Keywords
Citation
(2001), "Invest in Sweden Agency launches Socware in the UK", Microelectronics International, Vol. 18 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/mi.2001.21818bab.013
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2001, MCB UP Limited
Invest in Sweden Agency launches Socware in the UK
Invest in Sweden Agency launches Socware in the UK
Keywords Sweden, Electronics industry
A half-day seminar at the Swedish Embassy was the launch pad for the highly topical project of Socware. The project was initiated by the Invest in Sweden Agency, a handful of leading Swedish universities and research institutes as well as some major Swedish companies.
Socware is not only about hardware and software, but also about system-on-chip-ware for wireless and broadband application, which is increasingly seen as a vital building block of the information society.
Sweden, known as Wireless Valley, is a leading environment for wireless system technology design and the UK launch opens possibilities for British companies to take part in this existing project.
Several British companies turned up for the launch on 5 April and were welcomed by Tomas Rosander, Minister at the Embassy of Sweden. Christina Knutsson, Director of the Invest in Sweden Agency UK drew a picture of the dramatic changes that have taken place in Sweden during the last ten years.
Rolf Rising heads the Socware project at the Invest in Sweden Agency and he has been the key player in forming the Socware design cluster. The project was set up just over a year ago and Sweden was seen as a natural habitat, "Sweden is the Wireless Valley of the world and is now the most important hub for wireless technology," he stated at the seminar.
"We can offer design teams, can house these teams during the start-up phase and we can even provide some cost-sharing of the R&D". He explained that the cluster is a public project into which the Swedish Government has injected $60m. Partners are found among leading businesses in the field and three leading technical universities in Sweden.
Planning for future university courses has been established and the first 50 masters of Socware Engineering will graduate this year to be followed by 100 next year. A research programme is in place and at present there are 50 PhD projects and 11 faculty research groups – "and the programme is open for industrial participation", stressed Mr Rising.
The Socware project has already been launched in Taiwan and Japan, and the UK was chosen for its European launch. "There are over 9,000 electronic firms in the UK and many American firms have their European headquarters in the UK. It is only natural that we should invite these companies to Sweden so that they can benefit from the progress made on Socware technology, said Ms Knutsson, Director at the Invest in Sweden Agency.
Further details: Rolf Rising, Head of Socware Program, Invest in Sweden Agency. Tel: +46 8 70 634 0820; E-mail: rolf.rising@isa.se; Web site: www.socware.com