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Let students explore your research idea

SommarMatchen

SommarMatchen (The Summer Match) has been an annual program since 2007, helping researchers at Linköping University to understand how their research results can create impact through commercialization.

Through the SommarMatchen program you will, by the help of LiU students, gain concrete insights into the needs, use cases, and business potential of your idea.

Create impact beyond academia – Apply for SommarMatchen 2026!

During five intensive summer weeks, two talented students from LiU are matched with your project, acting as external market explorers who provide key insights and fresh perspectives on how your research could create value beyond academia.

Through interviews with potential users, stakeholders, and future customers, the students gather insights into market needs, willingness to pay, and market dynamics. Their mission is to help you answer early-stage key questions such as:

  • Who would benefit/pay for the solution?
  • What problem does it solve for them?
  • How big is the potential market?

To be eligible you must be a researcher at LiU and own the rights to the idea. You need to have a hypothesis of a business and who the future customer might be, i.e. how your research could create value outside academia (the business idea), and an initial idea of who might benefit from it (the future customer). This will be the starting point for the students.

While the students receive guidance from experienced business coaches from LEAD throughout SommarMatchen, you need to be available during the program (June and early August) to answer questions about your research and potential applications that may arise.

Fill in the application form below and someone from the SommarMatchen team will reach out to you. Application deadline is April 10, 2026.

For questions about the SommarMatchen program contact Magnus Krogh at LEAD or your innovation advisor at LiU Innovation.

VFT
I/we own the idea and/or the IP behind the idea
I/we have a registered company to commercialize the idea
LiU offers innovation advisors either from LiU Innovation or Student Innovation by LiU, if you have an innovation advisor, choose your advisor in the list below:
LEAD is the Business Incubator connected to LiU. Have you been in contact with LEAD before? If yes, who is your Business Coach?
Location
Outline your idea for a product/service/solution and how it will solve the customer’s problem. Be concise, to-the-point (1-2 sentences).
Describe the customer’s or market’s key problem or unmet need are you addressing. Who is the customer, i.e. having the problem/need and is willing to pay for resolving it? What will happen if the need is not met? Can you somehow quantify the market (overall size, prices, growth trends, geography, etc.)?
Describe your solution, broadly speaking, and the most important aspects of your approach (strategy, business model etc.). How will this approach allow you to reach the customers and address their need?
Describe the benefits a customer will experience by using your approach. Can you quantify the value (money/time/convenience/improved quality etc.) for the customer? At what cost for the customer, e.g. investments in rebuilding and/or reorganizing to implement?
Describe the competition, i.e. other ways of addressing the same problem/need. Why does your solution represent the best value for the customer? Can you name some competitor companies?
How would you describe the current situation of development of the idea in a commercial direction? Self-assess what you have achieved team-wise, customer-wise, IP-wise and technology-wise in the dropdown menus below.
What do you see as the next step in your commercialization journey?
Who is behind the idea? What kind of knowledge/background do you bring to the project? (State the names of all initial founders and their roles within the project/company)
Confirmation
The application above does not contain detailed information about the invention that may be sensitive in relation to patenting.
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