Regional Arena for Digital Innovation, Testing and Training

The project strengthens the ability of small and medium-sized enterprises to carry out digital transformation by reducing the gap between academia, industry and the public sector in Värmland. By establishing a coherent test and innovation arena, companies gain improved access to research, technical expertise, test environments and support structures that can be translated into concrete business development. Computer Science forms an important part of this arena by contributing knowledge in areas such as AI, data use, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure, while its contribution is placed within a broader context where technology is connected to organisation, users, leadership and societal value.

The project is based on the actual needs of companies and offers practical activities, tests, pilots and exercises in safe environments. This enables companies to identify their challenges, test digital solutions, assess feasibility and develop new ways of working before making larger investments or implementations. The technical expertise from Computer Science helps ensure the quality of analyses, tests and strategic choices, while collaboration with other areas of expertise ensures that the solutions are relevant, understandable and possible to implement in practice.

Through collaboration between Compare, Karlstad University, DigitalWell Ventures, industry and public actors, the project creates a structure for long-term learning, impact evaluation and scaling of successful solutions. In this way, the project strengthens the region’s innovation capacity, digital resilience and ability to translate digital technology into sustainable growth. The result is not only increased access to advanced technical expertise, but also a more coordinated and accessible environment where companies and public actors can develop, test and implement digital solutions in a safe, inclusive and sustainable way.