Stockholm

Billions of homes are furnished with IKEA designs. Millennials flock to buy the latest designer collaborations in H&M. Skype have become a key player in the communications world, Skanska makes the world’s most eco-friendly buildings, and TetraPak is responsible for the shape of the drink's cartons on our table. We ask ourselves, why pay for iTunes when we could stream with Spotify, whilst becoming addicted to games like candy Crush and Minecraft. All Swedish Innovations. - Why has Sweden become Europe’s hotbed of innovation?

Video Credits: This is Sweden

Its entrepreneurial spirit and innovation-oriented mindset have turned Sweden into one of the most advanced countries in the world, and Stockholm, its capital, has gained the reputation as Europe’s “unicorn factory” as it is home to more $1 billion-plus companies per capita than anywhere outside of Silicon Valley. - Stockholm’s start-up ecosystem at a glance.

Strategic focus by the Swedish government on priority areas have enabled Sweden to be leaders in the areas of biomedical sciences, technology and climate. In line with its long tradition on tackling climate issues, it is one of the leaders in impact investing, ahead of any other European nation and third globally.

Video Credits: My name is Sweden. Sustainable Sweden

Coming on the program for internship here will enable you to be immersed in Stockholm’s vibrant ecosystem where you are able to imbibe the entrepreneurial vibes of many aspiring entrepreneurs, interact with the program’s pool of highly experienced mentors and find out behind the scenes as to what makes this small sized but dynamic entrepreneurial hotspot tick. At the same time, you will also take entrepreneurship-related courses at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, one of Europe’s leading technical and engineering universities, as well as a key centre of intellectual talent and innovation.

Find out more about the students’ experiences:
https://www.instagram.com/nocstockholm/?hl=en

Programme Structure

NOC Stockholm is a year-long programme.

Full-time internship in a technology company;
Take entrepreneurship courses on a part-time course basis at KTH (Royal Institute of Technology);
Opportunities to attend meet-ups and conferences organised by the Stockholm technology and business communities as well as activities within the University;
Host companies conduct mid-term and final internship evaluations;
Students have to submit 3 internship reports and present mid-term and final internship reviews to NUS Overseas Colleges and their host companies;
Students have to form teams and make business pitches to a NUS panel at the mid-term and final points of the programme.

Academic Details

From NOC AY2024/25 intake onwards

The NOC Stockholm (1-year) programme is credit bearing and students will receive up to 42 units.

NOC Components	Units (Max)
Internship courses	32
Entrepreneurship courses	8
ETP2271 Discovering Resilience and Purpose	2
Total	42

For NOC AY2023/24 Sem 2 intake and earlier

The NOC Stockholm (1-year) programme is credit bearing and students will receive up to 38 units.

NOC Components	Units (Max)
Internship courses	28
Entrepreneurship courses	8
ETP2271 Discovering Resilience and Purpose	2
Total	38

Click here for detailed programme curriculum.

Financial Details

While on the programme, students continue to pay regular tuition fee to NUS. Students will continue to pay for regular living expenses with their personal allowances while they will be paid a monthly stipend as a supplement to help defray the additional expenses of living overseas. Programme costs will be borne by NOC while personal expenditures are expected to be borne by program participants and are expected to vary as expenses depend on individual preferences and lifestyle.

NUS Overseas Colleges will provide the following:

Tuition fees for approved entrepreneurship courses at the partner university
Programme related costs of mentorship
NUS student travel insurance
Return economy air ticket

Students need to pay:

Regular tuition fee and other miscellaneous fees to NUS
Regular overseas living expenses (including rent)
Additional expenses incurred for interest/recreational activities

Alumni Voices

An Cheng Yang

NOC Stockholm Alumnus | Jul 2023
School of Computing | Computer Science

It's been a month since I left Stockholm, and I'm slowly adjusting to life back in Singapore. Reflecting on my year-long internship at IPercept as a Product Developer, I realize just how much I've grown both professionally and personally.

Working at IPercept, a culturally diverse company, has broadened my perspectives on teamwork and collaboration. I've had the privilege to work alongside talented people from different countries and cultures. Throughout this internship, I expanded my software engineering skills, ventured into data engineering and machine learning, and gained a richer understanding of software architecture. I also had the opportunity to develop two proof-of-concept MVPs for business pitches, blending technical know-how with business strategy. Networking and tech events further fueled my passion and growth in this field.

Outside of work, I connected with the local parkour and breaking communities and have had many crazy adventures with other Singaporeans. I've visited 14 countries across Europe, camped in front of the majestic Matterhorn, drove into a snow ditch, completed the ring road in Iceland and picked up snowboarding. Last but not least, I formed close connections with my colleagues at IPercept—people who have made my journey at IPercept unforgettable.

