INNOVATE™ Stockholm

Innovations of the World

INNOVATE™ Stockholm

Celebrating the Pinnacle of Innovation in Sweden’s Capital

At INNOVATE®, our mission is to showcase and connect the top 100 innovation success stories from the most exciting cities around the world. Today, we are thrilled to introduce our newest project, INNOVATE Stockholm™, a high-quality coffee table book that will spotlight the innovative spirit and entrepreneurial energy of Stockholm, Sweden.

Stockholm is renowned for its cutting-edge advancements and creative solutions that have left an indelible mark on the global innovation landscape. From its thriving tech ecosystem to its sustainable urban planning initiatives, Stockholm exemplifies a city that is not only keeping pace with the future but actively shaping it.

Our Mission The mission of INNOVATE Stockholm™ is clear: to celebrate and connect the top 100 innovation success stories from this dynamic city. By bringing these stories to the forefront, we aim to inspire, inform, and connect like-minded individuals and organizations who are passionate about driving change and fostering innovation.

What to Expect INNOVATE Stockholm™ will feature a diverse array of stories across various sectors, including technology, healthcare, education, sustainability, and more. Each story will delve into the unique journey of the innovators, highlighting their challenges, achievements, and the impact they have made both locally and globally.

The book will not only serve as a source of inspiration but also as a valuable networking tool, connecting readers with the movers and shakers of Stockholm’s innovation scene. Whether you are an entrepreneur, investor, policymaker, or simply an enthusiast of innovation, INNOVATE Stockholm™ promises to offer insights and connections that can help propel your own endeavors.

Why Stockholm? Stockholm’s reputation as an innovation hub is well-deserved. The city is home to numerous successful startups, groundbreaking research institutions, and forward-thinking policies that support a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem. It is a place where creativity meets practicality, and where innovative ideas are not only conceived but also brought to life.

From globally recognized companies like Spotify and Klarna to pioneering research in sustainable technologies, Stockholm continues to push the boundaries of what is possible. INNOVATE Stockholm™ will capture these stories and more, providing a comprehensive look at the city’s innovation landscape.

Join Us on This Journey We invite you to join us on this exciting journey as we prepare to launch INNOVATE Stockholm™. Stay tuned for updates on the book’s progress, sneak peeks of featured stories, and information on the launch event. Together, let’s celebrate the incredible innovation and entrepreneurship that Stockholm has to offer.

For more information about our mission and other INNOVATE® projects around the world, visit our website.

Let’s celebrate Stockholm, a city where innovation knows no bounds.

Featured Thought Leaders

Featured Thought Leaders

Featured Innovators

Featured Innovators

SIME

WHY INNOVATION STARTS WITH PEOPLE, NOT PRESSURE

In a world defined by rapid technological change, constant disruption, and ever-higher performance demands, Ola Ahlvarsson has spent nearly three decades championing a quietly radical idea: that true innovation doesn’t start with pressure or tools—it starts with people. Widely regarded as one of the Nordic region’s most influential thought leaders...

Intrapreneurial Capital

Breaking Barriers: Meet the Trio that's Transforming Intrapreneurship from Buzzword to Business Strategy

Albert Bengtson, Birgitte Stjärne, and Roland Williams bring a dynamic blend of expertise and proven strategies that drive transformative innovation in the corporate world. As seasoned leaders in business development, creative strategy, and innovation management, they provide powerful insights tailored to today’s complex and competitive landscape. Their approach empowers organizations...

CAY COLLECTIVE

REDEFINING THE CREATIVE MARKET

In a world where creative talent often struggles to meet commerce, Cay Collective is shaping a new path. Founded in 2023 by Johanna Gauffin and Natalie Navia, the Stockholm-based platform serves as a marketplace for independent artists, fashion designers, and lifestyle creators offering more than just a digital storefront. Cay...

MAX MATTHIESSEN

RESHAPING FINANCIAL ADVISORY FOR A MORE HUMAN AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

As Europe faces widening wealth gaps, rising climate pressures, and a demographic shift toward longer retirements, traditional financial advice is no longer enough. Companies today want more than solid pension and investment products — they want to build resilience, protect their people and position themselves as employers of choice in...

