from a wide range of back-grounds, and the almost 50-person strong Samhandlingsgruppen [The Advisory Board], chaired by County Governor Britt Boh-lin. The region’s recognised ability to promote cooperation has enabled our cluster ethos. It is with admiration and joy that we would like to express our gratitude for the commitment that so many within the partnership and our activities have displayed during our first years of operation.

We are now entering the next phase, when our experiences of work with the cluster will provide focus and enable us to further prioritise and garner support for the innovation system.

Our goals:• To create growth for new and existing companies • To establish new companies and activities • To produce more research results of commercial interest • To attract investment • To strengthen the regional brand and competitiveness

Jens NilssonChairman of the Board

Lasse LindqvistManaging Director/Process Manager

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VISION 2016:

The Jämtland region

is a leading European

environment for business

development and research

in tourism, sports and the outdoors.


IN BRIEF

2000 On 13 June 2000, Östersund Municipality’s Executive Board decided to appoint a special group with representatives of various inter-est groups and sectors of society to produce a development plan for Östersund

2001 “Peak of Tech Adventure 2000” states that the municipality’s future will be built on “events, the experi-ence industry and experience business and technology”. The plan was approved by the municipality’s Executive Board on 28 June 2001.

2003 Application to VINNVÄXT. Rejected.

2004 New application to VINNVÄXT. Rejected on the grounds of insufficient involvement from trade and industry.

2005 Mid Sweden University received full status as a university

2002Application submitted to

VINNVÄXT, a competition run

by VINNOVA (Sweden’s inno-

vation agency) for funds for a

pilot study. A planning grant is

approved for further develop-

ment of an application for the

award of VINNVÄXT 2003.

WHAT’S UP?City Sprint Cup, Green Highway and training tourism were a few of the projects and activities that were presented on 23 November 2010 under the title of What’s Up? Destination Östersund AB was organiser and hosted an afternoon session in the international hall at Åre-Östersund Airport, with the aim of providing an overall picture of what’s happening in the region. More than 70 people came to listen to the talks, which were given as highly ap-preciated mini-lectures. 16 March 2011 saw a repeat of What’s Up? with 10 new and exciting projects that were pre-sented to more than 100 invited guests.

ITALY IN FOCUSA delegation from the Veneto region of Italy visited Östersund on 2 September 2010 to talk about the Italian market. The Veneto region’s chamber of commerce and innova-tions office were both represented, as was the Swedish Trade Council in Italy. Invited companies and organi-sations could share tangible export contacts and solid information about Italy as a potential market through presentations and round-table discus-sions. The Italian delegates also had the opportunity to visit the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre and Sportstech. The organisers were ALMI Globala Rummet in partner-ship with Peak Innovation.

MILESTONES FOR PEAK INNOVATION

IN BRIEF

READY WITH A PRELIMINARY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS STUDY With the ambition of developing Östersund as a venue for World Cup and World Championship events, a trip to Ruhpolding, Germany, was arranged in January 2011 to study the international biathlon destination in terms of business development and research. It is now definitely clear that there will be a preliminary study for a possible campaign for a new Biathlon World Championships in Östersund. The preliminary study is backed by Östersund Municipality; business, represented by the Chamber of Com-merce; ETOUR, supported by Peak Innovation; plus the Swedish Biathlon Federation. Destination Östersund AB is also taking part as a reference group.

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IN BRIEF


NEW COMPANY – MARSBLADE ABPer Mårs from Östersund played professional ice hockey for Brynäs and was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL. He identified a need for better preseason training and started wondering about a solution that would provide an inline skate with the same feel and characteristics as an ice hockey skate. He found it by placing the rounded shape of the ice hockey blade between the shoe and the inline blade.

This patented technology can also be used on traditional skates, long-distance skates and for cross-country skiing, and product develop-ment has already begun in these areas. The project is run by the newly started Mars-blade AB company in cooperation with Peak Innovation. Per Mårs has studied Sports Science and SKARP Business and Product Development at Mid Sweden University, where he also worked on the blade.

EXPOSURE IN CHINA Du Mingrui, editor of Outside Magazine in China, one of the biggest outdoor magazines in the world, travelled to Jämtland on 3–4 May 2010. He visited the companies Woolpower, Hilleberg the Tentmaker, Lundhags and Klätter-musen plus Mid Sweden University’s Sportstech research environment and the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre. He is pictured below with Mikael Swarén (left) at the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre.

2005 The process restarts on the initiative of Mid Sweden University, through the university’s ETOUR faculty. Business is invited to take part and there is a high level of interest. The Peak of Tech Adventure AB platform is created (now Peak Business & Sports AB).

2007 The region’s unique agreement on forming a partnership to take part in the initiative is signed in April 2007. The parties involved are Mid Sweden University, Jämtland-Härjedalen Sports Association, Östersund Municipality, Krokom Municipality, Åre Municipality and businesses in the region through Peak of Tech Adventure AB (now Peak Business & Sports AB).

2007 The Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre becomes part of Mid Sweden University.

2008 The partnership submits an application to VINNVÄXT for the third time in March 2008, this time to “VINNVÄXT Early Phase”.

2006 The region is awarded a plan-

ning grant of SEK 2 million by

VINNOVA to produce the final

version of the application.

INTERSPORT GERMANY VISITED ÅRE Every other year, Intersport Germany offers all its stores a trip somewhere in the world to test skis and equipment. One such trip was to Colorado, USA. Thanks to Scandinavian Outdoor Group, which forwarded the enquiry to Peak Innovation, Åre hosted this year’s trip in February 2011. The visitors watched a presentation about Åre, focusing on the development of alpine skiing, and learned more about the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre in Åre, specifically the R&D project that in-cluded SoleMate AB and their Cantmate product, a ski boot grinding machine. Those who wished could have their boots measured and ground. A total of 18 people participated on the trip, including the executive management of Intersport Germany.

IN BRIEF


ÅRE ATTRACTS INTERNATIONAL TV PRODUCTION INTERESTWith Swedish TV 3’s major production Landskampen [The International Match], which began on 27 January 2011, Åre and Jämtland are consolidating their position as a loca-tion for TV productions. Anders Sundberg, managing director of OTW Television, which was responsible for producing Landskampen, believes that Åre has the potential to become Sweden’s answer to Fort Boyard.

“If the concept of the programme is a success I see great opportunities to export the format internationally, which in the long run may mean that TV companies from around the world come to Åre to record their local version,” says Anders Sundberg, a native of Östersund.

Peak Innovation assisted the production with its expertise in sport and the outdoors.

Anders Sundberg, Managing Director of OTW Television; Björn Dählie, former skier, and Lars Lindqvist, Managing Director of Peak Innovation, on location at Rödkullen during filming of Lands-kampen, TV3’s major new production.

COOPERATION WITH CHAMONIXA study visit to Chamonix, France, a destination which has very success-fully founded a creative development environment within sport, tourism and outdoor activities, took place in April under the auspices of Peak Innovation’s Advisory Board. The purpose of the trip was to study how to build up an innovation system and research and development at a well-known skiing resort in Europe and to seek to collaborate with ENSA (Ecole Nationale de Ski et d’Alpinisme).

Representatives of Peak Innova-tion, Mid Sweden University and Åre Municipality took part in the trip to Chamonix.

2008 Activities within Peak of Tech Adventure starts on 1 July 2008. Research environments, the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre, Sportstech and ETOUR begin a research project within the frame-work of Peak of Tech Adventure.

2008 A shareholder agreement in Mid Sweden Science Park AB (MSSP AB) is signed on 31 October 2008. The owners are Mid Sweden University, Öster-sund Municipality, Krokom Municipality, Åre Municipality, Jämtland-Härjedalen Sports Association and the business platform Peak of Tech Adven-ture AB. Mid Sweden Science Park AB runs the Peak of Tech Adventure initiative.

2008 In May 2008 VINNOVA decides to finance Peak of Tech Adven-ture as one of four winners of “VINNVÄXT Early Phase”. The region’s Peak of Tech Adventure initiative therefore becomes part of a select group consisting of a total of 12 areas identified by VINNOVA as ones with great growth potential.

OAS IN JÄMTLANDStarting on 25 March 2011, 50 invited European journalists, tour operators and agencies spent five days exploring the county, on skis, on skates and enjoying local artisan foods. These experiences were alternated with a workshop at which the region’s destinations and businesspeople had the chance to do business with the participants. The Outdoor Academy of Sweden (OAS) was organised by Visit Sweden and Scandinavian Outdoor Group along with Jämtland Härjedalen Turism and Peak Innovation.

IN BRIEF


2009 March – agreement with Peak of Tech Adventure AB finalised, other support functions are recruited.

2009 In the spring the initiative is renamed Peak Innovation. Shortly thereafter the business platform Peak of Tech Adventure AB changes name to Peak Business & Sports AB (PBS AB).

2009 Samhandlingsgruppen [The Advisory Board] is formed and holds its first meeting in August.

2009 On 1 January 2009 additional finance is secured from the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth, which awarded a grant from the regional development fund. Jämtland County Council also decides to provide financial support.

2008 Partnership agreement signed

with Scandinavian Outdoor

Group (SOG). SOG signs part-

nership agreements with Peak

of Tech Adventure AB and the

company becomes an associate

member of SOG.

NEW BUSINESS PLAN FOR SWEDENWhat are Sweden’s strengths? How do we create more innovation? What is needed for small and medium-sized companies to grow? The Royal Swed-ish Academy of Engineering Sciences arranged a workshop in Stockholm on 18-19 November 2010 as part of the Innovation för tillväxt [Innovation for Growth] project, where county repre-sentatives of business and the authori-ties were present and met researchers, decision-makers and business owners at national level. Tomas Ekström, Peak Innovation, and Bengt-Åke Strömquist of the county council’s Executive Board took part from Jämtland. In October 2011 the Innovation för tillväxt project will submit Affärsplan Sverige [Business Plan Sweden] to the government – a basis on which Sweden can improve its innovative strength in the long term.


COUNTY COUNCIL ASSEMBLY NEW CO-OWNER IN PEAK INNOVATIONFrom 1 January 2010 the assembly of Jämtland County Council is a co-owner in Mid Sweden Science Park AB, which builds up and manages the region’s in-novation system Peak Innovation.

STUDY VISIT TO CREATIVE MANCHESTERManchester, which was previously associated with the textile industry, is a leading example of a city which has managed to rise again after losing an important basic industry. Creative and cultural innovative processes and the creation of clusters have resulted in Manchester now being regarded as Britain’s second city. The aim of the trip was to learn lessons from the work done to change Manchester and the possibility of making international contacts. Representatives of Mid Sweden Science Park, MIUN, Östersund Municipality and Peak Innovation took part in the trip in October 2010, visiting Manchester Science Park, Manchester Knowledge Capital, Manchester Enterprise Centre, incubators and universities. The trip was part of Peak Innovation’s work on internationalisation and took place in partner-ship with the Drivkraft project.

Among those visiting Manchester were Jakob Lindvall, Soft Financing AB, Titti Rodling, Evolvum, and Åsa Brandelius, Development Manager at Östersund Municipality.

IN BRIEF

IN BRIEF


2009 Soft Financing AB is formed, focusing on development funding.

2009 Peak Innovation joins Åre’s 2020 vision group.

2009 Innovationshuset [The Innovation House] opens. Colocated with MIUN Innovation, Business Incubator, VTC and Connect.

2009 Peak Innovation Award is presented at Guldgalan, the regional business awards gala.

2010 From 1 January 2010, Jämtland County Council is a part owner of Mid Sweden Science Park AB.

2010 Premiere for Åre Kapitalmarknads-dagar [Åre Capital Market Days].

2010 Destination company Destination Östersund AB formed.

2011 The Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre establishes an alpine R&D centre in Åre.

2011 The Swedish Ski Association’s alpine activities move to Åre.

2011 Scandinavian Outdoor Summit in

Åre. Peak Innovation and SOG form a joint company for outdoor business development.

2011 The Peak Innovation Business Centre opens in Åre.

2009 Peak Innovation Lab. Product development at Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre.

THE INNOVATION PLAYERS ARE GATHERINGMany of the region’s innovation re-sources are now gathered in shared premises on Campus in Östersund. O Building at Kunskapens väg 4 is home to Peak Innovation, Business Incubator Jämtland, MIUN Innova-tion, Connect and VTC, Vehicle Tech-nical Center Östersund. Partnerships and cooperation create the right conditions for growth and develop-ment in the region. Drop in for a visit, whether you have suggestions and ideas or just want to chat over a cup of coffee. Welcome!

TARGETING SUSTAINABILITY CREATES 75 NEW JOBSA new centre of expertise in sustainability will help small and medium-sized European com-panies in the tourism, sport, outdoor activities and other sectors to increase their competi-tiveness and make sustainable product decisions.

A regional scheme to establish a centre of expertise was implemented in Östersund in 2010. The scheme was initiated by the company Coresource in partnership with the Swed-ish Public Employment Service Jämtland, the county council’s executive board, Siemens PLM Software, Peak Innovation and leading sustainability researchers from Mid Sweden University, Blekinge Institute of Technology and Luleå University of Technology. According to Ulf Bergvall, MD of Coresource, the ambition is to create a large number of new jobs.

“The rate at which people are taken on will be decided by how demand looks from the customers we are cultivating. Based on the information we have today it’s looking posi-tive,” Ulf Bergvall explains.