I’ve grown richer in experiences, and I am incredibly grateful to NUS Overseas Colleges and IPercept for this amazing opportunity. A special thank you to my supervisor, David Happel, for his patience and guidance throughout this journey, and to Karoly Szipka and everyone at the company for trusting me with meaningful tasks. May our paths cross once again in future!

Kyla Chan

NOC Stockholm Alumna | Jul 2023
College of Humanities and Sciences | Economics

I’m immensely grateful to NUS Overseas Colleges for giving me the chance to realize just how vast and varied the world truly is. It’s so easy to get stuck in the comfy bubble of routines and the familiar, but this program yanked me out of that bubble and into a world full of endless possibilities (and cold weather).

I mentioned this in my final presentation in June: when I first joined NOC, I thought life had a certain structure—everything had its place, there was a right way to do things, a path to follow. I saw myself as fitting neatly into a square, with defined edges that dictated how I should act, think, and plan for the future.

But now, instead of trying to fit into a rigid structure, I’m embracing my inner blob—fluid, adaptable, and rolling with whatever life throws my way. Blob life has been liberating, teaching me that there’s no single “right” way to live. Sometimes, it’s all about going with the flow.

Kerwin Chia

NOC Stockholm Alumnus | Jan 2023
Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine | Nursing

"You don't know what you don't know."

A little background: When I accepted the offer to spend a year in Stockholm as part of the NOC program, I had no idea what to expect. Leaving home for such an extended period for the first time can be daunting.

Fast forward to my first month here in Stockholm, and let me tell you, I was stuck in my own little bubble. There's so much to learn! I realised that this was my chance to step out of my comfort zone and connect with people from all around the world.

Now, let me take you back to a memorable moment in my journey. Here are some photos from the Stockholm Innovation BootCamp I attended earlier this year at Mentimeter's office. It was an incredible experience where I got to work on solving a challenge in just 48 hours with a group of like-minded innovators from various corners of the globe, each with different backgrounds and expertise, all driven by the desire to create innovative solutions with a social impact.

What made it even more special was the opportunity to network with mentors and different stakeholders from many companies. The connections I made there were invaluable.

During the boot camp, I came across a quote that has stuck with me ever since: "Good enough is better than perfect." It's a reminder not to get paralysed by the quest for perfection. Sometimes, all you need to do is start, and you'll be amazed at what you can achieve.

Programme Mentors

Björn Möller

Prof. Björn Möller is both an academic at KTH and a serial entrepreneur. At KTH, he is the founder of the Prototype Center and is actively involved in supporting start-ups. He has a strong network of companies and start-ups. He is affiliated with the School of Industrial Engineering and Management, where he teaches courses on product design and leadership. As an entrepreneur, Prof. Möller has founded several start-ups, including ventures in the maintenance of airport ground equipment, design and development of patented technology for polishing aircraft cabin windows, machine maintenance and product prototyping, and web-based 3D print services.

Dr Anna Frostegård

Anna Frostegård is a globally educated, board-certified physician holding MD summa cum laude. She obtained her PhD in Experimental Medicine at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Dr. Frostegård served as Assistant Professor at the Unit of Immunology and Chronic Disease at Karolinska Institutet. Anna’s areas of expertise include inflammation & immunology, autoimmunity, cardiovascular, ophthalmology and infection. She has an active career in both science and business. Dr. Frostegård has over 15 years of “first hand” entrepreneurial, strategic and operational leadership in biotech, translating academic inventions into new companies and drug development processes, a true from “bench to patients” experience. Anna has wide experience in building biotech companies, intellectual property portfolios, in- and out-licensing, financing (private and public).

She is the inventor, co-founder and currently the Chief Scientific and Medical Officer in Annexin Pharmaceuticals AB (publ). She carries the key strategic responsibilities for R&D, business development, scientific and clinical due dilligence, international academic-industry collaborations and financing. She is the co-inventor on several granted patents and pending applications related to the therapeutic use of Annexin A5, an endogenous protein with anti-inflammatory properties and holds several awards for scientific communication.

She has co-founded 5 companies within the EU. She serves as a board member in several private life science/biotech companies. She consults on effective interactions between academic inventors and biotechnology industry. She analyses and advises on early/pre-clinical stage investments in biotechnology.

Anna had been living, studying and working in different cultures and environments including USA, Austria, Sweden, Russia and Czech Republic.

Per Björklund

Per Björklund was a founder of Efftel AB, that was acquired by Netnordic in 2018. Since then he is an active angel investor, business coach and board director. After a career at Telia, where he pioneered the commercialization of Voice over IP services and ended up as VP Products for consumer services, he spent the first years of this century in venture capital. In parallel, he has invested in, co-founded, and been a board director of a host of startup and early stage companies. He has a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from KTH Royal Institute of Technology and an MBA from Stockholm School of Economics.

