You went from studying at LTH to co-founding a tech company. Tell us about that journey?
I studied Engineering Physics in Lund, and after my thesis (exjobb), I was accepted as a doctoral student in Automatic Control in the mid-90s. Lund University was a leader in modelling and simulation of technical systems, and I researched in that area. Along with some of my fellow doctoral students, I saw enormous potential to use the research results for better, faster, and cheaper product development in the automotive industry. After I defended my dissertation, we got our chance when the German automotive industry was looking for new methods to model air-conditioning systems. Together with another LTH company, we won over the established, leading market players of that time. It was a flying start! We worked evenings and nights to make it into a product and deliver to the German automotive industry. Soon we had all the big brands in Germany as customers – Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Porsche. With our digital models, they could reduce prototype costs tenfold while introducing new sustainable refrigerants.
And the company then grew to over a hundred employees globally?
Yes, our technology had sparked interest globally – from Japan to the US. We started with air conditioning systems and expanded to road handling, motorsport, and later to the energy and aviation industries. I became CEO in 2012 and led the company through a journey of growth, change, and internationalisation. In 2021, the company was listed on the stock exchange with a strong product portfolio and a leading position in cloud simulation. After taking the company through several milestones and handing over to my successor last summer, I spotted the job advertisement for Innovation Developer at LU Innovation and it clicked immediately. It's a privilege to be able to use my experiences to help researchers put their results to practical use in industry and society.
How do you support researchers at Lund University in your new role as an innovation developer?
I can help them take the step from research to practical application by explaining what the path looks like and bringing up the right questions and guiding them forward. LU Innovation offers a proven model where we coach so people end up in the right place and point to available resources. We are a team with broad knowledge. Our experts can provide advice on everything from patents to financing. Our partners at the university's holding company, LU Ventures, help with building a startup. My role is to be a coach who helps researchers navigate and use the help that is available. I don't think everyone is aware of the extensive support that the university can provide.
Why do you think researchers should invest in innovation?
In big part because it's an amazing feeling to see your research come to practical use in society. Innovation often involves creating a new or improved product, service, or method. If you're doing basic research, it may not be as relevant, but if you're working with applied research, there could be valuable applications just around the corner. Society funds research so that it will be useful, and therefore I think that as a researcher, you also have a responsibility. When researchers contact us early, we can show possible ways forward. Not every researcher needs to become a business leader – together we can find different paths to utilisation. The process is rarely straightforward, and each journey is unique – which is why support along the way is important.
What do you think will be exciting about your new role?
Getting to meet all the smart researchers in the departments and at various events – and being able to participate in and contribute to their work making a difference in society.
Want to explore how your research results can become an innovation? Book a meeting with LU Innovation, or join the INSIGHTS programme.
LU Innovation can support you as a student or researcher at Lund University, free of charge and with no strings attached. Want to get started? Book a meeting with one of our innovation developers here. Together with innovation developer Annika Lindström, Magnus will also lead the INSIGHTS programme, starting on September 25. Through the programme, you will get the opportunity explore utilisation of your research or ideas, over four morning seminars. Interested? Read more and register here.