Consumer awareness and demand for products to be sustainable is growing. Questions about chemical content, energy consumption or child workers are becoming more and more common. As international sustainability requirements increase, there is pressure on the company to change its processes and material handling in order to minimise negative effects on social, economic and environmental sustainability. But it’s a big area and the demands are complex. Expertise is required for the company to be able to exploit sustain-ability as a competitive advantage. The skills centre makes the expertise available.

“This will be a competitive advantage for the Peak companies within tourism, sport and the outdoors, looking for success on new international markets,” Lasse Lindqvist, Managing Director of Peak Innovation, notes.

Illustration: Hilleberg the Tentmaker AB

IN BRIEF


BRACKE SYSTEMS

TWO INNOVATIONS TO REVOLUTIONISE SKIING


BRACKE SYSTEMS

Bracke Systems AB in Jämtland is a small company with enormous expertise. Ten years ago, this company with its roots in the forests of Norrland, developed an advanced GPS-based navigation system for forest machines. This idea has now been developed into a unique, mobile management system for vehicle fleets in alpine ski resorts and cross-country skiing centres around the world.

“NOT ENOUGH SNOW, snow guns must add more artificial snow. Here is a danger-ous ice patch that needs dealing with, and the protective nets must be fixed here.”

The piste machine driver records his observations in the vehicle computer and can communicate continually with his foreman. PisteGIS is software developed by Bracke Systems in partnership with Skistar, Scandinavia’s biggest player in al-pine skiing. Skistar’s large fleet of piste ma-chines can, with the help of PisteGIS, do significantly more than groom the slopes.

The piste machines have been equipped with a GPS/GIS-based trip computer, which means the foreman for each ski area can continually record and update the in-structions for each shift. Tasks that have been completed can be quickly and easily checked off by the driver on the touch screen, and are automatically reported to the management. Com-munication is two-way and the piste machine driver can record his own obser-vations during his shift. They may involve prob-lems with safety devices, missing signs, dangerous ice patches or other issues that need dealing with.

“We have even equipped the piste ma-chines with snow-depth gauges, which provide great opportunities for savings. It’s a great advantage if the artificial snow is in the right place the first time,” says Joakim Ek, Managing Director of Bracke Systems. He continues:

“What we have done is to develop a mobile management system that saves power, time, money and wear. And which, in the end, results in better skiing, in-

creased safety and satisfied ski guests.”Bracke Systems is a good example of

how a small company, with the right ex-pertise and innovative thinking, can come a long way with its business idea – which could be said to be in its infancy.

“In the not too distant future, commer-cial traffic, such as service cars and snow ploughs, will be equipped with similar sys-tems,” predicts Joakim Ek.

CROSSGIS AND LANGDPLUSThe “CrossGIS” GPS system and the “Langdplus” web service are revolutionis-ing cross-country skiing. Skiers can access a large amount of valuable information via the internet and their mobiles.

“The snowball is rolling. Ski resorts and tourist centres have a fantastic opportu-

nity to commercialise and develop cross-country skiing,” says Joakim Ek.

Bracke Systems has produced two linked innovations: the CrossGIS GPS system that optimises trail management for cross-country skiing centres, and the Langdplus web service that provides ski-ers/ski guests with a number of new serv-ices. They can obtain exact information about the current status of the cross-coun-try trail, for example whether their favour-ite trail has been groomed. The system can also include digital subscription services such as weather and waxing tips, and can

“ What we have done is to develop a mobile management system that saves power, time, money and wear.”

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SAID ABOUT BRACKE SYSTEMS

MAGNUS MYHRManaging Director, Bruksvallarna/Ramundberget alpine sport centres.

“CrossGIS really works very well. We know that we get lots of hits on our website, where skiers can see the current status of our network of ski trails. They can see the exact times when their track is prepared by our machines.

Up in the mountains the weather can change very quickly and trails can rapidly be snowed over or covered by drifts, so skiers therefore depend on precise information in order to plan their skiing. We developed CrossGIS in partnership with Bracke Systems, which works very well.”

ANDERS ASPHOLMOperations Manager at Skistar Åre.

“PisteGIS is a perfect tool for communication, planning and reporting procedures. We make very good use of PisteGIS and snow-depth measuring equipment. We can direct our snow production to exactly the places where more snow is required.

We can clearly see an improvement in the skiing product and increased benefit to visitors thanks to the mobile guidance system which PisteGIS makes possible. I am also convinced that that PisteGIS can be further developed and have new applications in the future.”

also be used to allow skiers to pay track fees via the web or SMS.

“It’s not possible to take just a quick look at all the functions and services that can be used in Langdplus, which we hope will be a shared web platform and a stand-ard for Scandinavian ski facilities,” says Joakim Ek from Bracke Systems, which has developed both products.

DIGITALISED SKIINGLangdplus and CrossGIS, combined with video cameras and sensors along the trails, as well as microchips on the skiers, mean

that the digital world is taking a step into cross-country skiing, for both racing and recreation.

The days of coaches running alongside skiers and shouting intermediate times, will soon be a thing of the past – the ath-lete will receive continuous, instantaneous information about his or her position in the field.

“Recreational skiers will be able to par-ticipate in training groups, compare times with elite skiers, have a digital training di-ary, take part in races and so much else, but still ski at the times that suit him or

her. I see endless possibilities for making cross-country skiing and training both more efficient and fun,” says Joakim Ek.

For ski resorts and tourist destinations, Bracke Systems’ innovations mean that it is finally possible to commercialise and de-velop cross-country skiing.

“Yes, now they can provide ski guests with first rate information, they can package services that provide income which, in turn, means that the trail system can be expanded and developed. There is a great deal of inter-est from ski resorts,” concludes Joakim Ek.

FACTS, PLAYERS AND PARTNERSPisteGIS, CrossGIS and Langdplus have been developed in partnership with Peak Innovation, Vinnova, the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre, SkiStar Åre and Funäsdals-fjällen AB.

BRACKE SYSTEMS

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PEAK INNOVATION ADVISORY BOARD

IN THE SPRING of 2009, the manage-ment worked on appointing Samhan-dlingsgruppen [The Advisory Board] for Peak Innovation. Samhandlingsgruppen is a strategically important part of the inno-vation system. Experience from other in-novation systems/clusters has shown that regional mobilisation is a prerequisite for the creation of an effective innovation sys-tem. This deals with influencing cultures and attitudes, building trust and social capital, making the most of synergies and systematically building learning into the system. The interplay between business-es, researchers, public bodies and sports, which we call 4Helix, is decisive in achiev-ing success in an international perspective.

The primary task of Samhandlings-gruppen is dissemination and influence within the project, as well as the coordina-tion of different stakeholders and players

in the innovation system. Additionally, the board should contribute to the coor-dination of actions within the region and aiming any overarching strategies in the same direction.

EXPANDING GROUPMore than thirty people participated in the first meeting in August 2009, and around ten more members have joined during subsequent meetings. The group currently consists of more than forty peo-ple and is chaired by County Governor Britt Bohlin. As the activities of Peak In-novation develop, the group will be ex-panded with more stakeholders/organisa-tions. The group meets 4-6 times per year. In addition to these meetings, some mem-bers of Samhandlingsgruppen participate in national and international study visits.

Samhandlingsgruppen [The Advisory Board] is a strategic collaborative network that involves the region’s main players. The group’s primary task is dissemination and influence within the project, and the coordination of different stakeholders and players in the innovation system. It is chaired by the County Governor, Britt Bohlin.

Chairman of Samhandlingsgruppen,County Governor Britt Bohlin.

COLLECTIVE ACTION – A MEANS OF SUCCESS

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IN SEARCH OF EXCELLENCE

INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS

Now that the market is global and the whole world is shouting “Choose me!”, something extra is needed. Peak Innovation’s task is therefore to increase the exportability of products and services to give the Jämtland region, and thus Sweden, extra visibility internationally.

PEAK INNOVATION HAS identified a number of successful European environ-ments in order to make an international comparison. The aim is to develop part-nerships with these examples of best prac-

tice to strengthen and deepen ties with the rest of Europe, as well as to increase Swe-den’s attraction internationally.

Work is carried out through activities such as study visits/business trips, delega-

tions to the region and events with expe-rience and knowledge transfer as central themes. The aim is that this will lead to joint projects for international growth, among other things.

VENETO REGION, ITALY The Veneto region is one of Europe’s most interesting regions for cluster development.

RESEARCHERS, EDUCATION PROVIDERS and representatives from Peak Innovation have visited Chamonix and established con-tacts, primarily with their educational activities and Chamonix’ thriving tourism business. An experience exchange has resulted in a continued partnership on education issues.

Destination Chamonix, part of the Rhone Alpes area, is also known as the Chamonix-Mont Blanc Valley.

Chamonix is a world renowned tourism destination for alpine activities, both summer and winter. Ecole Nationale de Ski et d’Alpinisme (ENSA) carries out R&D in alpine skiing and mountain-eering. Chamonix is part of “Best of The Alps”, an association of the most classic and well-established alpine destinations in Europe. Chamonix welcomes more than five million national and interna-tional visitors every year.

THE CHAMONIX REGION, FRANCEChamonix is a world class destination for alpine tourism.

INTERNATIONALISATION

IN COOPERATION WITH the Mini Europe project, Peak Inno-vation has organised a delegation to Östersund/Åre with repre-sentatives from the Veneto region’s innovation office, chamber of commerce, tourism concept and the Swedish Trade Council Italy. The meeting resulted in an invitation to Veneto and identified op-portunities for continued cooperation, particularly as partners in upcoming EU projects.

The region is in the north-east of Italy and is the county’s leading region for growth and entrepreneurship. The Veneto region has three science parks, many business/industry clusters, 26 innovation centres and a regional innovation office. Montebelluna, in Treviso province in the Veneto region is a typical and widely known shoe and ski boot cluster as well as a large cluster for tourism experi-ences, Venice and Tirol.


IN SEARCH OF EXCELLENCE

ALONG WITH REGIONAL administration, the sports movement, trade and industry and research environments, Peak Innovation has visited Ruhpolding to compare our region’s investments in bia-thlon with the German equivalent. The main aim of the study visit was to identify opportunities for research and development.

Ruhpolding is a small town in the Traunstein district (Bayern) in Germany. The village is famous as a spa and tourist destination, with many facilities for a range of winter sports. Internationally, Ruhpold-ing is biathlon’s Mecca, with annual World Cup races that attract huge crowds and stakeholders in winter sports from around the world. Ruhpolding has a lavish biathlon stadium with new construc-tion and improvements being made as preparation for the 2012 World Championships. The biathlon organisers have successfully achieved spin-off effects in both the race area and in the town.

RUHPOLDING, GERMANYRuhpolding is one of the world’s most successful arenas for biathlon events.

IN COOPERATION WITH a regional project for creative businesses, Peak Innovation has organised a study visit to Manchester to take a closer look at work on regional development in the form of in-novation and cluster development, as well as incubator activities.

Manchester is a successful example of how a city can use creative and cultural innovation processes and clusters for regeneration after the loss of an important industry, and help the private and public sectors better understand each other’s needs.

Manchester is putting many resources into becoming a place where great ideas are turned into action, a place that acts like a magnet for creative and enterprising people, a place where compa-nies want to do business and a place where social innovation can thrive.

MANCHESTER/LANCASTER, UNITED KINGDOMManchester is one of Europe’s leaders in regional development through creativity and entrepreneurship.

NUMEROUS visits to the region have resulted in concrete partner-ship projects, knowledge exchange and work on creating the right conditions for joint transregional Interreg projects.

Lillehammer Kunnskapspark (knowledge park) has successfully focused on cluster and product development in sport and tourism and the region is striving to be Europe’s most complete region for winter experiences. Along with the business networks in the region, includ-ing the strong Snowball tourism cluster, they have long worked on the targeted development of social media and intellectual property linked to their investments. A large number of elite athletes in a range of winter sports have chosen to live, train and study in the Lille-hammer region. The region is also very successful in event develop-ment, both as regards business development and R&D.

THE LILLEHAMMER REGION, NORWAY The Lillehammer region is recognised for its success in concept and cluster development.

INTERNATIONAL ISAT ION


THE SWEDISH WINTER SPORTS RESEARCH CENTRE


The Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre at Mid Sweden University in Östersund has rapidly become the place to be for elite winter athletes, researchers and companies. This is where sports research goes hand in hand with the development of future innovations and sports products.

World Championships in cross-country skiing, Oslo 2011. Sweden’s Charlotte Kalla ahead of Norway’s Kristin Stoermer Johaug in the 30 km mass start.

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THE SWEDISH WINTER Sports Research Centre, SWRC, is one of the world’s lead-ing laboratories for winter sports research and development. The centre focuses on innovation, user-driven research and technology and has rapidly become an

international ‘melting-pot’ for research-ers from all over the world, thanks to its unique high-tech facilities and the oppor-tunities it offers.

“Close links between leading research-ers, coaches and elite athletes, particularly

in the field of integrative physiology and biomechanics, combined with coop-eration with performance technicians, has proven to be an efficient model for moving from idea to product,” explains HC Holmberg, Professor and Head of

R&D at the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre. In this proc-ess, the daily training environment becomes a ‘working laboratory’ in which ideas for im-provement can be sci-entifically tested and

new training methods can be validated against performance measures, using ‘im-proved performance’ as the central moti-vator for research and development. The research centre has been credited as a key factor behind the success of the Swedish

cross-country ski team at the 2010 Van-couver Winter Olympic Games.

