Parsummable categories as a strictification of symmetric monoidal categories

Abstract

We prove that the homotopy theory of parsummable categories (as defined by Schwede) with respect to the underlying equivalences of categories is equivalent to the usual homotopy theory of symmetric monoidal categories. In particular, this yields a model of symmetric monoidal categories in terms of categories equipped with a strictly commutative, associative, and unital (but only partially defined) operation.