HOUSE OF INNOVATION

STOCKHOLM SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS

THE HOUSE OF INNOVATION (HOI) AT THE STOCKHOLM SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS (SSE) IS AN INTERDISCIPLINARY INNOVATION ENVIRONMENT COMBINING RESEARCH, EDUCATION, OUTREACH, AND VENTURING. BUILDING ON THE RICH HISTORY OF THE STOCKHOLM SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS, THE RESEARCH HOUSE AIMS TO TAKE THE SCHOOL’S BEST-IN-CLASS INTERACTION WITH BUSINESS AND SOCIETY INTO THE...

FROM MEMORY TO MASTERPIECE

MARIA WESTERBERG’S T-SHIRT CHAIR WEAVES STORIES INTO SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

Swedish designer Maria Westerberg has long been a pioneer in upcycling and sustainable design, but it was a single chair — woven from worn-out T-shirts — that propelled her into the global spotlight. Known as the “Queen of ReMake design,” Westerberg blends narrative, memory, and sustainability in a way that...

ESFANDIARI

DESIGNING A NEW FUTURE FOR FASHION

Born just outside Stockholm in 2000, Samantha Esfandiari has quickly emerged as a powerful new voice in the Swedish fashion industry. One that merges skilled craftsmanship with a deep commitment to sustainability and circular design. As a designer, entrepreneur, and educator, she is shaping a bold vision of what fashion...

EPIGENICA

DEMOCRATIZING LARGE-SCALE EPIGENOMICS FOR THE AGE OF PERSONALIZED HEALTHCARE

Not long ago, decoding DNA was the holy grail of biology. Today, a growing number of scientists and clinicians believe that the key to the next generation of healthcare lies in understanding how our genes are controlled – epigenetics. Epigenica, a Swedish biotech company founded by Dr. Mohamad Takwa and...

VIRTUAL MANAGEMENT

IS THE MANAGEMENT OF FREQUENTLY AND WIDELY DISPERSED GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH RARELY, IF EVER, MEETING THEM FACE-TO-FACE.

Established in 1995 we have managed more than 50 projects in finding new ways of empowering businesses and people. We are a business facilitator, identifier and coach with the aim to increase sales, increase productivity, and finding new tools for training and access to new cross industry markets and partners....

AAX BIOTECH

PIONEERING THE NEXT WAVE OF PRECISION ANTIBODY THERAPEUTICS

In the heart of Sweden’s thriving life sciences ecosystem, a young biotechnology company is redefining how the world understands and engineers therapeutic antibodies. Founded by researchers from the prestigious Karolinska Institutet, AAX Biotech is on a mission to transform antibody-based medicine—turning scientific breakthroughs into next-generation therapies for some of the...

SATOCCI

SCAN & PAY

THE SCANDINAVIAN RETAIL-TECH INNOVATOR SHAPING THE MIDDLE EAST’S CASHLESS FUTURE Emerging from Sweden’s dynamic startup landscape, Satocci Scan & Pay has become one of the most closely watched retail-technology ventures entering the Middle East. Founded and led by Swedish entrepreneur Melodi Askelöf, the company is redefining how consumers shop and...

EDSVÄRD

THE MILLION-DOLLAR SMILE

“Don’t worry I am not gonna steal it,” says one of Edsvärd’s co-founders to a man who sits by himself at a table. He is holding on to his backpack for dear life. The man cracks into a warm, bubbly laughter showing off his flawless white smile. His name is...

TECHSVERIGE

A DRIVING FORCE FOR SWEDEN’S TECH INDUSTRY

TechSverige is the industry and employer association representing companies across Sweden’s tech, IT, and telecom sectors. With approximately 1,400 member companies—ranging from startups to multinational enterprises—and close to 100,000 employees, TechSverige plays a central role in building the conditions for a competitive and innovative tech industry. As both an industry...

VÄRMEVERKET

A CULTURAL POWERHOUSE REIMAGINING CREATIVE INFRASTRUCTURE

In the southern outskirts of Stockholm, in a repurposed industrial facility once devoted to generating heat, something entirely different is now being produced—culture, community, and creative opportunity. Värmeverket, founded as a response to the increasingly precarious conditions for artists and cultural workers, has quickly established itself as one of Sweden’s...

BLCKR

SHIELDING THE DIGITAL WORLD FROM THE THREATS SOFTWARE CAN’T STOP

In an era where cyberattacks dominate headlines and signal based threats evolve beyond detection, one company is quietly defining the future of physical cybersecurity. Founded in Sweden by CEO Fredrik Nyström, BLCKR has emerged as a B2B force specializing in advanced signal-blocking and EMP/HEMP resistant solutions safeguarding digital infrastructure in...