At the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre there is also comprehensive devel-opment of technical sporting equipment. This includes work by Craft which, in partnership with the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre and Ski Team Sweden, has designed a new race suit in muscle-assisting material. Sture Espwall, research administrator at the centre, is very positive about this partnership:

“We have a great number of active sportspeople and the facilities are such good quality that companies see great value in being here. We have increasing collaboration with companies that want to develop their sports products.”

SWRC is also one of two Olympic test centres associated with the Swedish Olympic Committee.

Above: Head of Testing at SWRC, Martina Höök, spends many hours in Ski Lab A. Top right: Pressure measurement inside snowboard boots. Lower right: Data collection at sprint starts, measuring pole force, pressure, acceleration and speed.

“ The daily training environment becomes a ‘working laboratory’ in which ideas for improvement can be scientifically tested.”


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NEW SUIT FOR THE OLYMPICS – CRAFT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SWRCA partnership between Craft and the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre in Östersund has produced a completely new competition suit for skiers. The suit has a unique ergonomic design and is made from muscle-assisting carbon-fibre fabric.

To test the suits the laboratory engineers had to take a large number of differ-ent variables into account: wind effect, sweat volume, oxygen absorption and heat generation.

“In terms of developing the fabric it is without doubt the most extensive we have done,” says Mikael Swarén, laboratory engineer at the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre.

HELENA EKHOLMWorld Chmapion 2011

“It’s perfect to have the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre and all its expertise. You can sweat on the treadmill and in the gym both during testing and tough training. I have only the best to say about Mid Sweden University, I have been treated positively and been given great help and the right condi-tions to keep studying, despite being away travelling so much.”

EMIL JÖNSSONOverall winner of the Sprint World Cup 2010/2011

“It’s an incredible opportunity for me as an elite sportsman! The Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre gives me the opportunity to check that I’m training well, developing in the right way and that my equipment is as good as possible – thanks to the world-leading testing equipment I can really see my progress.”

CHARLOTTE KALLAOlympic gold medalist 2010, World Champion 2011

“It’s been fantastic to have the Swedish Win-ter Sports Research Centre during the critical period when there’s no snow. It’s reassuring to know that I can have hard training sessions inside on the treadmill. It was also interesting to have the opportunity to ski the Olympic trails on the treadmill.”

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MANY OLYMPIANS FROM ÖSTERSUNDOf the 105 athletes selected for the Swedish Olympic team in Vancouver Olympics 2010 more than a quarter live in Jämtland, and most of them in Östersund.

GOLD LAB TOP OF THE CLASSThe Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre at Mid Sweden University in Östersund is a world leader in re-search focusing on cross-country skis, as regards the number of original published scientific articles in 2010.

VOICES ON SWRC



KARIN MATTSSON-WIJBERChairman of the Swedish Sports Confederation

“The Ski University and the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre, SWRC, have a decisive influence on why so many elite athletes in winter sports have chosen to move to Östersund. SWRC and its facilities were a strong contributing factor in the

Swedish successes at the Vancouver Olympics, and I hope that this will be repeated at the Olympics in Sochi 2014.

The cluster that is found in Östersund and Jämtland, where research, education, the sports movement, business and the public sector cooper-ate, sets a national and international example. It was groundbreaking when sports were absorbed into the regional growth programme as a motor for regional development.”

WOLGANG PICHLERWomen’s Team Coach, Biathlon

“The idea of SWRC is fantastic and Östersund has all the right condi-tions to make it the best biathlon location in the world!”

MATEJ SUPEJAssociate Professor, University of Ljubljana

“The unique lab resources and research skills related to sport made the choice of Mid Sweden University easy for me as guest researcher. My research at the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre is based on developing methods for the measurement and analysis of alpine and cross-country skiing using advanced GPS technology. The access here to research subjects with a high performance level is extremely valuable.”

ANDERS SÖDERHOLMVice-Chancellor, Mid Sweden University

“The Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre, SWRC, centre is of great significance to Swedish sporting perform-ances and an important part of the international research environment. Naturally, this means that SWRC is extremely important to

Mid Sweden University. Collaboration with partners within sports, public bodies and business is an important element of SWRC’s success. Jämtland has areas that are unique in winter sports and tourism. It is im-portant that the region recognises this and channels development efforts to these areas.”

BENGT MARSHMunicipal Director, Östersund Municipality

“Östersund Municipality wants to safeguard The Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre, as one of the most important knowledge and research centres in Europe as regards winter sports. Sports, tourism and the out-doors are our unique profile areas that we, along with higher education and trade and industry, manifest through the Peak Innovation system; a cooperative forum that aims to help make innovations commercially vi-able. We have all the right conditions to make this into something great.

NEW GAUGE FOR SKI BOOTSThe Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre and SoleMate AB have begun collaborating on the development of an alpine gauge within the framework of Peak Innovation. SoleMate holds a patent on a machine and method which involves the angles of the ski boot being adapted to the skier’s physical attributes, for example dif-ferences between the right and left leg. This produces a balanced position which eases and improves the skier’s skiing.

Over the last 15 years competitive alpine skiers have changed the angles of their ski boots to optimise the conditions for making a turn as quickly and efficiently as possible. Individualisation – usu-ally referred to as canting – has been done by changing the shape of the sole by hand. Up to now edging ski boots has involved handicraft, with little precision in the final product. The CantMate machine can adjust the angles of the ski boot so that the final product is exact.

Inventor Johan Monsén with his product CantMate

VOICES ON SWRC

“ The first Olympic gold with the new iron. Wow – how good is that!”

Mats Eklund, head of ski waxing for the Swedish cross-country team, talking about the prototype of a waxing iron which the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre helped develop and which was successfully tested in Vancouver Olympics after which Charlotte Kalla won gold.



INNOVATIVE SKI BASKET“The Inuit have hundreds of words for snow, but long-distance ski-

ers only have one type of ski basket,” Professor HC Holmberg, Head of Research and Development at

the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre, noted three years ago. This question was the starting point for a development project at the Swed-ish Winter Sports Research Centre

and the result – an extremely light basket with a unique design – was used by the Swedish national team in World Cup competitions and the World Championships in Oslo in 2011. Devel-opment work has taken place in close

cooperation with the Swedish Ski Associ-ation, supported by Peak Innovation and

sports product company One Way Sport.

AIMING FOR SOCHI 2014The Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre, SWRC, is the research and development unit of the Swedish Olympic Committee. After the Swedish successes at the Vancouver Olympics, sights are now being set on the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014.

Elite athletes and potential Olympians undergo regular testing and training at the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre. Movement patterns can be established, techniques trained and performance factors measured by leading physiologists. SWRC also has a develop-ment team which, along with manufactur-ers, national coaches, its own and the athletes’ ideas, develops and customises equipment in order to be one step ahead of competition from abroad.

“The Vancouver Olympics has had a very positive influence on our partnership with SWRC, which will intensify ahead of the Olympics in Sochi, both as regards development work and research,” says Peter Reinebo, Sports Director for the Swedish Olympic Committee (SOK).

SOK’s agreement with SWRC primarily covers the Swedish teams in cross-country and alpine skiing, biathlon and skating, followed by freestyle and snowboard.

“Our ambition is to refine our tools and invest more in development projects for specific sporting disciplines,” says Peter Reinebo.

In 2011, Mid Sweden University and SOK will enter deepened research part-nerships, which also means that SWRC will be a centre for and responsible for R&D focusing on performance sports.

ANOTHER STEP IN SKI HELMET SAFETYPOC, together with the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre at Mid Sweden Uni-versity and Peak Innovation, has initiated a collaboration with the intention to better understand what can be done to promote safety by engineering helmets beyond the limits of current standards and certifications.

The findings might even be able to change and improve the way ski helmets are tested and certified in the future. Today´s certifications do not consider the differ-ences between different users. The same standards rule the properties of helmets for a small child as well as the helmets for World Cup downhillers, despite the extreme differences.

Building new testing facilities and evaluating new criteria will enable the identi-fication of new safety aspects and the engineering of more accurate helmets with new proper-ties for the different users and their specific needs.

GOLD IN THE EURO-PEAN CHAMPION-SHIPS FOR SPORTS SCIENCE RESEARCHAt the international research conference at the European College of Sport Science in Oslo 2009, the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre at Mid Sweden Uni-versity was the runaway winner among Swedish higher education institutes, with 26 papers. GIH Stockholm came in sec-ond with 17 papers, Umeå University had three papers and Stockholm University came in last with one paper. Source: Idrott & Kunskap no. 4-2009




PEAK INNOVATION LAB at the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre is a high-tech workshop where engineers develop prototypes, modify designs and optimise technology, all to be at the forefront of performance and product development.

“Our technicians can fine-tune details, develop methods and manufacture equip-ment in partnership with elite athletes, and this is where information from pro-fessional users is invaluable,” says Profes-sor HC Holmberg, Head of Research and Development at Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre.

Along with all the facilities at Peak In-novation Lab, extensive work also takes place out in the field, on slalom slopes and ski tracks. With the help of GPS, gyros, accelerometers, 3D, high-speed cameras and feedback methods which have been developed, the vital “translation” be-tween trainers and athletes can be actively strengthened.

Mikael Swarén, whose post is a result of the partnership with Peak Innovation,

is one of the engineers who works closely with cross-country skiers, alpine skiers, biathletes and their trainers to develop equipment and technology.

“We have developed many good prod-ucts which have also been launched on bigger markets - “mass follows class”. My-self and another engineer are independent resources for national teams and compa-nies and it is very positive that our innova-tions can be commercialised,” Mikael says.

MUSCLE-ASSISTING FIBRESA number of world-leading companies in sports and outdoor activities have chosen to cooperate with the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre and the Peak In-novation Lab in their product develop-ment. Craft’s revolutionary racing suit with muscle-assisting fibres and Oneway’s new “direct action” basket are a couple of the successful results of the partnership between manufacturers, elite athletes, re-searchers and technicians.

PHILIP TAVELLProduct Manager, Craft

“We had a very close and rewarding partner-ship with SWRC ahead of the Vancouver Olympics, when we joined forces to develop our unique racing suit for the Swedish, Polish and Finnish cross-country teams. There are currently a few joint projects underway in running ergonomics. SWRC is testing a new sole and are making thorough tests of foot plants, measuring them using no less than 300 points. The centre has great expertise, especially in winter sports, and we want to continue to benefit from their knowledge and superb equipment when we need help.”

DAVID EKELUNDManaging Director, Icebug

“We have had a new type of footbed for run-ning shoes tested at SWRC. They reduce load and thus the risk of injury. Thanks to the tests at SWRC, our orthopaedic laboratory has received confirmation that they are moving in the right direction.

“SWRC has a very high level of expertise and professionalism, and they have always understood our needs without us having to provide detailed instructions. The results are very valuable to us and we have only positive things to say about our partnership.”

FREDRIK HEIKKIManaging Director, Nordic Trade

“We are an agent for One Way, a Finnish com-pany that makes ski poles, among other things. SWRC has developed an entirely new type of basket that One Way is interested in commer-cialising. The Swedish ski team also think that it’s great and most cross-country skiers already use it when competing in classic races. It’s ex-cellent that SWRC exists and is developing the sport of skiing and, via the national ski teams that we work with, we know that the athletes have absolute confidence in SWRC.”

CHRISTER MAJBÄCKManaging Director, Skigo AB

“We have just started a partnership with SWRC which is very exciting. We have met engineers from SWRC at World Cup races and discussed how to go further. I envision many opportunities for partnerships in devel-oping and refining methods for developing new products for skiing.”

PEAK INNOVATION LAB – FROM IDEA TO FINAL PRODUCT

Advanced sports equipment and technology is developed at the well-equipped Peak Innovation Lab. Access to elite athletes provides unique opportunities to test innova-tive ideas on professional users, something that a growing number of companies have noted.

VOICES ON SWRC

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NEW COMPANIES

NEW VENTURE – ÖSTERSUND CONVENTION BUREAUDestination Östersund AB has decided to co-fund a convention bureau project for two years. The aim is to form the Östersund Convention Bureau AB company together with Östersund Municipality. An application was lodged with the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth on 24 February 2011.

SKIERS ACCREDITEDMikael Åslund, company-development manager in Åre and Andreas Jonsson, ski coach, are now setting up companies in Sweden and Norway which aim to develop skiing and skiers, Skiers Accredited. Prod-ucts have been adapted for an international market and are intended to attract both customers who want to become “black-run skiers” and those who are happy simply to improve. Peak Innovation supports their work through contacts and pilot studies.

SPINTO SWEDEN AB The newly started company Spinto Sweden AB will target training and health tourism in Östersund and the Jämtland/Härjedalen region. Plans for this have blossomed in the wake of the region’s prominent position in tourism, sports and outdoor activities.

“Up to now no one has really tackled the issue. Here we have undervalued assets in the environment, research, facilities, expertise and international athletes. We have to start cooperating, organising health and training package holidays and market-ing ourselves together,” says Börje Olsson, chairman of the board of the new start-up company Spinto Sweden AB.

The company’s ideas about targeting health and training tourism are completely in line with business’s ambitions in Destination Östersund AB, where these branches of tourism are clearly expected to boost Östersund as a destination for tourists and visitors.

