BizMaker, Vinnova Innovative Startups 2025 is this year's initiative that now gives two startups in the region the opportunity to take the next step. Collection and ITSL Solutions are granted five hundred thousand kronor each in this year's call. It is an important success for both the companies and the regional innovation environment. A total of three companies in Västernorrland receive funding and the region is thus considered one of the most successful in northern Sweden in this round.

Vinnova program Innovative Startups is aimed at young companies that develop solutions with great social benefit and clear market potential. In this year's call, one thousand thirty-seven applications were submitted. Of these, only one hundred and three were approved. The fact that two of the approved applications come from BizMakers network clearly shows that the targeted investment in application support made a real difference.

What BizMaker Vinnova Innovative Startups mean for the region

The result is not only a success for the two companies but also a confirmation that Västernorrland has taken great steps forward as an innovation region. Obtaining funding in Vinnova's early programs is difficult. It requires clarity in the problem analysis, a strong technical level, a verifiable business model and a credible plan for how the project will be implemented. Therefore, these granted funds are seen as a clear seal of quality for the entire regional innovation system.

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BizMaker has worked for several years to strengthen the startup environment in the north Sweden. Through collaborations with RISE Process and several other players in the region have created better conditions for early-stage companies to be able to compete at a national level. This year's results show that this model works.

Targeted investment from BizMaker resulted in higher quality in applications

Ahead of this year's call, BizMaker carried out a targeted and structured effort to help startups in their network to design really strong applications. The work was based on three main parts. The first part consisted of workshops where the companies received support in identifying the core of their problems, their solutions and their markets. The second part was about individual advice where BizMakers Funding experts reviewed each application in depth and highlighted what needed clarification. The third part consisted of expert feedback from both business developers and technology specialists.

Erica Markusson, financing advisor at BizMaker and initiator of the initiative, describes the process as more complex than the text production itself.

It is rarely the writing itself that takes time. The words can be shaped with the right support. The difficult part is clarifying what the company actually knows about the problem, the solution and the business model. That is where the difference is made. When a program also allows funding for early personnel costs, which is unusual, the competition increases enormously. The work on the application sharpens the companies' skills and often increases their chances of also receiving other funding.

BizMaker's work enabled several startups to present their ideas in a more strategic and convincing way, improving their chances of getting through the Vinnova selection process.

ITSL Solutions develops more secure cloud management for the public sector

ITSL Solutions is a technology company focused on strengthening security and control around cloud management within public sector. Their solution offers a model where authorities and other public organizations can get the simplicity of using cloud-based systems but at the same time have full control over their information in a way that meets high security requirements.

With the financing of five hundred thousand kronor, the company can develop a strategically important part of its platform that would otherwise not have been possible to prioritize.

Fredrik Jonasson, CEO and founder, describes the importance of the support.
The financing makes it possible to develop a strategically important part of the company that would not otherwise have been possible at this time. We continue our work to create a safer type of cloud service where organizations get the simplicity of the cloud but the security of managing data on their own. Sensitive information should always be protected, also from us as a supplier. The support from BizMaker in the application process has been absolutely crucial

The need for safe digitization in the public sector is growing rapidly. ITSL Solutions' investment is therefore right on time.

Collecct drives digitalization of circular material flows

The second company granted is Collecct. They are developing a digital service that helps businesses and businesses to manage materials and waste in a more efficient and circular way. The goal is to create tools that make it possible to track, measure and optimize flows so that resources are used better and the amount of waste is reduced.

With the financing, the company can take a bigger step forward in its development than would otherwise have been possible.

Daniel Pluntky, CEO at Collecct, describes the importance of the support.

The funding allows us to take the next step much faster and dare to fully invest in innovation instead of customer-funded development. Now we can further develop and test our software and show how circularity can be both measurable and profitable. BizMaker gathered the right skills around us and helped us take the application to the next level

Circular economy is becoming increasingly important in both public and private sector. Collecct offers a digital tool that can make it easier to take concrete steps towards more sustainable and cost-effective material flows.

Regional cooperation increased the strength of the applications

The initiative that BizMaker implemented was carried out in close collaboration with RISE Processum and several of the region's incubators and innovation actors. The broad collaboration made it possible to gather both technical and commercial expertise, which in turn strengthened the quality of the applications.

For early-stage startups, this type of collaborative process can be crucial. By connecting different skills, companies were able to see their projects from multiple perspectives and refine their strategies. The result was stronger applications that stood well in the Vinnova selection process.

The financing opens new opportunities for both companies

Having to choose between development and customer-driven projects is a common problem for early-stage startups. With support from Vinnova can both ITSL Solutions and Collecct now accelerate their development and focus on the parts of their solutions that have the greatest potential to create benefit in the long term.

For ITSL Solutions, the support means that the company can continue to build more securely. digital solutions for the public sector. For Collecct, this represents an opportunity to scale up the pace of innovation within digital circular flows. Together, the two examples clearly demonstrate how important financing in the early stages is to build the companies of the future.

This year's announcement of Innovative Startups shows that northern Sweden continues to strengthen its position as an innovation region. Through targeted support, strategic coaching and regional collaboration, BizMaker contributed to two promising companies taking the next step in their development. The financing from Vinnova is not only economic. It also signals that the companies have a strong business concept, high technical level and good future potential.

With Collect and ITSL Solutions as an example, it is clear that the region's innovation environment continues to deliver companies that have both great ambitions and the potential to make a concrete difference.