Anna Bergek

Anna Bergek is a Professor of Innovation Systems and Technology Policy at Chalmers University of Technology since October 2016, currently serving as Deputy Head of Department and Vice Head of Department for Research. Her work centers on innovation dynamics in mature industries and energy sector transitions, with emphasis on policy design for sustainable technological change.

Bergek's research investigates conditions enabling sustained innovation in mature industries, mechanisms for new technology diffusion in transition-critical sectors, and optimal design of energy/technology policy instruments. She employs Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) frameworks to analyze systemic barriers, policy-practice gaps, and the complex interplay between incumbents and entrants in energy transitions. Her work critically examines transformative innovation policy implementation challenges across diverse contexts including process industries and maritime shipping.

Analysis of her 2021-2025 publications reveals three dominant trends: (1) Empirical investigations of energy communities in Sweden highlighting tensions between citizen engagement models and regulatory frameworks; (2) Systematic exploration of policy complexity in sectoral transitions, particularly regarding directionality challenges and regime segmentation in coastal shipping; (3) Development of novel evaluation frameworks for transformative innovation policy outcomes, emphasizing learning cultures and socio-technical configuration changes. Her scholarship consistently bridges academic theory with practical policy design for climate-critical transitions.