Spinto Sweden AB has already made valuable contacts nationally and interna-tionally and with leading local sporting figures and world stars, Peak Innovation, the National Winter Sports Research Centre, the Swedish National Institute of Public Health and others.

“We really believe in this,” says Börje Olsson.

Read about Marsblade AB on page 6, Idrottskassan Sverige Partners AB on page 29, Soft Financing AB on page 33 and Peak Experiences R&D AB on page 39.

NEW COMPANIES

PEAK BUSINESS & SPORTS ABPeak Business & Sports AB is the business and sports platform within Peak Innova-tion. Its aims include working for interna-tional contacts and mediating in product and business-development projects. Its operations are best summed up by the vision: Peak Business & Sports will be the leading network in Europe for business and sports in tourism, sports and the outdoors.

DESTINATION ÖSTERSUND ABÖstersund will be even more attractive to visitors – a new destination company, Destination Östersund AB, will make sure of this. Local trade and industry are the forces behind the new company.

Destination Östersund AB gathers local businesses to form a platform for trade and industry, forming a cooperation to drive development in Östersund. In the fu-ture it will also give the owner companies and members increased profitability.

“Östersund Municipality has long carried the heaviest load. Now local busi-nesses want to do their bit and work to-gether on development issues that benefit us all,” says Christer Sundin, Managing Director of Diös Fastigheter and part-owner of Destination Östersund AB.

Destination Östersund provides Öster-sund Municipality and Östersunds Turist & Kongress with a single committed player and partner with a business focus.

“Many of us are enthusiastic about developing the visitor industry, not just companies with a direct link to tourism, but all of us who see the importance of Östersund developing as a reason to travel and as a place in which to live and work,” says Susanne Norman, vice chairman of Destination Östersund AB and Airport Manager for Åre Östersund Airport.

Destination Östersund AB was formed as part of the Peak Innovation project and now has around 20 owners. Work is done via the board. The company is financed through its owners and is run as a business; it is possible to be an active owner, partner or member. The com-pany’s activities will start in 2011 and include recruiting project managers.

Examples of areas in which Destination Östersund AB is involved include training tourism, infrastructure issues and joint marketing.

MORE NEW COMPANIES

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SPORTSTECH

SPORTSTECH– CREATING THE NEXT GENERATION

OF SPORTS PRODUCTS


SPORTSTECH

THE ENGINEERING PROGRAMME and research at Sportstech is geared towards product development and design in the sports, outdoor and experiential industries. Sportstech has advanced tools for assessing the functionality of existing products and the expertise to improve and develop new, innovative products. It has a unique workshop, including a prototyping machine that provides almost unlimited opportunities for developing prototypes, even in metal.

“We rest on two cornerstones – the students’ passion for sport and the outdoors, and that our research should be suitable for in-dustry,” says Mikael Bäckström, Assistant Professor and Programme Head for Sportstech.

Master’s thesis and research projects at Sportstech are carried out in close cooperation with the many outdoor companies in the region, but also with national and international companies such as Haglöfs, Primus and Halti in Finland. The desire is to further develop partnerships with trade and industry, as Mikael Bäckström explains:

“Sportstech is a young but very ambitious research environment. We are good at technology, but need to be even better at commer-cialisation and attracting companies and investors, not least from abroad.”

Sportstech works on strengthening and deepening ties with Euro-pean research environments and businesses. One example is the re-cently partnership with Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM) within the framework of a textile project.

“It’s all about creating interest in our research whilst also benefitting from the work done by our European colleagues; this also benefits the region in the form of new knowledge and new opportunities,” con-cludes Mikael Bäckström.

The interplay between humans and technology is a core area of research in sports technology. Expert product and process development in sporting and outdoor equipment is carried out at Sportstech at Mid Sweden University in Östersund.

Mikael Bäckström, Assistant Professor and Programme Head for Sportstech.

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SPORTSTECH

Researchers at Sportstech have developed a rollerski with an arch which has to be pushed down to take hold. This ensures more

accurate physical loading for the body and much better technique training than that provided by today’s rollerskis.

SPORTSTECH’S RESEARCHERS, Profes-sors Mats Tinnsten and Peter Carlsson, as well as doctoral student Mats Ainegren, have developed a new rollerski for classical skiing. The new skis have great potential for more realistic ski training during the off-season.

The solution is as simple as it is ingen-ious – an adjustable spring provides the braking force when the ski is vertically loaded. The roller ski behaves exactly like an ordinary ski on snow, in contrast to a

traditional roller ski, which grips the sur-face regardless of skiing technique and body weight. The fact that a roller ski was developed was mainly due to chance. The concept of a backwards-slipping roller ski was hatched by Professor Mats Tinnsten and his colleagues at Sportstech a couple of years ago when it was realised that roller skiing in the controlled laboratory envi-ronment was not sufficiently similar to skiing on snow. In a controlled environ-ment a number of tests can be performed

simply which are not as easy in an outside environment.

“We needed a backwards-slipping roller ski in order to take the research further. We realised that this had not been done before, and that motivated the research-ers. The fact that it could subsequently be-come a commercial product first became a reality when the partnership with Peak Innovation began.

A year passed before Sportstech start-

ed work on the roller ski, booked a lab and formulated a research project. Mats Tinnsten, Professor Peter Carlsson and PhD student Mats Ainegren collaborated with Sten Sandberg, civil engineer at the Side System company in Oviken, to pro-duce designs for the first prototype. Let-ting skiers test the roller ski was consid-ered, but it was decided to wait because of fear that the idea would be plagiarised. There was a parallel partnership with Peak Innovation, who performed a patent

search to establish whether the product could be pat-ented.

“The roller ski has now been patented and we can start on the next step. It is important to bring in ex-

pertise which considers the product from a business-development perspective, and this is where Peak Innovation plays an im-portant role. Our focus is on further devel-oping the product and thereby driving the research forward.

Within a short time another prototype was ready – the fourth in the sequence. The hope is that the roller ski with the new ski-brake technology will be on the market as soon as summer of 2011.

The creators of the Roller ski – Professor Mats Tinnsten, Professor Peter Carlsson and doctoral student Mats Ainegren.

NEW ROLLER SKION THE WAY

“ We needed a backwards-slipping roller ski in order to take the research further.”


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SPORTSTECH

SPORTSTECH IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MUNICHSportstech has entered into a two-year partnership with Technische Universitaet München (TUM) within the framework of a textile project. Unique software de-veloped at TUM, which had previously mainly been used for calculations for large textile-based “roofs” of the type commonly seen on outdoor arenas, will now be adapted for smaller subjects such as tent design, something which Hilleberg and others have shown an in-terest in. As the programme is adapted, knowledge is also being transferred to Mid Sweden University and this may come to benefit companies in the area which are affected.

DEGREE PROJECTS ON TRACKFurther development of rucksack frames, the production of new pole points for roller skiing and new manu-facturing technology for snowboards. These are some of the degree projects which have been completed at Sport-stech and which are being implemented by companies within the Peak Innova-tion cluster.

NEW IDEAS IN ÅREThe engineering programme at Sportstech at Mid Sweden University works closely with Klättermusen AB in Åre, which produces outdoor wear and outdoor products for customers for customers with high demands for durability and safety. Master’s students have developed several prototypes for the company’s high-profile products and many of the solutions which have been submitted are on the way to becoming reality.

“In discussions with the students we gain access to expertise which we’re lacking in several areas,” says Peter Askulv, MD of Klättermusen.

Sportstech has also had degree work used in partnership with Haglöfs, Hilleberg, Halti, Head, Primus, Skiselec-tor, Everest/Stadium and others.

SEGEBADEN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SPORTSTECHTHERE WILL SOON be a new version of the classic Segebaden sledge. Since Dan Eliasson and Martin Helmersson took over Segebaden in 2008, the aim has been not only to produce a new version of the classic sledges in birch but also to target product development. A partnership with Sportstech has been entered into through contacts with Peak Innovation. In the autumn, sports-technology students will work on prod-uct development of Segebaden sledges.

“It’s exciting now that we have 16 minds from varied backgrounds working togeth-er to develop innovative solutions – it produces incredible energy. The aim is to have the sledges on the market next winter,” says Dan Eliasson of Segebadenpulkan AB. www.segebadenpulkan.se

DAN ELIASSONSegebaden AB, Föllinge

“Thanks to Peak Innovation we have access to a network of experts, motivational figures, col-leagues and financiers which are unbelievably profitable. We are a bunch of rookies who have taken over an established brand name and without the resources available to us through Peak Innovation we could not have invested in this.

We truly believe in our business idea and that our company is in completely the right place. Here we have nature and outdoor activities in our blood! It also feels great that so many people are supporting us, not least our colleagues in other outdoor companies in the region.

In the long term we hope that our company can create many jobs in the region.”

SAID ABOUT PEAK INNOVATION


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PEAK INNOVATION AWARD

PEAK INNOVATION AWARD AT GULDGALAN – THE GOLD GALAGuldgalan, which celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2010, is one of Sweden’s biggest corporate galas and aims to highlight the people and businesses that contribute to Jämtland’s future. Peak Innovation has founded the Peak Innovation Award, which was presented for the second time in 2010.

THE GALA BEGAN with a packed day of interesting lectures, including one by Roger Brooks from the US, “tourism’s Dr Phil”, who gauged Jämtland’s future, and one from Grythyttan’s Carl Jan Granqvist, who guided the listeners through the his-tory of a mealtime. Later in the evening,

1200 well-dressed guests were welcomed to OSD in Östersund, and the party and prize-giving continued through the night.

Peak Innovation has founded one of the prizes awarded at Guldgalan - the Peak Innovation Award. The prize is awarded to a business developer, researcher and/or

activities that make a meaningful contri-bution to making the Jämtland region a leading European environment for busi-ness development and research in tourism, sports and the outdoors by 2016.

2009WINNER – BO HILLEBERGNominees – Vision 2011/2020-gruppen in Åre and the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre

JURY MOTIVATION:“With his great enthusiasm, solid knowledge and long experi-ence of the industry, Bo Hilleberg has helped to make Jämtland a well-known region for outdoor activities in Europe. The energy he brings to tourism and business has contributed to increased turnover and profitability in both new and exist-ing companies in tourism, sports and outdoor activities. Bo Hilleberg, with his expertise and his result-oriented working method, is an inspiration to all players in the outdoor industry.”

2010WINNER – SWEDISH WINTER SPORTS RESEARCH CENTRENominees – Klättermusen AB and Bracke Systems AB.

JURY MOTIVATION:“The Swedish Winter Sports Research centre – the Gold Lab – has rapidly reached international prominence and is a world leader in its field. Needs-motivated research and innovative working methods mean that it has contributed to both Swedish gold medals and a place on the world map for Jämtland.”

WINNERS OF THE PEAK INNOVATION AWARD


NEW COLLABORATIONS

HUSKUCABIN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SPORTSTECHIn Tångeråsen, Krokom, Pär-Johan Göransson has created a place for stressed souls, a simple cabin with an outside toilet and a jetty, and which is entirely wheelchair friendly – Huskucabin. He recently established a partnership with Sportstech for the development of a dogsled for people in wheelchairs.

Environmental technology isn’t just technical innovations. New creative ideas and solutions in the service sector can also benefit our environment, for ex-ample letting sports clubs get involved in recycling. Idrottskassan AB has hatched a brilliant idea where everyone’s a win-ner – sport, households, society and the environment.

The business idea is to allow sports associations to take care of collecting recyclable materials and is expected to give the clubs a good income in the long term. For a modest fee, house owners in Östersund have their newspapers, glass, tin cans, etc., collected at the door. Idrottskassan organises the activity and supplies trailers and a neatly designed hard-plastic storage box.

“An association which signs up 500 households and collects their recycling can earn almost half a million kronor a year for a limited amount of work,” Krister Edling, Managing Director of Idrottskassan AB, says.

Swedish sports associations are getting less and less state funding for their activities and sport must therefore find new ways of making money. Mu-nicipal environmental officers are also very positive about the project, which is expected to improve the degree of cleanliness in the sorting of recyclable materials. Many other municipalities around Sweden have also shown great interest in the project.

The pilot project Vinn & Återvinn [Win and Recycle] is backed by Idrotts-kassan Partners AB along with Peak Innovation, Östersund Municipality’s cleaning services, Reaxcer AB and Jämt-land/Härjedalens Sports Association.

GROUND-BREAKING ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES IN SPORT

THE AREA AROUND Huskucabin is de-signed to house sled dogs and dogsleds, which is not that surprising as Pär-Johan Göransson is a competitive musher. The idea for Huskucabin arose from the need to escape a stressful life and instead enjoy spending time with family and friends in a calm evironment. What was previously a leisure interest has now become a busi-ness idea:

“I wanted to convey what I find here, in the forest, to others and saw the po-tential to develop dogsledding trips. I al-low my guests to mush and to work with the dogs using Huskucabin as a base,” says Pär-Johan Göransson.

After having a number of guests with disabilities over the years, Pär-Johan Göransson decided to build Huskucabin on one level to make it easier for people in wheelchairs to stay there independ-ently. Outside the cabin there is a large wooden pathway that leads to the jetty and the lake. The next stage was to build a sled that was big enough for a wheel-

chair and which enables the person sitting in it to be active and drive the dogsled with the help of a guide. Peak Innovation put Pär-Johan Göransson into contact with Sportstech, which has resulted in a project led by Marie Kry-sander, a third year student. The hope is that a prototype will be developed by next winter.

