Thank you to the Kamprad Family Foundation

This year, IKEA’s founder Ingvar Kamprad would have turned 100. At the same time, the research foundation established by him and his family is celebrating its 15th anniversary. Ingvar Kamprad had a strong commitment to the development of northern Sweden, and the Kamprad Family Foundation has been an important contributor to research at Luleå University of Technology.

Not least, the Kamprad Family Foundation has contributed through NorrlandsNavet, which was established at the university in 2020 and represents the foundation’s single largest investment, amounting to SEK 100 million.

NorrlandsNavet is a centre for the development of business activities in northern Sweden, providing small and medium-sized enterprises in the region with opportunities to grow and innovate with the support of research and education. Its activities are built on three complementary components: students contributing to company development projects, researchers collaborating directly with industry, and lifelong learning initiatives in the form of tailored education programmes for professionals.

In total, Luleå University of Technology has been awarded SEK 150 million since the foundation was established. Currently, a number of research projects are being conducted at the university with funding from the Kamprad Family Foundation across a range of areas, including entrepreneurship, medicine and design.

“We are deeply grateful to have benefited from Ingvar Kamprad’s legacy. It has enabled us to strengthen and contribute to entrepreneurship in northern Sweden. Our researchers and students have helped small and medium-sized enterprises address concrete challenges,” says Birgitta Bergvall-Kåreborn, Vice-Chancellor of Luleå University of Technology.

“NorrlandsNavet enables us to work closely with companies in northern Sweden. Through initiatives such as summer scholarships, companies have been able to host students and carry out development projects addressing real challenges. We have also developed tailored educational initiatives based on the needs of small businesses,” says Marita Holst, Director of NorrlandsNavet.

“It has been a privilege to contribute to realising Ingvar Kamprad’s vision of strengthening entrepreneurship and business development in northern Sweden. Through NorrlandsNavet, we have enabled research collaborations with small and medium-sized enterprises – thereby generating knowledge, innovation and tangible results in the region,” says Vinit Parida, Professor and Scientific Director of NorrlandsNavet.

Research and companies

Through NorrlandsNavet, research, education and small and medium-sized enterprises in northern Sweden have been brought together in a wide range of development projects. These span areas from robotics and energy efficiency to digital solutions and new ways of working, with researchers and students from Luleå University of Technology collaborating with companies to address concrete needs.

The Kamprad Family Foundation has also supported several other research projects at Luleå University of Technology. One example is the project Digital Trust and Sustainable Design of Circular Services, which highlights the importance of information security and usability in digital service development.

“Thanks to the research funding, we have been able to emphasise that confidentiality, integrity and availability must guide the development of digital services from the outset,” says Åsa Ericson, Professor of Cybersecurity.

Another example is the interdisciplinary project Tur i skogen (Out in the Forest), which explores the significance of nature-based interventions for mental health and sustainable rural development.

“Thanks to the research funding, we have been able to demonstrate the importance of nature-based interventions for both mental health and sustainable development. The project also contributes to advancing the field in a broader national and international context,” says Päivi Juuso, Associate Professor of Nursing.

At Luleå University of Technology, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to the Kamprad Family Foundation for a long-standing and meaningful collaboration.