40 years of innovation – stories from Linköping Science Park
Diana Saleh is a PhD student in Collaborative Innovation and Design for Sustainable Mobility at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. Her journey into the world of tech and innovation began in Linköping, where she established early connections with the local ecosystem through Linköping Science Park.
In 2015, Saleh and her team became the first secondary school students to participate in East Sweden Hack. Their concept focused on reducing food waste in schools, an initiative that sparked a broader interest in social entrepreneurship. This drive led her to the Design and Product Development program at Linköping University, a field she describes as a combination of logic and creativity.
Saleh’s academic career includes international projects in Ireland and Barcelona, as well as participation in the global design network Sugar/ME310. She also gained practical experience at the Swedish Defense Research Agency (FOI), where she worked with interaction design for autonomous vehicles.
Saleh highlights how the region stimulates new thoughts, encouraging everyone from young tech talents to established businesses. She emphasizes the strong link between the university and the business community as a defining characteristic of the area.
Regarding this collaborative environment, Saleh states:
“I also perceive a special connection between academia and industry in Linköping — something student representatives from other universities agree with.”
This text is part of the article series based on Linköping Science Park’s 40-year book, which is available here.