“The challenge is the actual construc-tion, finding good, clever solutions. It should be simple to assemble. I also need to rebuild the brake system as you usu-ally brake with your foot, whereas now the driver must break with their upper body,” explains Marie Krysander.

The partnership with Sportstech means that there is potential for Husku-cabin to develop.

“My motivation is to create jobs in my home region and to push development. When the sled is finished I will probably have a product that can’t be found any-where else in the world,” concludes Pär-Johan Göransson.


Photo: Tommy Andersson

SCANDINAVIAN OUTDOOR SUMMIT


The alpine destination of Åre offered beautiful early spring weather when the Scandinavian Outdoor Summit came to a close after two very busy days. Almost 300 participants from 15 countries and three continents gathered at Copperhill Mountain Lodge to discuss future issues for the outdoor industry.

SCANDINAVIAN OUTDOOR SUMMIT, 31 March–1 April 2011, was the first meeting of its kind in Scandinavia and targeted out-door and sports companies, investors, retailers, researchers and innovators throughout the world. They spent two days discussing issues relating to the outdoor industry, everything from e-com-merce and brand building to future tourism and climate change. The speakers included Thomas Lipke, CEO and part-owner of Germany’s Globetrotter Ausrüstung, Europe’s biggest retailer of outdoor products; Chris Doyle, Vice President of the ATTA, Adventure Travel and Trade Association USA, and Mark Held, Secretary-General of the European Outdoor Group.

“We spend SEK 96 billion per year on outdoor activities, just within Sweden. With this forum, our aim is to get the entire out-door industry to realise what is necessary for success in the coming years,” says Jonas Hellentin, who was responsible for the Scandina-vian Outdoor Summit in partnership with Peak Innovation.

SCANDINAVIAN OUTDOOR SUMMITTHE EVENT OF THE YEAR IN THE OUTDOOR SECTOR

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Oliver Messing, Managing Director of the American company Eagle Creek, which manufactures adventure gear, describes the outdoor industry as a young sector with great growth potential, and with great optimism about the future.

“It has been an interesting two days and I think this meeting will contribute to the industry’s growth. We have been able to dis-cuss the future without seeing each other as competitors; instead we have shared our thoughts and ideas.”

It was no coincidence that Åre was chosen to host the meet-ing. Åre and the county of Jämtland have become central to the Scandinavian outdoor industry.

“If we had organised the Scandinavian Outdoor Summit any-where else in the world it would have cost twice as much, been three times as difficult and only half as much fun to arrange! The businesses and helpers in the region have been incredible,” says Jonas Hellentin.

“An event like this means the world’s attention is focused on Åre and Jämtland, and that we are demonstrating that we want to be part of developing the outdoor industry of the future,” ex-plains Tomas Ekström, Peak Innovation.

SCANDINAVIAN OUTDOOR SUMMIT


SCANDINAVIAN OUTDOOR MEETINGS ABPeak Innovation, via Peak Business & Sports AB, and Scandinavian Outdoor Group have formed a company (50/50 ownership) for the purpose of promoting development projects in the outdoor industry, aimed at business develop-ment and positioning for Scandinavian outdoor companies.

1. After Summit event by Gore – snowshoe safari in Åre. 2. First day of the Summit.3. Mark Held, Secretary General, European Outdoor Group. 4. Susanna Cambell, Investment Director of Ratos with Mats Hedblom, Senior Advisor Haglöfs.5. Dr. Lars-Erik Rännar, Sportstech/Mid Sweden University in conversation with Du Mingrui, editor for Outside Magazine China and Dr. Andrei Koptioug, Sportstech. 6. Dr Mike Yuan, Professor in Tourism at Lakehead University, Canada. 7. Asigh Clothing and Stitch N Stones at the Summit gala banquet. 8. Ed Stevens, CEO Shopatron. 9. Thomas Lipke, CEO of Globetrotter Ausrüstung, received an honorary appoint-ment for his efforts as an ambassador for Jämtland. The prize was awarded by Lasse Lindqvist, MD Peak Innovation. 10. Chris Doyle, Vice President, Adventure Travel Trade Association. 11. Frederic Hufkens, CEO of the A.S. Adventure Group. 12. Organisers Jonas Hellentin, Scandina-vian Outdoor Group ochTomas Ekström, Peak Innovation. 13. Petra Hilleberg, Hilleberg the Tentmaker US. 14. Oliver Wang, Senior Project Manager Shanghai Consumer Goods Department, China.

SCANDINAVIAN OUTDOOR SUMMITTHE EVENT OF THE YEAR IN THE OUTDOOR SECTOR

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THE PEAK REGION


THIS IS THEPEAK REGION

The Jämtland region is a European centre for research and business development in tourism, sports and the outdoor industry. The region is currently in a very expansive phase, and there

are good quality collective resources and conditions for the future.

THE JÄMTLAND REGION is a European centre for research and business development in tourism, sports and the outdoor industry in Mid Sweden. It includes international research envi-ronments that focus on winter sports and tourism, some of the world’s foremost brands for outdoor products, dedicated sport-ing interests with elite athletes and Olympic gold medallists, as well as having public bodies that are committed stakeholders.

The Jämtland region hosted the 2007 Alpine World Cham-pionships in Åre and the 2008 World Biathlon Championships in Östersund. It is famous as a multinational, innovative play-ground for young, creative talent and as a cooperative region that is aiming to be a world-leader through sustainable growth.

SOFT FINANCING ABSoft Financing AB, initiated by Peak Innovation, is an expertise and consultancy company concentrating on public development capital. An example of Soft Financing’s work is its partnership with Hilleberg the Tentmaker. VINNOVA recently awarded Hilleberg SEK 450,000 for the research and development of a new product for a new market seg-ment. Soft Financing AB produced a concept and develop-ment ideas together with the customer. Another example is the partnership with Printed Electronics Arena (PEA) in Norrköping. PEA was awarded SEK 20 million from the European Union’s Structural Fund. Soft Financing was re-sponsible for formulating and writing the application for the whole project, which is worth SEK 60 million. Within the framework of Peak Innovation, Soft Financing offers a con-sultancy and information service to companies, researchers and public players who want to apply for external public development capital and project funds.

DEVELOPMENT FUNDING

FINANCIAL CLUSTER IN TRÅNGSVIKENIn Trångsviken, Krokom Municipality, a financial cluster has grown up in recent years. By setting up in Trångsviken venture-capital companies such as EkoNord (SEK 140 mil-lion) and Mittkapital (SEK 200 million) have shown belief in company development in Jämtland/Västernorrland. The latest company to establish itself is Tillväxtkassan AB, a lo-cal venture-capital company with local owners. The growth fund’s capital volume was SEK 1 million when it was set up. Together these three venture-capital companies and Soft Financing AB, which supports companies with public de-velopment capital, form the financial cluster. Soft Financing has chosen to locate the company in Trångsviken to further clarify and reinforce existing structures, this helping the financial cluster to make links with the innovation system.

FINANCING FOR SUCCESSONE OF THE success factors for establishing an organisation like Peak Innovation is effective work with development fi-nancing. There is a great need for a simple, structured method for applying for financing at an early stage of the development process, for example in order to test a product or conduct mar-ket research. However, these types of development costs are dif-ficult for the innovator to finance, as traditional venture capital is often only available later in the process.

Peak Innovation has therefore worked on developing a sys-tem in which “public development capital” can be made availa-ble for early development ideas, such as project funding that can be applied for from county administrative boards, VINNOVA and other public bodies.

Providing information, knowledge and advisory services to companies and entrepreneurs highlights the opportunities to which public funding systems and project financing give rise, which in turn minimises time-consuming and complicated administrative processes.

Interest in obtaining funding through public development capital has grown during the course of Peak Innovation’s work. From initially being met by some scepticism, Peak Innovation can now see a great deal of interest and, in particular, increased curiosity about this type of development resource.

In 2011, strategic work will begin in the region to enable future investments in tourism, sports and the outdoors using public development capital, including future funding from structural funds.

Financing requirements for a company in the startup phase are different to those of a more established business. Peak Innovation has therefore developed a system in which “public development capital” can be made available for ideas at an early stage of development.


ÅRE KAPITALMARKNADSDAGAR

POPULAR CAPITAL MARKET DAYS IN ÅRE

BUSINESS & SUSTAINABILITY was the theme for the second Åre Kapitalmarknadsdagar [Åre Capital Market Days], a meet-ing place for creating more businesses, more growing companies and more jobs. On site were eight listed companies, owners, ex-ecutive management, important national stakeholders and in-terested parties, as well as some of the best growth companies in Scandinavia.

The first day of the event began with the Connect Finans- och Kompetensforum [Connect Finance Forum and Competence] at which financiers had the opportunity to meet and evaluate in-teresting growth companies from northern Sweden and Norway. During the afternoon, there were talks by Per Brilioth, Managing Director of Vostok Nafta; Christer Sundin, Managing Director of Diös Fastigheter; Håkan Lundstedt, Managing Director of Mekonomen, and a partner in the Norwegian Norvestor, Jarle Gundersen. The Minister for Trade, Ewa Björling, also attended and held a highly appreciated speech in which she talked about Sweden’s opportunities and aims. She also emphasised that tour-ism is one of the few areas that continued to do well despite the financial crisis, and which has great potential.

One of the participants was Saila Quicklund, Member of Par-liament (Moderaterna) from Östersund. She sees Åre Kapital-marknadsdagar as a good opportunity for building networks and listening to opinions and needs – something that will be useful for her political activities.

“As a politician, Åre Kapitalmarknadsdagar are extremely re-warding. There is a great need for a meeting place that focuses on financing issues. A good initiative!”

ATTRACTING INVESTMENTSThe lecture series continued on Friday with Anders Lidén, Managing Director of Investa Företagskapital, and Mats Årjes, Managing Director of Skistar, as well as Adam Brånby, Manag-ing Director of Woolpower, Eva Nygren, Managing Director of Sweco Sverige, and Ulf Larsson, Business Manager for SCA. Åre Kapitalmarknadsdagar were rounded off with lunch at the new National Arena in Åre and the FIS Alpine World Cup for ladies.

Peak Innovation is one of the organisers of Åre Kapital-marknadsdagar, with the aim of attracting investment in the re-gion and the region’s future industries.

Eight listed companies, representatives from the Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and communications, Minister for Trade Ewa Björling, and successful businesses from both Norway and Sweden; this year’s Åre Kapitalmarknads-dagar, 24-25 February 2011 at Holiday Club in Åre, attracted more than 300 participants to seminars, lectures, mingle and business over coffee.


ÅRE KAPITALMARKNADSDAGAR

Left: Minister for Trade, Ewa Björling; top: CEO Jin Moen, Moveinto Fun; below: alpine skier, Maria Pietilä Holmner; lower right: CEO Christer Sundin, Diös Fastigheter, in con-versation with CEO Lasse Lindqvist, Peak Innovation.

Left: Jens Edlund, Partner Deloitte, initiator of Åre Kapital marknadsdagar. Below, from left: Andreas Gyllen-hammar, SWECO, CEO Adam Brånby, Woolpower, CEO Per Brilioth, Vostok Nafta, and Martin Kjellerstedt, who gave the evening that little extra.

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ETOUR

ETOUR – DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE TOURISM

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ETOUR is one of Europe’s leading research environments in the field of tourism. ETOUR provides companies, authorities and educational institutions with a unique opportunity to access research-based knowledge and use the visitor as a source of knowledge.


ETOUR


ETOUR

ETOUR RESEARCHES, EDUCATES and communicates factors and processes which are of significance to the tourism industry’s knowledge needs related to destination development. The institute is currently a leading national environment for research-based knowledge about tour-ism. ETOUR is part of the Department of Social Science at Mid Sweden University, Campus Östersund. With 25 employ-ees and further recruitment taking place ETOUR is the largest research environ-ment with a focus on tourism in Scandina-via. ETOUR also has three professorships, a fact which is unequalled and represents a mark of quality in itself. ETOUR is also the first research environment in the Nordic region to offer PhD programmes with degrees in Tourism Studies. The re-search environment regularly publishes in the most important journals for tour-

ism studies. ETOUR’s vision is to be Eu-rope’s leading environment for research-based knowledge about tourism in 2020. ETOUR gives companies and authorities a unique opportunity to access research results and investments have recently been made in the commercialisation of research results.

Research focuses on knowledge-based destination development. Destination de-velopment is about making places attrac-tive destinations which work well; it’s about local and regional development in which the tourism industry as a driving force.

DESTINATION MANAGEMENTThe tourism industry is made up of the companies which make it possible for the visitor to get to the place and, once there, to take part in the events which the destination offers during his visit, which

means that as a rule the visitor depends on a complex structure of services. To secure the sustainable long-term development of tourism at the destination, good rela-tions are needed between visitors and the destination’s stakeholders (companies, or-ganisations, authorities and the local pop-ulation). ETOUR’s research is about the visitor (domestic and international) and the tourism industry’s interested parties. We are accumulating knowledge about destination development from a range of different perspectives and do so with international partners. Current research projects cover innovation processes at des-tinations, service innovation, changes and trends in outdoor activities, events and popular culture, such as reasons for trav-el and strategic moves, tourism’s labour market and tools for destination manage-ment’s strategic work.

