Silicon Valley is the innovative hotspot number 1, and today’s topic at Innovative Sweden was What key factors are necessary to create other hotspots? Sponsors were Vinnova – Sweden’s Innovation Agency, and Innovationbron, which focuses on turning research and innovation into business – who could be better suited?

Magnus Lundin from Swedish Incubators and Science Parks (SISP) told us about Kista Science City, which is home to almost 1,100 companies, 5,000 university students and 1,100 researchers within the IT and telecommunication sector (ICT). How cool!

Well… back to the question. A panel consisting of e.g. Carrie Walsh, Silicon Valley Bank and Tamara Carleton, Innovation Leadership Board LLC, concluded that some key factors needed to create hotspots elsewhere than in Silicon Valley are: a talented work force, service providers, and a sense of adventure.

I’ll end this blog post with a few well-said words by Professor Ingvar Sjoberg from Stockholm University discussing art and innovation:

“If you don’t do it, it doesn’t exist.”

-Anna

I’m tweeting from Innovative Sweden @herringbonefm. #InnovativeSweden
See my photos on Facebook.
Watch Innovative Sweden livestreamed via the Swedish Institute’s Bambuser channel.

Phew… I’m totally exhausted from a long, but fun and enlightening, day at Innovative Sweden.

Today’s topic was The Future of Mobile and companies such as Sony Ericsson, Ericsson, and Innovationsbron were sponsors.

The day started with an opening ceremony with Swedish hors d’oeuvres and lunch buffet by Chef Pelle, which was to die for… I could not stop eating, and wine from West Wines that produced the wine for the 2010 Nobel Banquet. The exhibitors and startups that were pitching were still dropping in from the airport after a long flight from Sweden and others looked somewhat jet lagged, but excited.

After opening speeches by Annika Rembe, Director General, Swedish Institure; Barbro Osher, General Consul of Sweden in San Francisco; and Dr. Arthur Bienenstock, Professor Emeritus Stanford University, Special Assistant to the President for Federal Research and Policy and Director, Wallenberg Research Link Stanford University, the sessions and panel discussions started. The speakers and panelists were true experts in their areas and it was very interesting to hear their views on the future.

Since it was a lot of information to soak in the coffee breaks with kaffe och kaka were really appreciated and also great for networking and talking to people. All of the exhibitors had booths in the exhibit hall, where guided tours were also offered. I was quite amazed by all the cool inventions and ideas these Swedish startups had created, and eager for the evening’s pitches.

Twenty five startups (many of them were also exhibitors at the event) had 1 minute each to pitch (+ 2 minutes Q&A) to a panel consisting of VCs and experienced entrepreneurs, e.g. Nicolai Wadstrom, BootstrapLabs and Wendy Lung, IBM Venture Capital Group, on why they should receive funding.

All the companies pitching seemed great, but the ones that stood out to me were Saplo and Solvatten. Saplo basically because its CEO Mattias Tyrberg pitched in a bright green suit. Solvatten because of their incredible product, a portable 10-liter container designed to purify water saving millions of lives.

What a great event! I can’t wait for tomorrow when the topic is The Key Factors In Creating Innovative Hotspots.

-Anna

Don’t forget to follow my tweets @herringbonefm. #InnovativeSweden
I also posted a few photos on Facebook.
Watch the different sessions livestreamed via the Swedish Institute’s Bambuser channel.