CRE8® - A COMPETITION IN CREATIVITY
CRE8® is a fast-paced method for competing in creative problem solving, with an emphasis on innovation. Three to four interdisciplinary teams of students test their problem-solving abilities and pitched their solutions to a jury. The teams are given real cases from researchers, companies and the public sector. The objective is to train the students in solving real-life problems and to collaborate in teams – a useful experience for their future careers.

NEXT CRE8®
The next CRE8® will be held on February 19, 2025, where you will be given an important societal challenge. This challenge affects everyone in society and encompasses social, communicative, behavioral and technical aspects. Students from all educations are equally relevant and important.
HOW THE COMPETITION WORKS
- Drivhuset is holding a short course on how to best pitch your ideas
- You will be divided into teams with other students from different programs
- The task owner presents a case and challenge at the beginning of the day
- The student teams have three hours to work and prepare for the pitch
- The teams are not allowed to use any connected devices, just paper/whiteboard and pen.
- The teams pitch their ideas to the jury in groups. This is done individually, meaning that the teams are not allowed to see each other's pitches for technical reasons
- After the pitches, the jury deliberates and chooses a winning team that is presented at the reunion and the diploma ceremony!
As a student, you neither can nor need to prepare for a CRE8® and there is no after-work. Come as you are, leave as anyone else! And of course you are offered the Swedish fika, fruit and lunch!
FOR STUDENTS
Do you want to take part in an exciting and educational challenge that will boost your entrepreneurial skills and give you valuable career contacts? CRE8® helps you develop your problem-solving abilities together with other students. You get to work with a real case assigned directly by a researcher, a company or an actor in the public sector, allowing for a variety of solutions. Keep an eye out for upcoming competition rounds on this page. In the meantime, you can always contact us if you want to work on your entrepreneurial skills.
FOR EMPLOYERS
Do you have a case that might suit our students? A case needs to be focused on developing innovative solutions. It should not be about administrative duties or basic day to day operations – the idea is to use the students’ creative abilities. A good case has a clear description, but leaves a lot of room to find solutions. If a case that is too detailed it may inhibit creativity, and if it is too vague it can be difficult to define a problem. We can assist you in drafting the case description to strike a good balance.
Contact us if you want to be part of Värmland’s most exciting innovation competition!
PREVIOUS CRE8® COMPETITIONS
Since 2017, CRE8® competitions have been held with, among others:
Löfbergs
Karlstad Energi
OK Värmland
OKQ8 Scandinavia
Mundati
Karlstads Municipality
Säffle Municipality
COWI
Sandvik
SSAB
Outokumpu
Uddeholm
Moelven
Region Värmland
Stora Enso
Höganäs
Ovako
Nayar Systems (Spain)
Enhol (Spain)
Mechatronica (Bulgaria)
Sentestate Technologies (Bulgaria)
Den Fynske Lantby (Denmark)
Klara Sol in cooperation with Valmet
Jernkontoret in Stockholm four years in a row. Watch the video here! The aim was to attract innovative employees to the steel industry and encourage creativity. Eight competing teams from several different universities throughout Sweden participated.
CRE8® PART OF THE ARIES4 PROJECT
Learn more about our international project ARIES4, where CRE8® is included.
The commissioning party has the right to continue working with solutions/ideas that the students present at CRE8® - preferably in collaboration with the students if there is an interest to do so. If the students want to further an idea, they need consent from the commissioning party.
When you sign up for CRE8®, you approve that Karlstad University saves your personal data for the purpose of contacting and informing you about the CRE8® competition for which you have registered.