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ETOUR

Visitors to Åre were given GPS receivers when participating in Peak Experiences. Centre: Bo Svensson, Head of Department for ETOUR and Manager of Peak Experiences.

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NEW COMPANY – PEAK EXPERIENCES R&D ABThe Peak Experiences research project, which is run under the auspices of Peak Innova-tion, is now moving more distinctly into a commercialisation phase and a company has been founded, Peak Experiences R&D AB.

“We are convinced that we have developed a service which can improve the quality and profitability of most destinations. The challenge now is to strengthen the company so that the commercial potential can be fully realized,” says Bo Svensson of ETOUR.

In simple terms the service is about identifying and evaluating attractions at various destinations, an event or a theme park. By using GPS transmitters and qualitative data collection methods organisers can increase their knowledge about their visitors’ experi-ences and consumption.

ETOUR ORGANISES INTERNATIONAL TOURISM CONFERENCE The theme of the conference is “Innovation processes and developing destinations”. This is the first in a series of three conferences which look at tourism from a regional-develop-ment perspective. The series of meetings was initiated by the Regional Studies Association research network. The aim is to consider tourism’s challenges and opportunities system-atically and therefore create better conditions and a basis for integrating tourism in regional-development strategies.

So far around 30 European researchers have registered, with lectures on subjects including destination development, events, seasonal work, sustainable tourism and cultural tour-ism. Peak Innovation is one of the sponsors of the confer-ence, which is being held in Östersund from 30 March to 1 April 2011.

GREAT INTEREST IN UNIQUE RESEARCHER TRAININGAround 70 people from a number of countries applied for the first places on the PhD positions in the PhD programme in Tourism Studies at ETOUR.

“We see this as confirmation that ETOUR is an impor-tant player in tourism research, not just in Sweden but also increasingly internationally,” says Peter Fredman, Professor of Nature Tourism, who is responsible for recruitment.

The first four candidates started their doctorates process during autumn 2010. Their subjects are related to nature-based tourism, event design and innovation, the tourism labour market, and user-generated internet content.

MARIA LEXHAGEN, RESEARCHER/ LECTURER WITH ETOUR

What can the tourism industry learn from the Peak Experienc-es project’s research results? “The method in the project, mak-ing use of GPS technology to follow visitors, can be used to give direct feedback to destinations and events about where there are problems and opportunities for improvement. In the longer term the information gathered can provide knowledge about how to attract new and returning visitors and to have satisfied visitors.”

What’s the biggest challenge to commercialising the research results?“Converting service-based research results into commercial products when the research results cannot be pre-sented as prototypes or patents. This is a challenge which the researchers and business developers worked hard on in the project and which has met with success. The handful of potential customers who were asked expressed an interest in buying the service. A company will be formed and the first commissions will be sold as early as this summer.”


SCANDINAVIAN OUTDOOR GROUP

A NUMBER OF COMPANY visits were carried out at an early stage of Peak Innovation’s activities, aimed at capturing companies’ development needs, identifying potential partners outside the region and marketing the part-nership with Mid Sweden University. Hilleberg the Tentmaker proposed Scandinavian Outdoor Group (SOG) and its Secretary-General Martin Kössler as a good partner for Peak Innovation. A cooperation began, with the first activity being a seminar – Exportdagen [Export Day] 2007.

Peak Business & Sports AB and SOG signed a mutual partnership agreement on 1 March 2008. SOG is committed to informing its mem-bers about and marketing Peak Innovation and Mid Sweden University’s research projects and programmes, as well as organising placements for degree projects, research tasks, etc. SOG and Peak Innovation will also support research and projects that develop the industry via a range of joint projects and efforts by individual members.

NEW COMPANY ESTABLISHED

Because SOG is basically an export partnership that now has around 40 Nordic outdoor companies, which are ready to export products, the part-nership was originally founded with that as a theme. The next activity was thus an export coach course for export managers in outdoor/sports busi-nesses. The course took six months and was held as contract education at Mid Sweden University. Another export workshop was held at the end of 2009, and another in January 2011, focusing on Asia and China. The part-nership has also developed to cover other areas, such as an international conference in Åre, the Scandinavian Outdoor Summit Åre on 31 March – 1 April 2011, which will focus on the issues facing the outdoor industry in the years ahead. In the spring of 2011, a development company will be es-tablished, in which SOG and Peak Innovation via Peak Business & Sports AB will be part-owners. This company will act as a platform for business development projects to further boost the outdoor industry.

A DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIP WITH SCANDINAVIAN OUTDOOR GROUPA partnership agreement between Scandinavian Outdoor Group and Peak Innovation is boosting the position of Scandinavian outdoor brands on the global market. In the spring of 2011, both parties are forming a joint development company to further promote the outdoor industry.

MARTIN KÖSSLER, SECRETARY- GENERAL OF SCANDINAVIAN OUTDOOR GROUP (SOG)

Peak Innovation is boosting the profile of Jämtland and Sweden through business de-velopment and research in the outdoor sector – what do these ventures mean to SOG?

“SOG consists of around 40 lead-ing exporting outdoors companies in the Nordic countries. In order for the company to be able to maintain its competitiveness with major interna-tional companies in the long term, it needs to collaborate with research and innovative environments such as the one Peak Innovation represents. For this reason, SOG and Peak Inno-vation have been working together on everything from measures to increase expertise in exports to setting up the forthcoming international conference, Scandinavian Outdoor Summit Åre.

SOG also keeps its members informed about opportunities in devel-opment work with research environ-ments within Mid Sweden University. But Mid Sweden University’s engineer-ing degree Sportstech is also unique in Europe and makes it possible for outdoors companies to involve new employees directly in production more quickly, which benefits the company financially. I am convinced that the strong focus on business development and research in the region will come to play an increasing role in our sec-tor in the future.”



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FOCUS ON EXPORTS: CHINAExport promotions were carried out on elected markets in Asia and China in January 2011, aimed at boosting exports to some of the world’s biggest consumer markets. The first step was a workshop at the Swedish Trade Council in Stockholm, treating subjects such as business culture, logistics and law. Then, in association with two trade fairs in Beijing, China, 23-25 Feb 2011 (Alpitec China and ISPO China), there was an organised trip for the companies who wished to partici-pate in the fairs and investigate the market on site. The companies on the trip included two from Jämtland, Klättermusen and Hilleberg the Tentmaker, as well as other well-known brands such as Haglöfs, Icebug, Tenson, Ecco, Houdini, Fjällräven, Silva and Recco. On arrival in Beijing, the companies visited outdoor stores and arranged meetings with selected distributors. The trip concluded with an enjoyable dinner at the Swedish Embassy in Beijing.


42 STUDENTS FROM SPORTSTECH AT THE WORLD’S BIGGEST OUTDOOR TRADE FAIRIspo (the International Sports Business Network) is the world’s biggest and most prestig-ious trade fair focusing on sports and the outdoors, and is held every year in Munich. Partnership with Peak Innovation and Scandinavian Outdoor Group gave Sportstech the opportunity 2011 to exhibit in Scandinavian Village, where 25 Scandinavian outdoor businesses exhibited. Peak Innovation supported Sportstech financially and provided advisory services to the students before meeting with players in the outdoor industry.

The students, all of whom are on the “Sports Technology – innovative product devel-opment focusing on sports and experiences” programme, were tasked with marketing themselves, the programme and the region. At the stand they displayed a prototyping machine and produced three-dimensional drawings in advanced CAD environments to order. The aim was to establish contact with international manufacturers and producers for degree projects and product development.

For Peak Innovation, ispo is a good channel for reaching international players in sports and the outdoor industry for future partnerships and establishment in the Jämtland region. Ispo provided great opportunities for contacts with businesses and organisa-tions in the outdoor/sport segment, such as The North Face, Icebug, Hestra, Houdini, Friedrichshafenmässan and the Outdoor Sports Valley initiative from France.

Lina Byggnings (left) and Sofia Löfstrand are Sportstech students at Mid Sweden University and took part in the Ispo trade fair

SEMINAR ON EXPORT DRIVESWhat is needed for an export drive? And how do you negotiate success-fully in an international market? On 3-4 December 2009 Peak Innovation organised an exports seminar targeted at sports and outdoor companies in partnership with Scandinavian Outdoor Group and Business Incubator. A number of renowned speakers at-tended, including Martin Kössler, Ispo’s Scandinavian representative and former exports director at Gore och Haglöfs; Göran Andersson, export manager at Fiskars Outdoor; Marie Simonsson, a well-known figure in the boardroom with experience of major companies such as SAAB Scania and Trellborg, and Bosse Hilleberg, Hilleberg the Tentmaker. The topics discussed included successful negotiating techniques, sales and distri-butions alternatives, export maturity and preparations.

The two days of the seminar attracted around 20 companies, both from the re-gion and nationally. One of the partici-pants, Fredrik Persson, who runs the 4U Sport company in Kilsmo, has recently launched Skitech XC, an innovative ski holder for long skis.

“We are about to launch the ski holder internationally and there are many decisions to make and paths to choose. It was very valuable to hear the speakers’ experiences and how they went about it. I was recently at ISPO along with Peak Innovation and several major companies are interested in the ski holder. The advice I received from Martin Kössler is perfect for our situa-tion,” Fredrik Persson says.

There has been great interest in the seminar. Further seminars took place during 2010.

Charlotte Kalla with the Skitech XC ski holder.

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ISPO OUTDOOR AWARDTwo outdoor companies from Jämtland, Klättermusen and Lundhags, were present-ed with the ISPO Outdoor Award 2010.

Klättermusen won with its “Bilskirner” jacket, made from certified organic cotton and recycled polyester.

Lundhags’ EXA skate is moulded as one piece of recycled stainless steel. Tests conducted in collaboration with The Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre in Östersund show that the de-sign helps the skater to save energy and thanks to its construction and shape it is almost completely silent on natural ice. The skate was developed by Stephen Copp, product devel-oper at Lundhags.


NEW PARTNERSHIP FORMED IN MUNICHSports and outdoors companies from all over the world gather at the Ispo trade fair every year. Peak Innovation was there and made contact with a number of international players.

Peak Innovation, Sportstech and the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre from Mid Sweden University in Östersund took part in the world’s biggest sports and outdoors trade fair, ISPO in Munich, from 7-10 February 2010. “The Peak Region” was launched with the aim of at-tracting company start-ups to the region. Through meetings with owners and product-development managers from SCOTT, SWIX, Amer Sports, Tecnica Group, POC, HEAD and others many valuable contacts were made for future partnership projects on SWRC Åre and in other areas. Sportstech also visited Technical University Munich, which showed great interest in partnerships in research and training.

EXPERTISE FOR SUCCESFUL EXPORT DRIVESAn export drive requires major resources and specific expertise. The vocational qualification Exportcoach, tailored for the outdoor sector, was developed in partnership between Scandinavian Outdoor Group and Mid Sweden University in Östersund. Under the guidance of a coach with long experience of export issues in the sector the participants work on the various steps which are required in order to implement an export drive. The starting point was the sole trader.

“As a small growth company in principle we had the opportunity to broaden our expertise in all areas. The lectures were perfectly tailored to our sector, which contributed to some interesting discussions,” says Maria Forsberg, MD of Nordic KidsWear AB, whose brand names include Nanook.

The university qualification SKARP Åre, which focuses on business and product development within tourism, sport and outdoor activities, is now in its second year. The course is run in partnership with SkiStar Åre, Holiday Club, Camp Åre and Fjällbete. The qualifications were initiated by Peak Innovation in collaboration with Mid Sweden University and companies in the region. Mid Sweden Univer-sity started its second course in Åre, Outdoor and Adventure Management Studies, formerly the KY wilderness guide qualification.

“We have a great opportunity to sharpen our expertise further through the Exportcoach qualification,” says Sara Wänseth, marketing and export manager at Woolpower. She and MD Adam Brånby are pictured receiving the “Export Hermes” from HRH Crown Princess Victoria.

“ Scandinavian Outdoor Summit looks like the event of the year in the sports sector.”

Martin Willners, editor-in-chief of Sportfack, Sweden’s leading magazine in the sports sector ahead of Scandinavian Outdoor Summit in Åre, 31 March – 1 April 2011.


VINNOVA

PEAK INNOVATION WAS one of four winners of the VINNVÄXT competition in 2008, against strong competition from other regions. Cecilia Johansson at VIN-NOVA is one of those responsible for the VINNVÄXT programme and she keeps a close eye on what is happening at Peak In-novation.

“I’m impressed by the high level of mo-bilisation in the region and that they have succeeded in getting all players involved in the efforts. This collaboration between research, the wider community and busi-ness is one of the cornerstones of the VIN-NVÄXT programme. The emphasis is on innovations that are linked to research and development, in other words, innovative, successful products, services or processes with a scientific basis.

“Innovation is necessary for economic growth, but growth first occurs when in-

novations are used for profitable produc-tion of goods and services. For this to be realised, it is also necessary to have an in-novation system with working coopera-tion between all the stakeholders, which is the case for Peak Innovation.”

SUCCESSFUL RESEARCHCecilia Johansson says that the research carried out in Mid Sweden University’s re-search environments, the Swedish Winter Sports Research centre and Sportstech, is interesting. She particularly highlights the unique opportunities for testing due to the large pool of elite athletes.

