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GATE – Graduate School of Advanced Technology and Enterprising

GATE – Graduate School of Advanced Technology and Enterprising is Sweden's first doctoral school focused on the challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the digital transition. Through education and collaboration, the doctoral school bridges the gap between research and practical application in business operations. GATE is a collaboration between the School of Business and Economics and the Faculty of Technology at Linnaeus University, with a focus on enterprises in Småland.

About the GATE initiative

Globalisation and rapid technological development have created unprecedented opportunities for the business sector. Innovations such as automation, digitalisation, AI, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are reshaping the business world, creating new products, services, business models, markets, and competitors.

To ensure that these advancements contribute to increased prosperity, it is essential to understand how they are implemented within companies. The effective utilisation of these technologies is crucial for creating successful and sustainable enterprises, especially in light of environmental and climate challenges.

Småland, a region renowned for its entrepreneurial spirit and innovative strength in both traditional industries and emerging sectors such as IT and energy, faces an increasing need for new competencies to manage these rapid changes.

Through its established partnerships with local businesses, the School of Business and Economics and the Faculty of Technology aim to promote entrepreneurship and the integration of new technology in the business sector via the GATE doctoral school. This collaborative initiative focuses on addressing the specific needs of small and medium-sized enterprises during the ongoing technological paradigm shift. The partnership enables researchers and students to quickly adopt new technologies and accelerate their application in both the private and public sectors.

Current

Projects

Meet Our Current Doctoral Projects

GATE’s doctoral projects are closely connected to the real-world challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises as they navigate digital transformation. Our doctoral candidates contribute knowledge that supports sustainable business growth, innovation, and future competencies for a digital society.

 

Project: Illuminating Dark Data

Doctoral candidate: Tim Benda

This project investigates the phenomenon of dark data—information that is collected, stored, and maintained within organizations but remains unused in decision-making and analysis. The project examines how dark data emerges as a consequence of operational processes, automation, and silo-based information structures, and how insufficient data governance contributes to the escalation of the problem.

By analyzing existing research and databases, the project explores how dark data is addressed across different organizational contexts and identifies gaps in current strategies for data utilization. Rather than focusing solely on risks—such as increased costs, sustainability challenges, and regulatory requirements (e.g. GDPR)—the project also examines the potential value that can be unlocked through improved identification, structuring, and use of dark data.

The overarching aim is to develop a practical and theoretical framework that helps SMEs understand how dark data affects their operations and how this often-overlooked resource can be transformed into a foundation for innovation, business development, and competitive advantage in a data-driven economy.

Link to the presentation (in Swedish): https://play.lnu.se/media/t/0_wh6v69fx

 

Project: Artificial Intelligence Meets Climate

Doctoral candidate: Henrik Kindblom

This project explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming research and development within clean technology start-ups. By examining sectors such as renewable energy and agritech, the project investigates the specific AI tools utilized during different stages of product creation. The findings will highlight how these technologies serve as collaborative partners for brainstorming, simulation, and the optimization of workflows among small engineering teams. While many employees report significant improvements in technical quality and creative capacity, the data also reveals emerging organizational challenges regarding formal policies and the necessity of verifying AI-generated information. Ultimately, the project frames AI as a general-purpose technology that reshapes the social and material practices of modern environmental innovation.

Link till presentation (in Swedish): https://play.lnu.se/media/t/0_ebqyw5u3

 

Project: Value Creation and Implementation of Digital Product Passports in SMEs

Doctoral candidate: Timmy Öberg

This doctoral research project investigates Digital Product Passports (DPPs) as a strategic tool for business value creation, moving beyond mere technical or regulatory compliance. While current academic discourse primarily focuses on technical infrastructure and regulatory compliance, this study prioritizes the practical application for businesses. The project specifically investigates the challenges faced by SMEs, which often lack the resources and digital expertise to easily adopt such systems. By employing a design science research approach, the project aims to develop practical artifacts that support firms in activating Digital Product Passport information for value-creating use. In doing so, the project addresses the gap between conceptual ideas of DPPs and the practical reality of making products more sustainable, repairable, and traceable for all stakeholders.

Link till presentation (in Swedish): https://play.lnu.se/media/t/0_btyin67y

More about GATE