Bicycles used for commuting are parked on a city street, with urban bus visible driving past in the background. Concept of urban transportation vehicles.
K2

Upcoming opportunities

K2 provides opportunities for researchers to conduct studies that enhance and develop knowledge about collective mobility. Our research is shaped through dialogue between researchers and key stakeholders in the field.

K2 research projects are led by K2 researchers affiliated with established research organisations in Sweden. They may also involve collaborations with other Swedish or international researchers, as well as professionals from various organisations.

K2 is more than just a funding body—we offer active support and a dynamic environment where you can exchange insights with practitioners and fellow researchers in collective mobility. Through our communication channels and support in disseminating your findings, you can reach a wider audience and increase your impact within the industry. Regular project reviews ensure progress tracking and provide guidance to strengthen the project’s influence.

Join K2 (link to Swedish site)

Current opportunities

Opportunity to research reduced public transport fares – please note, short deadline

K2 will follow the government’s reform in which the price of monthly public transport passes will be halved from 1 July. If you, as a researcher, are interested in participating in a project examining the effects of this, please send an email without delay to info@k2centrum.se, attaching your CV and a maximum of one page outlining your qualifications for working on this, along with a few brief lines on what you believe should be done within the framework of such a project. The deadline for applications is 10 June 2026.

If you have any questions, please contact K2’s Director, Helena Svensson, at helena.svensson@k2centrum.se.

Seed Funding

K2 offers the opportunity to apply for seed funding if you wish to work on international grant applications. The offer is aimed at researchers who intend to apply for funding for research projects within a published international call.

Seed funding may be applied for EU applications or other major international applications involving multiple partners, typically with a duration of at least 2–3 years and a total budget of at least SEK 5 million. The funding amounts to SEK 100,000 if you are the coordinating partner, and SEK 40,000 if you are a participating partner with significant responsibility for writing the application.

A short description of the proposed project idea should be submitted to K2 (info@k2centrum.se), with a maximum length of one A4 page. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. If the project idea is granted funding, we encourage it to be linked to K2 as an external K2 project.

Decisions on the allocation of seed funding are taken by the Director of K2, following consultation with K2’s Research Leaders. Decisions are based on the reasonable potential to produce a competitive application and on relevance in relation to K2’s research focus. Funding is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Depending on the annual budget, the funds may cover more or fewer applications. Seed funding is planned to be offered every year.

The project idea description submitted should include the following information:

  • Which call the application relates to (note: it must be a published call)
  • Deadline for the application
  • The role the applicant is intended to have
  • Intended partners
  • A brief description of what the project will address and its connection to collective mobility
  • A brief description of the potential benefits of such a project for the sector
  • Activities that the seed funding will be used for and their expected outcomes

The funds are paid out directly. The condition is that an application is submitted. The final application must also be sent to K2 (info@k2centrum.se) when it is submitted. There must be exceptional reasons for an application not to be submitted, otherwise, the funds must be repaid.

Direction for K2 from 2025 (Pdf, new tab)

Small-scale K2 projects – closed

We are now accepting proposals for small-scale K2 projects, with a deadline 15 April (in 2026, the deadline is 15 May. The latest possible project start date is 1 October 2026, and the latest end date is 31 December 2027). Researchers from Swedish research organisations can submit proposals for research projects within the framework of K2. The purpose of these projects is to initiate research within various areas of public mobility through a simple and relatively fast process.

The call is open to proposals across all K2 research areas, and researchers are free to submit their ideas. Projects may run for a maximum of 1.5 years, with a funding cap of 500,000 SEK from K2. Additionally, 30 percent of the total project budget must be co-funded. Each party applying for K2 funding is responsible for its share of the co-funding. K2 typically allocates around 3–4 million SEK per round for small-scale K2 projects.

K2 project formats

K2 offers four types of project formats to meet different research needs:

  • Large-scale projects: Long-term initiatives addressing issues in collective mobility based on identified themes. These projects run for up to three years with a budget of SEK 3–5 million.
  • Small-scale projects: Fast, focused efforts on specific questions within collective mobility. Project duration is 1–1.5 years with a budget of approximately SEK 500,000. These opportunities are typically available once a year, with an application deadline of 15 April (15 May year 2026).
  • Strategic projects: Projects that address current issues or develop new knowledge in alternative formats. These are initiated by K2’s management team and are not open for general applications.
  • Externally funded projects: Projects primarily financed by external actors but integrated into K2’s activities. Proposals to link external projects to K2 are made by researchers and approved by K2’s director.