Innovation is on the rise at Lund University. More and more researchers want to see how their research can be put to use through new treatments, products or services that reach society. In 2025, 161 ideas came in from researchers seeking support, compared to 125 the previous year. In total, almost 850 students and researchers received support from LU Innovation during the year.
In 2025, LU Innovation supported more new researcher-led ideas than ever before. This is the result of more systematic efforts to reach out across the university and improve innovation support. This is shown in a new report produced by LU Innovation and LU Ventures to describe innovation acitvities in 2025, and look ahead.
The largest increase in the number of ideas came from LTH and the Faculty of Social Sciences. At the latter, Social Impact Lab – a new initiative that for the first time offered social scientists a structured pathway to work with innovation – helped broaden engagement further.
Niclas Nilsson, Director of Innovation at LU Innovation, sees the figures as a sign of a stronger innovation culture:
"It’s very encouraging that more and more of the university's researchers are interested in utilisation and are turning to us for support. Every idea we support today is a potential solution to a problem that will make a difference tomorrow," says Niclas Nilsson.
Behind the increase lies an ongoing outreach effort with more physical presence at departments and institutions, more targeted communications, calls for applications linked to the university's sustainability fund, and new programmes designed to meet the needs of researchers and students.
In the innovation report, Vice-Chancellor Erik Renström is clear about what innovation means strategically for LU: “As we look towards 2026, fostering innovation and the spin-out of new startups remain critical elements of our strategy as a leading global university.”