Han-Suck Song

Han-Suck Song received his master’s degree in Real Estate Economics in 1994 and defended his PhD in 2009, both at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. He has also studied business administration, economics and statistics at the Stockholm University. Between 1994 and 1999, Han-Suck worked at a company (as a founding partner) that offered management and business intelligence consultancy services. In 2000 he co-founded an e-commerce company. Since 2002, Han-Suck has joined KTH and the academic world, focusing on research, teaching and collaboration with the industry. His entrepreneurial interest is reflected in these activities as well as engagements outside KTH.

Professor Björn Berggren

Björn Berggren received his master’s degree in Business Studies in 1997 and successfully defended his Ph.D. Thesis in 2002 at Uppsala University. Since then he has taught entrepreneurship and business development at the leading Swedish universities, and since 2004 he is employed at The Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. Together with other founding members Björn Berggren has founded a number of ventures over the years including AUK Protection and DePalma Workwear. His major research focus is entrepreneurial finance and local and regional development. Besides teaching and research, Björn has also worked as a consultant in organisational development both in Sweden and internationally.

Professor Anders Hult

Fiber and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Dr Anders Hult received his master's degree in Chemical Engineering in 1978 and his PhD in Polymer Technology in 1982 from the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology, KTH . He joined the Department of Polymer Technology at KTH as research associate (1984-1986) and associate professor (1986). Shortly after in 1988, he attained full professor status. Between 1999 and 2004, Dr Hult served as Dean of the School of Chemistry , Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at KTH. Dr Hult has also been active in various professional and research boards and institutions and is currently the chairman of the Coating Science and Technology Centre in Stockholm . He has published over 200 papers and has successfully filed 9 patents.

Hanna Raftell

Hanna Raftell has 25 years in international banking, finance and fintech.
Her experiences range from working for some of the largest companies in the world to start ups, including her own start up, and scales ups. She has a strong operational background including, sales, business development and product development, also at C-level. She has a proven track record from both B2B and B2C product & business models.
Hanna has wide-ranging experiences from the global capital and financial markets. Including public and private markets. She has also worked in a regulated environment larger part of her career.
Furthermore, Hanna has successfully moved into more technologically advanced roles and has a proven track record in both hiring and managing tech teams.
Hanna has held numerous mentor and coaching roles and is a certified business and executive coach.
Hanna was part of the team seeing a successful exit to Moody’s Analytics, while managing the Asia business development and sales team.
She was head of Nordics Equity Sales for nearly a decade at Citigroup in London. And more recently she was the CEO of a fintech startup in the Nordics. Today Hanna is an advisor and serves on a number of boards.

Michael Malkoch

Dr. Michael Malkoch earned his PhD in 2003 at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH). Between 2003 and 2005, Dr Malkoch joined Stanford University, IBM Almaden Research Center and the Materials Research Laboratory in Santa Barbara (UCSB) as a postdoctoral fellow. He is currently Professor in Functional Organic Nanomaterials at the Division of Coating Technology, KTH. Dr Malkoch holds several distinguish awards from the Swedish Research Council and Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. His research focus on developing novel material concepts suited medical and biomedical application. Michael is also a self-made entrepreneur with track record in translating research to innovative products for exploitation in life science sector. His expertise grasps many fundamental aspects needed when building and running new innovative start-ups. Dr. Malkoch entrepreneurial know-how includes but not limited to:
1. Founding companies and transforming technologies to commercial products in the realm of Life Science
2. Organisational responsibility as CTO and CEO
3. Board member and Chairman of the Board
4. B2C and B2B experiences including striking deals with Medtech, Biotech and Bigpharma
5. Secure investments and navigating start-ups through IPO process

Fredrik Gröndahl

Dr. Fredrik Gröndahl is associate professor at the Institute for Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Technology (SEED) at KTH, director of “Blu Food - Center for Future Seafood” (www.bluefood.se) at KTH and former station manager of the Kristineberg Center at the University of Gothenburg, which is one of the world's oldest marine research stations. His research is directed towards the sustainable use of marine biomass such as the cultivation of algae/seaweed. Fredrik Gröndahl is also one of six founders of Sweden's largest seaweed cultivation company "Nordic Seafarm", which is a result of the national algae research that Fredrik Gröndahl was one of the initiators of via the “Seafarm project” (www.seafarm.se) that was a Swedish strategical project for a biobased economy based on the utilization of seaweed biomass for food, feed, materials, fertilizers and energy.