KTH Holding officially transitioned to KTH Ventures on Tuesday the 27th of May during an event held in the historic reactor hall beneath KTH Royal Institute of Technology, marking a fundamental shift in translating breakthrough academic research into scalable solutions.
Responding to Unprecedented Innovation Speed
"This isn't just a name change," said Lisa Ericsson, CEO of KTH Ventures and Head of KTH Innovation. "We're declaring a fundamental shift. The urgency, the pace of innovation today - it demands a completely new approach. With KTH Ventures, we're building a new foundation to help the most groundbreaking research actually reach society."
The transition comes as Europe faces what experts call a "polycrisis" - climate change, energy transitions, health challenges, and geopolitical tensions occurring simultaneously, all accelerated by AI's revolutionary impact on science itself. The symbolic venue choice - KTH's reactor hall where Sweden's atomic energy pioneers explored the boundaries of possibility in the 1950s - underscored the organization's continued commitment to pushing scientific frontiers.
New Model for Deep Tech Commercialization
Working hand-in-hand with KTH Innovation, KTH Ventures will focus on translating breakthrough research into scalable solutions faster, at scale, and with precision. While KTH Innovation continues its open-to-all, collaborative, early-stage work, KTH Ventures builds upon that foundation through strategic investment and venture creation in strategic technologies.
"We're positioned right at the intersection between breakthrough science and cutting-edge startups," Ericsson explained. "What we're proving is that academic excellence and commercial success together create something way more powerful than either could achieve alone."
European Collaboration at Core
The initiative extends beyond national borders through strategic partnerships across Europe, including RiseEurope, the network of leading European ecosystem builders, strengthening European competitiveness in the global innovation landscape.
"Europe's competitive edge isn't going to come from working harder. It's going to come from breaking down barriers and working smarter, together", Ericsson noted.
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About KTH Ventures
KTH Ventures, formerly KTH Holding, is the investment and venture creation arm of KTH Royal Institute of Technology. Working alongside KTH Innovation, the organization operates as the first investor in breakthrough technologies, actively supporting the creation of new companies, directly from leading research rather than simply investing in existing businesses. This involves assembling resources, talent, and strategies to develop ventures with high growth potential.
About KTH Royal Institute of Technology
KTH Royal Institute of Technology is Sweden's largest and oldest technical university, with a history dating back to 1827. As one of Europe's leading technical universities, KTH conducts education and research spanning from natural sciences to all branches of engineering, architecture, industrial management, and urban planning.
About RiseEurope
RiseEurope is a network of leading European ecosystem builders connecting innovation hubs, accelerators, and venture builders across the continent. The network facilitates collaboration between Europe's leading startup ecosystem builders, sharing best practices to strengthen European competitiveness in deep tech innovation and position Europe as a global leader in breakthrough technologies.
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Note to editors: Additional information, press kit and Interviews with CEO Lisa Ericsson, about KTH Ventures' strategic direction are available upon request. Please reach out to contact@kthventures.se.