SCHOOLTRY

BUILDING A SINGLE DIGITAL BACKBONE FOR EDUCATION WORLDWIDE

As education systems around the world shift rapidly toward digital operations, one company is quietly standing out. SchoolTry, a Stockholm-based tech company, has created a cloud-based platform that brings school management, digital learning, and career readiness together in one seamless system. Founded by software engineer Ismail Eleburuike, SchoolTry tackles a...

FLOX

THE WILDLIFE INTELLIGENCE COMPANY

FROM A SWEDISH RESEARCH LAB TO A GLOBAL MISSION FOR HUMAN-WILDLIFE COEXISTENCE Flox is redefining how humans and wildlife share the planet. Founded in 2020 as a spin-off from the AI research lab at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, the company has built the world’s first adaptive system...

K-MÄRKT

THE RESTAURANT REBELS RETHINKING SUSTAINABILITY

Since its founding in 2014 in Stockholm’s historic Garnisonen building, K-märkt has been rewriting the rulebook for what a modern, sustainable food company can be. From its very first day, the brand has challenged the industry with one radical idea: great food at scale can – and must – coexist...

WINDMOTORS

TURNING ROADS INTO RENEWABLE POWER: WINDMOTORS’ VISION FOR SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE

WindMotors, a Stockholm-based startup, is pioneering an innovative approach to renewable energy by transforming roadways into sources of clean power. Their mission is to integrate compact wind turbines into road infrastructure, capturing energy from passing vehicles and natural wind currents to generate electricity. The company’s modular system combines aerodynamic turbines...

NAII

ACCELERATING AI AND QUANTUM IMPACT: FROM STOCKHOLM TO THE WORLD

Founded in 2017, the Stockholm-based Nordic Artificial Intelligence Institute (NAII) is an independent think-and-do tank that converts advances in AI, quantum, energy, and space technologies into executive-level strategy and delivery. NAII sits at the intersection of technology, industry, policy, and society with a consistent lens on European technological sovereignty. VIRTUAL...

ETHEREAL VENTURES

INVESTING IN POTENTIAL, UNEARTHING THE GOLD WITHIN

Founded in 2020, Ethereal Ventures AB builds on two decades of experience in AI and data innovation — helping leaders transform potential into purpose. Our mission is simple: to add value to leaders who multiply value to others—through coaching, speaking, writing, and investing in dreams. We believe that achieving a...

Imagi

Reimagining Technology Education for an Inclusive Future

In a world increasingly shaped by technology, imagi stands at the forefront of transforming education to ensure that the digital and AI revolution is inclusive, equitable, and future-proof. Founded with the vision of creating an environment where every child, regardless of gender, race or socioeconomic background see themselves as creators...

KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET

FROM DISCOVERY TO IMPACT: HOW KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET INNOVATIONS TRANSFORMS LIFE SCIENCE

Innovation is essential for advancing healthcare and ensuring better patient outcomes. However, bringing deeptech Life Science innovations to market is a long and complex journey—one that requires not just groundbreaking research but also substantial investments, regulatory navigation, and perseverance. At KI Innovations, we support researchers and entrepreneurs in transforming scientific...

ANACARDIO

MAKING THE HEART STRONGER SAFELY

Heart failure is a growing global health challenge caused by the heart muscle being unable to pump enough blood around the body to provide cells with sufficient oxygen and nutrients. More than 60 million people worldwide suffer from this progressive and incurable condition, resulting in poor quality of life, recurrent...

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The Publisher

Lyllian Abrahamsson

Lyllian Abrahamsson is a seasoned professional in the fashion and hospitality industries, with a rich international background and extensive experience working with both established brands and start-ups. Originally from Botswana, Lyllian pursued higher education in business at the prestigious Queensland University of Technology in Australia. After graduation, she moved to London, where she honed her... click to read more

The Publisher

Lyllian Abrahamsson

Lyllian Abrahamsson is a seasoned professional in the fashion and hospitality industries, with a rich international background and extensive experience working with both established brands and start-ups. Originally from Botswana, Lyllian pursued higher education in business at the prestigious Queensland University of Technology in Australia. After graduation, she moved to London, where she honed her... click to read more

Other Ecosystems