“I’m sure that Peak Innovation will clearly demonstrate the significance of re-search in obtaining results that are used in society and in trade and industry.”

According to VINNOVA, Peak Inno-vation is different to many of the other

processes that VINNOVA supports due to the large number of services, such as those in the experiential sector.

“As yet, the service sector is not a com-mon subject for research and so that focus is a challenge and a great strength,” ex-plains Cecilia Johansson.

VINNOVA’s ambition is that Peak Innovation will not only be a regional strength, but also a hub for growth within tourism, sports and the outdoors, benefit-ting the entire country.

“The VINNVÄXT programme is large-ly about changing attitudes, about creat-ing a new way of thinking in which the re-gions focus on what they are good at. This means it’s wonderful to see that the Peak Innovation region is driven by the sense of being a winner!”

VINNOVA, a Swedish government agency, is tasked with supporting research and development that leads to innovative, successful products and services. VINNOVA is investing in Peak Innovation’s internationally competitive research and innovation environment, through the VINNVÄXT programme. This means that for eight years the project receives annual funding of SEK 4 million. “I am impressed by what I’ve seen from Peak Innovation so far,” says Cecilia Johansson at VINNOVA.

PEAK INNOVATION – ON BEHALF OF THE NATION

FIBER OPTIC VALLEYCutting edge expertise in fibre optics, with a focus on fibre optic products for the engi-neering and communications industries.

THE BIOREFINERY OF THE FUTURE Building the biorefinery of the future based on raw materials from forests and energy crops.

GÖTEBORGBIOCultivates cutting edge research for in-novations and applications by developing products in biomaterials and cell therapy, as well as cardiovascular and metabolic disease.

HÄLSANS NYA VERKTYG (NEW HEALTH TOOLS)Develops new products and services to meet the increased need for care in the future. The focus is on effective care based in the home.

INNOVATION I GRÄNSLANDIncreases returns on capital invested in the food industry, through innovations that cre-ates products and services with a high level of added value.

PRINTED ELECTRONICS ARENALong-term growth through the commerciali-sation of research results in the new area of technology known as printed electronics.

PROCESS IT INNOVATIONS Brings the region’s process and engineer-ing industries together with its ICT players in academia and business.

ROBOTDALENDevelops robotics for industry, logistics and the health sector. The research and development project is run with companies and researchers. Supports new ideas from prototype to finished product.

SMART TEXTILESEstablishes the west of Sweden at the inter-national forefront of the design, develop-ment and production of the next genera-tion’s textile products.

VINNVÄXT WINNERS


MALMÖ

VINNOVA

PEAK INNOVATION – ON BEHALF OF THE NATIONABOUT VINNOVA AND VINNVÄXT• VINNOVA is a Swedish government agency under the Ministry of Enterprise,

Energy and Communications and contributes to increasing growth and prosperity throughout the country.

• VINNOVA’s particular area of responsibility is innovations that are linked to re-search and development, in other words, innovative, successful products, services or processes with a scientific basis.

• VINNOVA has around 200 employees and an annual budget of about SEK 2 billion.

• VINNVÄXT is an inter-regional competition that started in 2001. The aim is to promote sustainable growth by developing internationally competitive research and innovation environments.

Fiber Optic Valley

Uppsala Bio

Triple Steelix

Robotdalen

Smart Textiles

GöteborgBio

SkånesLivsmedelsakademi

Process ITInnovation

Framtidensbioraffinaderi

PrintedElectronics Arena

Hälsans nya verktyg

GÖTEBORG

STOCKHOLM

Peak Innovation

VINNVÄXT IN ÅREOn 15–16 April 2010 Peak Innovation hosted an experience-exchange meeting in Åre. Both the other VINNVÄXT initiatives and VINNOVA’s director-general, Charlotte Brogren, were there. Innovation systems, clusters and what creates growth were discussed over two intensive days. The Director General also had the first ride on Elmacchina, the world’s first electric snowmobile.

JENS NILSSON, CHAIRMAN OF PEAK INNOVATION

The region is to become a leading European environment for research and business development in tour-ism, sports and the outdoors. How is that going to happen?

“We have a very stable basis to build on, with many skilled companies, a young and modern university and a progressive sports movement. We al-ready have a strong name and no-one outside our region is surprised that we are focussing on precisely this area. It’s also about continuing to build trust between everyone who is involved in the region and possibly open us up to impulses and partnerships outside the region. Our partnership with Vinnova is an important factor for us being able to establish the necessary contacts with others.

Internationalisation is a key word. By becoming well-known out in the world we open up for company start-ups in our region. We are in a really good situation – now it’s about us together taking the steps that are required.”

TRIPLE STEELIXBergslagen now has a considerable number of material processing industries and steel firms which, along with technology and service industries, form a strong steel cluster.

UPPSALA BIOCreates new ways to provide long-term strength in the life science sector’s competi-tiveness and growth in Uppsala, in close partnership with industry, academia, health-care services and the community.


ÅRE

ÅRETOP OF THE WORLD

Along with Aspen, St Moritz, Verbier and Whistler, Åre has been named as one of the world’s best ski resorts. Last winter, Condé Nast Traveller, one of the world’s biggest travel publications, ranked the ten best alpine tourist destinations. They emphasised that Åre is suitable for many types of skiing, has good après ski and a great range of activities in addition to downhill skiing.


ÅRE

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ÅRE

THE SWEDISH WINTER Sports Research Centre in Åre will com-plement the internationally recognised activities that have been established on Campus Östersund. Initially, research and de-velopment activities will focus on the alpine disciplines and the Paralympic alpine disciplines.

“The facilities in Åre will provide a unique environment for advanced field studies, right on the slopes. We can perform bio-mechanical movement analyses and technique optimisation and training on or close to the slopes,” says Professor HC Holmberg, Head of Research at the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre.

The Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre in Åre will de-velop in stages, based on needs and demands. The interior will

take shape in the spring of 2011, as well as the purchase of the measuring equipment, supplementing the portable equipment that can be loaned from Östersund.

This environment is also a good platform for partnerships be-tween Mid Sweden University and trade and industry. The visitor industry and other businesses will benefit from these activities, which will function as a real test arena for a range of services and equipment.

Peak Innovation is providing financing worth SEK 1.6 million for the purchase of movement analysis systems and high speed cameras. Investments are being carried out with the support of the EU’s regional development fund.

MID SWEDEN UNIVERSITY ESTABLISHES

A RESEARCH STATION IN ÅRE

In the spring of 2011, via the Swedish Winter Sports Research centre, Mid Sweden University will establish a research and development field station in Åre. The facilities will be located in the new building in Sweden’s alpine national arena. Its location is strategically perfect, “on the slopes”, next to the headquarters of the Swedish Ski Association and a stone’s throw from commerce and Åre Municipality.

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ÅRE

NIKLAS CARLSSONAlpine Director, Swedish Ski Association“This is a great opportunity for the Swedish Ski Association, as moving our office to the heart of alpine skiing will bring us closer to the sport and help us to recruit expert staff, because Åre and Jämtland are attractive locations. Another exciting aspect is that the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre will be in the same building, which we think will encourage coaches and athletes to work more strategically with R&D, helping us to improve performance.”

SWEDISH SKI ASSOCIATION’S ALPINE ACTIVITIES TO ÅREThe Swedish Ski Association’s board has decided unanimously to move the association’s alpine activities to Åre and the new National Arena in the summer of 2011. However, the conditions for a move include funding being resolved and the building meet-ing the requirements and criteria set for alpine activities by the Swedish Ski Association.

“Åre National Arena and establishing our alpine activities in Åre offers a unique opportunity for us to create a world-class alpine centre,” says Per Lehmann, Director of the Swedish Ski Association.

Peak Innovation has brought the region together and is behind the offer made to the Swedish Ski Association, which has been made as part of the effort to establish Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre Åre and to build up research and educa-tion in the area.

MID SWEDEN UNIVERSITY ESTABLISHES

A RESEARCH STATION IN ÅRE RAINER SALZGEBERRacing Chief, Head International in Germany

“For us it is the perfect region, because Åre is the main ski area in Sweden and it hosts World Cup races every year. We get all the support we need for testing skis, like last year when we carried out testing after the World Cup Finals. Testing on slopes which are used on the World Cup tour is really helpful and provides us with the necessary results and information to develop our products. The people of Åre love this sport and that’s essential for great skiing and support.”

JIMMY ODÉNFounder, Elevenate

“As a newly started clothing business, market-ing has enormous importance. We chose between Verbier and Åre for our localisation, as both are well-known, strong brands. There is no doubt that Åre offers the more creative environment and the best conditions for us as entrepreneurs. We want to be part of Åre’s success story.”

EVA ASKULVKlättermusen AB

“We moved to Åre ten years ago. Our business has developed rapidly; we now have more products and a presence on more markets than ever before. Throughout our entire ‘corporate journey’ we have benefitted greatly from the excellent cooperation that exists between the region’s companies and from Åre’s strong brand name. Our position on the market means that Klättermusen can now also strengthen Åre and the region. A great foundation on which our company can continue to grow.”

HC HOLMBERGProfessor and Head of Research at the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre.

“The Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre is world leading in research into ‘narrow skis’ and the ambition is to do the same with alpine skiing. I hope that the investment in a research lab in Åre will show results at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi in alpine, freestyle and snowboard.”

VOICES ON ÅRE

Above left: The new National Arena in Åre. Above right: Laboratory engineer Mikael Swarén demonstrates measuring equipment on Kajsa Kling from the Swedish alpine ski team.

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ÅRE

LEAN PROCESSES Lean is a way of negotiating and a philosophy which originally came from Toyota. At a lecture organised by Peak Innovation and others in Åre in December 2009 and attended by more than 120 people, Dag Lotsander spoke about how Lean Services can improve efficiency and therefore profitability in small companies.

There has been great interest in Lean Services since Peak Innovation launched the concept in Åre during a series of lectures. Skistar and Klätter-musen are two companies which are implementing Lean in their own organisations. Åre Municipality will soon successively implement Lean in its organisation.

MOUNTAINCRAFTAs the climate issue is increasingly influencing customers’ choice of travel destination the issue is prioritised in Åre. Within the framework of Peak Innovation around a hundred people have drawn up the strategy whose practical application can be seen here: The visitor takes the train to Åre, jumps into a classy electric car and drives to an organiser who is certified by Nature’s Best. Back at the Ecola-belled hotel you switch on the light, the electricity for which comes from locally produced wind energy, and when it’s time for food locally produced meat from mountain pastures is served - and so on. Read more at www.are.se

PEAK INNOVATION BUSINESS CENTREPeak Innovation and Azeta Fastigheter have created a flexible and creative environment for small businesses in the VM-huset building in Åre. Peak Innovation business centre offers an open and functional office environment where businesspeople can use the facilities on site – all you have to do is take your computer in and start working.

Companys such as Movinto Fun AB, Comvenum, Treat Clothing, Arena för entreprenör-skap and Aldab have recently moved in. Fieldwork and Åre Destination AB were already established on the premises.

MORE STUDENTS IN ÅRE“Vision 2020” is Åre’s vision for its future, stating that Åre will have 1,000 students by 2020. The SKARP (busi-ness and product development) and Outdoor Management programmes, which Mid Sweden University has run in Åre for the last few years, are very popular and demonstrate the pull that Åre and the region has for students who are interested in tourism, sport and the outdoors.

“These programmes are an impor-tant part of the process that will make Åre an even stronger knowledge and entrepreneur-driven destination,” says Jan Andersson, Head of Business Development and responsible for Peak Innovation’s activities in Åre. Ph

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IN BRIEF

SUPPORTING TALENTA pilot study with the employment committee “U 23 – more golds and more money in the bank?!” has been conducted jointly by Peak Innovation and Jämtlands Gymnasieförbund, an association of upper-secondary schools. “U 23” aims to put the facilities in place for more talents within cross-country skiing, biathlon and alpine skiing who want to continue once they’ve left ski school. The aim of the pilot study is to investi-gate whether the facilities exist in Östersund and the region, from a perspective in which society, business, academia and sport are integrated and see the need for “U 23” and its po-tential. The report proposes establishing a business alternative.

Tour of Jamtland Cyclosportive begins in Trondheim on the Atlantic coast before passing through beech forests and up over the barren mountains. The tour offers scenic surroundings and is one of the tough-est challenges for cyclists in the Nordic countries. Before the participants finally

reach their goal in Åre they have covered a total of 214 km, climbed 1,300 metres and passed through seven botanical zones.

The Tour of Jamtland stage race, a three-day international elite competition, is held in the same week. There is great interest in the elite competition and many cyclists from

national teams take part. First Tour of Jamt-land took place on 7 August 2010, and the event will be held each year in August.

Peak Innovation has been involved in the strategy, funding and project work with the aim of putting Jämtland on the European cycling map.

NEW TOUR FOR CYCLISTS

MEETING WITH THE MINISTRY OF ENTERPRISE, ENERGY AND COMMUNICATIONSOn 13 January 2011, a delegation from Peak Innovation met representatives of the Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications in Stockholm. The aim of the meeting was to provide information about the structure of industry and finan-cial conditions and propose new financial models for service companies in the interior of Norrland and especially within tourism, sport and outdoor activities.

