Almedalen: Cooperation between strong actors in the region boosts innovation

July 5, 2013

The importance of collaboration in the Baltic Sea region to boost regional innovation was discussed at a seminar during the Almedalen week, a big political event taking place on the Swedish island Gotland this week.

Karin Nygård Skalman, priority area coordinator for innovation/VINNOVA, presented good examples of collaboration, such as the BONUS innovation call and the innovation camp held by Comfort in Living this week. She discussed regional innovation collaboration with Björn O Nilsson (CEO, The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences), Anders OE Johansson (CEO, ProcessIT Innovations) and Pontus Lindberg (Moderate Party, Member of the Regional Executive Board, Region Skåne). Pernilla Ström moderated the conversation.

Pontus Lindgren pointed out that there is great potential to get stronger and more innovative by collaboration, but that the regions have to chose strategically when deciding on which areas to seek cooperation. “We have to chose areas where it is interesting for all sides to collaborate, so we don’t act as missionaries.”

Acting strategically is exactly what ProcessIT Solutions in northern Sweden has done. “We realised that if we want to be strong regionally we have to be strong nationally, on a European level and globally.” says Anders OE Johansson. That is why ProcessIT established a collaboration with Finland and Poland and succesively with other strong actors in Europe, which has resulted in a leading position both on national and European level when it comes to automation and process industry.

The seminar can still be seen in Swedish here.