About us
The road to entrepreneurial success is never straight. There are often highs, lows and bumps along the way. We can help your business idea and your company move forward as fast as possible.
Our Commitment to You
Growing from a smart idea to a fast-growing company doesn’t happen overnight. The harsh truth is that most attempts fail. The route to success is often difficult to navigate, there are many decisions to make along the way and the competition is fierce. This is where Uminova Innovation comes into the picture. We can help you determine if your business idea is really worth investing in. If the answer is yes, we’ll help you develop it into a flourishing company. We know all about the dead ends you need to avoid and the time-saving shortcuts you can take, and we’ll even connect you with talented people who can join you on your journey to success.
Your Commitment to Us
We can support you regardless of whether you are just starting out or have already founded your company. Our services are free, and the only payment we expect in return is in the form of hard work and dedication. You need to convince us that you can solve a problem and create value that enough people will want to pay for. Today, tomorrow and into the future.
If you are accepted into our incubator, you will receive:
200 years of experience
Our business developers have more than 200 years of combined experience in business development, working with a wide range of industries. Several have been on their own personal entrepreneurial journeys – some of them successful, others less so. Our business support is tailored to your specific needs, and delivered via engaging workshops and personal meetings with your dedicated business developer, who can quickly activate our entire team if required. Sales methodology, product development, law and brand strategy are all examples of areas we have experience working with.
Invaluable contacts
Building a fast-growing tech company is never a journey you can make alone. Most companies will compete in a global marketplace, where finding the right skills, partners and capital is often the difference between success and failure. We have a huge contacts network, both locally and globally, and can open doors that might otherwise stay shut for you. We can help you build your team and find experienced mentors, ambitious students and well-known industry leaders. We can also help connect you with larger companies looking for innovative startups, or with investors looking for the next rising tech star. It all depends on what you and your business idea needs the most.
Are you looking for companies to invest in, collaborate with or work for? Then click here (in Swedish).
Be part of something bigger
Whether you want to meet us in person at Tvistevägen in Umeå or somewhere else, you will get to connect with inspirational people who are on a similar journey to you. Possible partners, future customers or perhaps even friends for life. A community for company builders who want to make the world a little better. You’ll learn from each other’s successes and setbacks, and inspire each other to aim even higher.
A proven methodology for entrepreneurial success
Our working processes guarantee entrepreneurs take their business ideas forward quickly and with confidence. Our entrepreneurs must be prepared to meet potential customers from day one, and challenge their assumptions and hypotheses when working with our Customer Development methodology. We also conduct work according to the Lean methodology, with effective processes for minimized waste and maximum learning.
Apply for business support
At Uminova Innovation we are constantly on the lookout for people with new business ideas and companies that can make a positive impact on markets, people and the world.
We welcome new startups to our incubator all year round and to our Startup program. We adapt our business support and services to you or your team, wherever you are on your startup journey.
If you want our help, please fill out the application form. It only takes around 15 minutes.
Our business support services are mainly aimed at people working in Västerbotten. You can apply whether you have already started a company or not. If we feel that Uminova Innovation is not the right solution for you we will advise you of any alternative help that might be available.
Once you have submitted your application you will receive a confirmation email. Then, normally within approximately a week, you will get feedback from us. We always treat your application with complete confidentiality.
If you want to book a digital meeting with a business developer to get feedback on your business idea and learn more about our incubator, click here.
If you have questions about your applications or our business support, contact Elin Pudas and she will be happy to assist you.
Regional Growth at the forefront
Umeå and Västerbotten is one of Europe’s most innovative regions, and attracts students, researchers, entrepreneurs, talent and investors from around the world. Our largest owner, Umeå University, welcomes 32,000 students each year, and is constantly generating new world-class knowledge and creativity. In 2020, The Umeå Institute of Design was ranked highest in Europe and America for the fifth year in a row. The conditions for tech entrepreneurship and growth companies are excellent, but Uminova Innovation is passionate about strengthening the region’s advantages even further. We want to be a major driver within the field of innovation, and an automatic partner for businesses and investors.
Umeå University Holding AB is a driving force in the innovation sector and oversees the activities of Umeå University’s Innovation Office. It also serves as the parent company for the incubators Uminova Innovation, Expression Umeå and Umeå Biotech Incubator. While the holding company concentrates on investments, the Innovation Office provides innovation support to researchers, employees, and students at Umeå University.