IN BRIEF


ELMACCHINA

AN ELECTRIFYING GREEN FUTUREINNOVATIVE SNOWMOBILE TECHNOLOGY


ELMACCHINA

AN ELECTRIFYING GREEN FUTUREINNOVATIVE SNOWMOBILE TECHNOLOGY

EXTERNALLY, THE ELMACCHINA looks like any other modern snowmobile, but the similarity stops when you lift the hood. There is no combustion engine! Instead, this prototype snowmo-bile is run by a powerful electric motor kit, including powertrain, batteries, control and display.

In Åre, the premiere showing of the Elmacchina astonished a large audience with the snowmobile’s performance and quiet-ness in the steep mountainous terrain. No noise, no oily exhaust fumes and – zero carbon emissions!

“This is so much more than I expected,” said one of the im-pressed spectators.

Elmacchina is at the absolute forefront of developing the new generation of snowmobiles.

“This is a unique product and I believe that it is absolutely the right time for it. The requirements and consumer demand for environmentally-friendly snow vehicles will definitely increase,” says Pontus Sandell, managing director of Elmacchina AB in Östersund.

In terms of capacity, Elmacchina doesn’t yet measure up to petrol-powered snowmobiles, but things are moving fast, particu-larly for batteries which are a key to success. The challenge is to develop snowmobiles with electrical power that also retain the high engine power and drive qualities of a traditional snowmo-bile.

“We have established a partnership with an American snow-mobile manufacturer, Arctic Cat, and our aim is to build an as-sembly plant in Östersund. The target is to produce an initial series of 20 snowmobiles for the local market.

A welcome innovation has seen the light of day – the unique, electrically-powered Elmacchina snowmobile. This environmentally-friendly snow vehicle presages a revolutionary technology shift in the snowmobile industry.


They will surely disappear like hotcakes; there is particularly great interest in electric snowmobiles among tourist businesses and ski resorts.

The electric snowmobile is also of interest for snowmobile sa-faris for tourist groups, and also as a work vehicle for power com-panies, plant and service companies that need to travel through snowy terrain for maintenance work, etc. The Polar Science Center at Washington University has also shown great interest in Elmacchina.

“We aren’t currently focusing on the recreational market for snowmobiling, but it will certainly be of interest in a couple of years,” says Pontus Sandell, who particularly wants to high-light the strong network of players and partners that exist in and around the company.

“We quickly realised that partnerships between research and business are necessary for the successful development of inno-vative products. Peak Innovation has meant a lot to us in this regard.”

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTIn Scandinavia the snowmobile is not just a recreational vehicle, but also an important tool for many mountain businesses. Con-ventional snowmobiles have the problem that they cause consid-erable amounts of hazardous emissions. According to the Swedish Transport Administration, snowmobiles are responsible for 30% of the total emission of hydrocarbons in the north of Sweden!

This means that the environmental benefits of an electric snowmobile are huge. Tourist businesses and destinations have a particular need to maintain a high level of green profiling, in-cluding major reductions in carbon emissions, making an electric snowmobile particularly interesting.

“Ah, we want to be first! Elmacchina is perfect for our activi-ties and my dream is to have the first electric snowmobiles at our facilities within a year,” says Björn Olsson, Technical Manager at Skistar, Scandiavia’s biggest ski resort group.

Skistar has an environmental profile to its activities, and Björn believes that it would be an amazing advantage to be rid of the emis-sions and noise from the hundreds of snowmobiles at the resorts. The electric snowmobile is a valuable innovation from the perspective of health and the working environment.

Smaller tourist destinations in the mountains are also eagerly awaiting the electric snowmobile, and it can be an ace in the sleeve for the marketing of many eco-friendly businesses.

“The electric snowmobile is an innovation to which we are very positive,” says Anna Iderot Bjelke, Managing Director of Destination Funäsfjällen. “For those of us who work in mountain tourism, the environ-ment is our greatest resource. Nature is the foundation of our business, so our survival depends upon being able to protect the environment and contribute to sustainable development. An electric snowmobile would be an important part of our market-ing of an attractive tourism product.”

“ Ah, we want to be first! Elmacchina is perfect for our activities and my dream is to have the first electric snowmobiles at our facilities within a year.”

The world premiere of Elmacchina at Åre Kapitalmarknadsdagar 2010. The new technology was displayed for the first time at a press conference. Right: One of the founders, Pontus Sandell, VTC.

ELMACCHINA


HIGHLY PRAISED INVENTIONThe Elmacchina electric snowmobile from Östersund was by far the best piece of green news in Sweden in April 2010, according to a poll carried out by Eco Innovation AB.

“The dream of quieter winter mountains is a big one. Current snowmobile traffic is respon-sible for a great deal of vehicle emissions in the three northernmost counties. This prototype gives the hope of avoiding these problems.”

POWER CIRCLE “Elmacchina is a thrilling project that clearly shows that it is possible to develop electrical power for vehicles other than cars. This is something to which we are very positive. The electric snowmobile will be of great signifi-cance in reducing hazardous emissions,” says Olle Johansson, Project Coordinator for Power Circle.

Power Circle is a members’ organisation for power companies, higher education, research institutions, IVA. The aim of Power Circle is to strengthen, support and promote Swedish electricity transmission and supply technology, and to make it possible for electri-cal technology to contribute to sustainable development.”

FACTS ABOUT ELMACCHINA (INITIAL PROTOTYPE)BATTERYThere are now batteries that combine sufficient energy density with a low weight and volume, enabling the electrification of smaller vehicles, such as snowmobiles.

Elmacchina has high-performance lithium-ion batteries from Boston Power, which is at the absolute forefront of battery development. The charge time for the battery is 1 hour at 380V/16 Ampere and 4 hours at 230V/16 Ampere. The battery life is 2000 charges.

ELECTRIC MOTORThe electric motor kit, produced by Electro Engine in Uppsala, has a capacity of about 12 kWh and supplies about 70 HP.

The entire kit, including powertrain, batter-ies, control and display with operating data, weighs just over 100 kg, which is generally equal to what it replaces, i.e. the petrol en-gine, exhaust system and petrol tank, etc. The life of the electric motor is also longer than that of the snowmobile.

MANY STAKEHOLDERSElmacchina AB has close links with Peak Innova-tion, VTC Service AB (an interest organisation and development business), Mid Sweden University and Uppsala University, home to the Ångström Labora-tory and Advanced Battery Center. Similarly, SAAB Ground Support & Service Östersund and Electro Engine in Uppsala have been major participants in the development of Elmacchina.

The world premiere of Elmacchina at Åre Kapitalmarknadsdagar 2010. The new technology was displayed for the first time at a press conference. Right: One of the founders, Pontus Sandell, VTC.

ELMACCHINA


SUSANNE NORMAN, AIRPORT MANAGER AT ÅRE/

ÖSTERSUND AIRPORT AND DEPUTY CHAIR-

MAN AT DESTINATION ÖSTERSUND

Why is business getting involved in destination development?“Business has always got involved in these issues, but never as a single unit. There are many companies in Öster-sund, but most are relatively small and you’re not so strong on your own. In the newly-founded company Destination Östersund AB, we think of destination development as something more than an issue only for the visitor industry. We now have a broad base in business and are working to develop Östersund as a destination from the perspective of visitors, residents, business owners, etc.”

What difference can you make?“Our hope is that we can find a good form of continued collaboration between the municipality and busi-ness, which means that we will have increased energy for these issues. We want to take part and make everything good we do at the destination more visible. We also need to develop new ideas which improve the destination, both as a reason to visit and for those who live here.”

ÅRE-ÖSTERSUND IN UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP WITH BOTKYRKASthlm SkiCenter – a high-tech facility with unique opportunities for training, competi-tions and outdoor activities for both elite athletes and amateur enthusiasts. With a world-class skiing tunnel Sthlm SkiCenter will be able to offer skiing all year round.

“Jämtland’s overall knowledge of and expertise in winter sports contributes, through Peak Innovation, to developing Sthlm SkiCenter into the most attractive urban winter sports area in Sweden”, says Krister Kalte, MD of Upplev Botkyrka AB.

EUROPEAN MOUNTAIN CONVENTIONPeak Innovation was presented at European Mountain Convention in Lillehammer 15–17 September 2010. The conference brought together 400 delegates from 26 countries and 36 innovative projects were presented in the fields of tourism, forestry, agriculture IT and social economy. Maud Skäringer, the European Commission’s head of regional strategies, picked out Peak In-novation an example of innovation and was particularly impressed by the close partnership between the public sector, business, university and sport, 4Helix.

Representatives of Skåne Food Innovation Network visited Östersund at the invita-tion of Peak Innovation to discuss how to arrange for creating sustainable growth in the food sector.

Östersund is Sweden’s 2011 food capital and Skåne is well-known for its culinary profile. On 25 November 2010 an exchange between players in Jämtland’s food sector and Skåne Food Innovation Network was initiated by Peak Innovation in partnership with Fia Gulliksson, ambas-sador for Matlandet Jämtland. Around 20 of the county’s food-sector players took part in a seminar and workshop.

“A fantastically inspirational day, where it became clear to me that food artisans

and the food industry can work together and help each other in developing gas-tronomy in the county,” says Fia Gulliksson. Skåne Food Innovation Network is one of Peak Innovation’s 12 sister initiatives within VINNOVA’s growth programme VINN-VÄXT. They are working to develop Skåne into a food centre for Europe.

“Jämtland is already excellent for food, tourism, sport and outdoor activities. The challenge now is to find points of contact. If culinary experiences can be linked to tour-ism and outdoor activities then all the condi-tions are present for creating something completely unique,” says Håkan Jönsson, Business Manager with Skåne Food Innova-tion Network.

From left: Håkan Jönsson, Skåne Food Innovation Network; Mårten Wikner, JHT Matresor; Lasse Lindqvist, Peak Innovation; Fia Gulliksson, ambassador for Jämtland Matlandet, and Jannie Vestergaard, Skåne Food Innovation Network.

PROFITABLE EXCHANGE BETWEEN SKÅNE AND JÄMTLAND

IN BRIEF

IN BRIEF


THE POWER OF INNOVATION WITH IDEASMITH TEO HÄRÉN When motivational speaker Teo Härén holds a lecture everything’s up in the air. What is an idea and is it possible to be creative to order? His lectures attract full houses around the world and on 6 December 2010 he visited Östersund at the invitation of Peak Innova-tion. Almost a hundred people attended and let themselves be inspired.

Municipal Director Bengt Marsh and Catharina Lysell-Bergström, Strömnäs GIF.

NORDIC SKI CONVENTION 2010The Nordic Ski Convention 2010 took place in Östersund on 18-19 September. It was a well-attended event with more than 160 managers, coaches and skiers from throughout Sweden. Lectures were alternated with discussions and practical activities, including visits to the Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre and the ski stadium. At the trade fair that was held at the end of the convention, thirty-four exhibitors displayed everything from snow cannons and piste machines to skiing equipment. The convention was organised by the Swedish Ski Association, SISU Idrottsutbildarna, Jämtland Härjedalens Skidförbund [skiing association] and Östersund Municipality.

In association with the convention, Peak Innovation brought together a number of parties who are interested in developing training tourism and produced a targeted proposal for the convention delegates, as well as in exhibiting at the trade fair through Östersund Turist & Kon-gress AB. There was also a lottery for a training package for five people from one of the participating ski associations. The winner was Strömnäs GIF from Piteå:

“We are very glad that we can return to Östersund. The offer will be aimed at our juniors, who are interested in being on the snow as early as November, and the rollerski track is also an attraction. I also believe they’ll think it’s fun to get the opportunity to test themselves at the Swed-ish Winter Sports Research Centre,” says Catharina Lysell-Bergström, chairman of Strömnäs GIF’s skiing section.

FORMAL PARTNERSHIP WITH LILLEHAMMERLillehammer Kunnskapspark [Science Park] in Norway has successfully focused on cluster and product development in sport and tourism and strives to become a winter sports region. In June 2010 Peak Innovation undertook a study trip to Lillehammer to forge closer links with Kunnskapsparken, the Snowball business cluster and Lillehammer University College.

The trip resulted in Peak Innovation and Lillehammer working to create a more formal partnership. The ambition is to investigate the conditions for this in a joint pilot study and identify the areas in which it may be relevant.

Pictured below are Ove Gjesdal, Project Manager for the Snowball business cluster, and Anette Tandberg, Business Developer, Krokom.

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VISION 2016 The Jämtland region is a leading European environment for research and business development in tourism, sports and the outdoors.

PEAK INNOVATION OFFERSCLOSE PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN research and business allow Peak Innova-tion to offer activities that boost long-term competitiveness in tourism, sports and the outdoors to players in the Jämtland region. The ultimate aim is to strengthen Sweden’s position from an international perspective.

CAPTURE – transfer ideas and research results from academia, business and sport to the innovation system.

VERIFY – take ideas to proof of concept

COMMERCIALISE – support for companies in the startup phase

GROW – support for young and established companies

ARENAS AND NETWORKS – wide-ranging professional contacts and net-works, virtual and real

DEVELOP/TRAIN – create and execute programmes to guarantee the right expertise, bith short and long-term

REACH OUT – market the players in the innovation system – e.g. companies, research environments, destinations – locally, nationally and globally.

PARTNERS AND FINANCIERS

PEAK INNOVATIONKunskapens väg 4, SE-831 40 Östersund, [email protected] | www.peakinnovation.se Ph

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Documents

PEAK Summary 2011