Background
The Draghi report on EU competitiveness identifies weak commercialization and scaling of new technologies as one of Europe’s main structural challenges. According to the report, barriers such as fragmented markets, regulatory complexity, insufficient risk capital, weak demand-side mechanisms and high structural costs limit the ability of new technologies to reach and scale in the market.
While many in Europe, particularly the Nordic countries, have strong research and development systems and innovation capacity, these do not automatically translate into successful commercialization, and that targeted measures are needed to bridge the gap between research, innovation and market uptake. With EU’s ambitious climate goals for 2030 and 2040 which rely on rapid technological development and scaling of research, this is perhaps more important than ever.
The Nordic countries are characterized by high R&D intensity, strong knowledge institutions and vibrant startup ecosystems. At the same time, commercialization outcomes vary considerably across countries and sectors, and many firms struggle in the transition from research and early innovation to market entry, scale-up and international expansion.
Barriers differ by stage of the commercialization process and include access to early stage and scale-up capital, regulatory and standardization challenges, fragmented support systems, limited demand-side pull, and organizational and capability constraints in both firms and research institutions. The relatively small size of domestic markets is also a barrier for many companies and further increases the importance of early internationalization and thus a well-functioning Nordic market.
The study
Against this backdrop, Nordic Innovation seeks to commission a study that identifies, analyses and prioritizes current and emerging barriers to commercialization in the Nordic region. The purpose of the assignment is not to provide an exhaustive mapping of all obstacles, but to generate decision-relevant insight into which barriers matter most for Nordic competitiveness towards 2030, and where Nordic-level cooperation can add value beyond national measures. The study is intended to support Nordic Innovation in clarifying its role, prioritizing its efforts, and developing targeted initiatives under the Innovative Solutions for 2030 program.
Lead partner
Menon Economics will act as lead partner for the assignment and has assembled a pan-Nordic consortium with complementary expertise across innovation economics, R&D systems and commercialization. The consortium combines strong analytical capacity with in-depth knowledge of Nordic policy frameworks and extensive experience with green and climate-relevant technologies. This ensures both a solid understanding of the underlying economic mechanisms behind commercialization barriers and a practical appreciation of how these barriers manifest across different Nordic contexts.
The report is expected at the end of May.
