Sweden
Anna König Jerlmyr
974,073 (2019)
Gunnar Björkman
Save costs and improve efficiency within the public sector
Anticipate and manage future challenges
Improve service delivery
Dedicated funding
Human resource support
Dedicated innovation team
Culture of innovation in city
Leadership from Mayor
Digital Demo Stockholm (DDS) is an innovation partnership between the public sector, academia and private industry that leverages digital solutions to facilitate and improve the quality of life for the citizens of Stockholm. Based on the Triple Helix model and Design Thinking process, DDS addresses the region’s challenges with innovative tools derived from design work. Demo projects range from “iWater”– a cloud-based sensor technology providing real-time updates on changes to the drinking water network for faster detection of contamination to “Smart locks” – a digital, key-free solution aimed at increasing efficiency and security, reducing cost and providing greater freedom for the elderly.
Along with 50% of cities surveyed, Stockholm has an explicit innovation strategy. Similar to more than half of cities surveyed, Stockholm approaches innovation capacity both from a holistic/macro level, as well as in specific policy areas.
Situated within the City Executive Office, Stockholm’s dedicated innovation team consists of 9 staff.
Taking risks or testing new ideas
Data-driven analytics/public data management
Engaging residents in new ways
Developing new solutions based on digital technologies
Organizational change within the municipality
Human-centered design
Rethinking your city’s approach to financing partnerships
Like 81% of cities surveyed, Stockholm has dedicated funding to support innovation capacity.
Similar to 61% of participating cities in the 2020 survey, Stockholm's funding for innovation capacity is also directed towards training staff and building capacity*.
*"Training staff and building capacity" is not an option in the 2018 survey, while "Launching or sustaining a project" is not an option in the 2020 survey.
Stockholm has developed partnerships to promote innovation capacity with other public agencies and municipalities, private firms, not-for-profit organizations, and city residents/resident associations.
To improve data use, the city has also developed data partnerships with the private sector, academia and think tanks, to collect and analyze data, as well as with other cities.