LIST | Women dominate and four universities in the top – this is what the thesis year 2025 looked like

In 2025, 40 PhD theses were presented in innovation and entrepreneurship research. For the first time, the top spot is shared between four universities.

Last year, 40 doctoral students in innovation and entrepreneurship research at 16 universities completed their doctorates. The top four universities produced four theses each.

The 2025 list is topped by Halmstad University, Linköping University, Mälardalen University and Stockholm University, none of which have previously topped the list. However, Linköping University and Stockholm University have been close to the top spot in 2022 with fourth and second place respectively.

From zero to the top

For Mälardalen University, this is the first time the university is on the list.

– I was proud and happy when I heard that Mälardalen University shares the top spot with three other universities. The fact that two of the most read articles on esbri.se in 2025 were about theses from us feels extra fun, says Paul Pettersson, Vice President for Research and Doctoral Education at Mälardalen University.

According to Paul Pettersson, this is particularly important because the university is committed to ensuring that its research is relevant and has an impact on society outside academia.

– Innovation and entrepreneurship have been and are important ingredients in building Swedish prosperity. It is therefore important that research is conducted on innovation processes and entrepreneurship from different perspectives and that this knowledge reaches beyond the walls of the universities, says Paul Pettersson.

Year-on-year variation

Halmstad University is at the top for the first time. Last year they had two theses and in previous years one thesis per year.

– I am not particularly surprised, but at the same time one should be humble as the number of doctoral theses varies from year to year, says Kristian Widén, Vice-Rector for Collaboration and Innovation at Halmstad University.

According to him, there are several interacting factors behind the development. In 2010, Halmstad University was granted the right to conduct doctoral studies in innovation science, and already at the start of the university there was a clear focus on working closely with the surrounding society.

– It takes time to build a strong research environment. In recent years, we have put in place a dynamic that is now paying off, and I hope that, despite being a smaller university, we will be able to continue to produce several theses in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship every year.

– In addition, we are increasingly working in a transdisciplinary way, which I think is very valuable for innovation research and for understanding the processes that actually take place,” says Kristian Widén.

More than 2024 – less than 2023

40 theses is an increase compared to 2024 – when there were 35 theses. The highest number was in 2023 with 54 theses.

Lund University, which topped the list in 2024 with five theses, had three theses in 2025. The Stockholm School of Economics, which topped the 2023 list with eight theses, also had three theses in 2025.

Women dominate in a big way

Of the 40 theses submitted in 2025, 28 were written by women and 12 by men. In 2024, the gender balance was even (18 women and 17 men). Since 2021, there have been more women than men every year, and in 2025 the difference is the largest so far.

See the full list below.

More about the list
The list is based on the doctoral theses in the fields of innovation, entrepreneurship and small business identified by ESBRI in 2025.