SWINNO: A Database of Swedish Innovations, 1970-2007

This paper introduces a new database of Swedish innovations, SWINNO, in manufacturing and some services such as software. Innovation data are collected with the Literature Based Innovation Output method (LBIO) by use of trade journals and technical magazines and cover the period 1970-2007. Each innovation is described by more than fifty parameters making possible a detailed analysis from several aspects. The innovations captured in SWINNO are significant innovations, not minor or incremental, and the total number over the so far covered period is above 4000. The highest number of Swedish innovations were commercialized around 1980. The paper discusses the representativity and validity of SWINNO and assesses the LBIO method in comparison with other indicators of innovation. Some LBIO databases have previously been constructed but comparable with SWINNO is presently only the Finnish database SFINNO.