Ignite Sweden Summit 2026

Conference Program
January 15, 13:00-17:00

The Innovation Journey Powered by Collaboration

The 2026 edition of Ignite Sweden Summit explores the journey toward innovation through startup collaboration. Throughout the afternoon, we follow real stories from startups, corporates, public organizations, and ecosystem partners, highlighting the opportunities, challenges, and learnings that emerge when working with startups in different contexts.

The program is organized into four blocks, each featuring keynotes, case stories, panels, and roundtable discussions, giving you inspiration, practical learnings, and concrete examples that you can bring back into your own organization.

Block 1:
Igniting New Thinking

We open the Summit by grounding our journey in why Gothenburg and West Sweden matter as a leading region for innovation, and how approaching collaboration as a journey toward innovation invites new perspectives and mindsets. This block explores what it means to rethink challenges, approach needs in new ways, and question established assumptions to unlock more meaningful collaborations.

You will hear future trends from leading voices, followed by startup stories showing how embracing new ways of thinking has created unexpected opportunities. Corporate reflections are included to highlight shared learnings and insights that have emerged from real Ignite-supported collaborations.

• Opening Remarks - Welcome to Gothenburg
  Andreas Göthberg, Business Region Gothenburg

• Future Outlook Keynote
  Malin Frithiofsson, Daya Ventures

• Igniting New Thinking
  Maria Olofsson & Sara Hamlin, Ignite Sweden

• Startup Collaboration Case 1: Librixer

• Startup Collaboration Case 2: Graphmatech

• Roundtable Discussions: How can we challenge our assumptions and think in new ways?

Block 2:
Next Station: Collaboration

This block dives into how organizations prepare for the next stage in their collaboration journey, with a focus on the interplay between public and private sectors and the different lessons learned by startups that have collaborated with municipalities, public companies, and large corporates.

A mix of keynotes, cases, panel dialogues and a live matchmaking session gives you a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to move toward collaboration and why some meetings succeed while others don’t. The block also highlights the importance of preparation and clear expectations on both sides.

• Keynote: Making Collaboration Work Across Sectors and Borders
  Katharina Paoli, Nudge

• Learnings from Working with Startup Innovation: A Corporate Perspective
  Conny Reidefors, Skellefteå Kraft
  Håkan Axelsson, Ignite Sweden

• Live Matchmaking on Stage

• Roundtable Discussions: How do we prepare to move faster toward the next step in the collaboration journey?

Block 3:
Towards System Impact

We zoom out to explore how innovation happens at a systems level, highlighting how startups, the public sector, established companies and ecosystem partners work together to accelerate innovation. Through real cases, we show both the complexity and the potential of system-level change.

Using Ignite’s unique data insights, we also look at the broader patterns shaping needs, opportunities and challenges across sectors.

• Key Insights into Emerging Needs and Trends
  Sara Hamlin, Ignite Sweden

• System-Level Collaboration Case: Seniortorget
  Camilla Jägerving Isaksson, Umeå Municipality

• Enabling Innovation Across Entire Systems
  Andréa Råsberg, Reach for Change
  Camilla Jägerving Isaksson, Umeå Municipality
  Frida Hedström, Movexum

• Roundtable Discussions: How do we collaborate effectively within a system?

Block 4:
Stronger Together: Scaling Beyond Borders

The final block looks outward to explore what happens when startup journeys go global. We highlight cross-border collaborations, international delegations and the growing New Nordics landscape that enables startups to open new markets and accelerate their international expansion.

This block celebrates joint achievements while showing how stronger Nordic connections create new opportunities for startups to scale, and also unveils what’s next in the Ignite journey, including a major milestone.

• Startup Collaboration Case: Emulate Energy

• Collaboration Case 1: Nordic GovTech Alliance
  Niklas Sikström, Ignite Sweden

• Collaboration Case 2: Nordic Singapore Innovation Days
  Katarina Bennich, Swedish Incubators & Science Parks
  Kati Pärn, Startup Estonia

• Official Announcement: Introducing Ignite's Next Big Step

• The New Nordics Going Global
  Gustav Gorecki, David & Goliath Ventures
  Sara Hamlin, Ignite Sweden

• Closing Reflections

Welcome to Gothenburg

This year’s Ignite Sweden Summit will be hosted in Gothenburg, a city where sustainability and innovation meet business opportunities.

With its industrial heritage and forward-looking mindset, the Gothenburg region has become a global leader in sustainable innovation. It is also home to Scandinavia’s largest port, handling 20% of Sweden’s foreign trade.

The region invests heavily in R&D, accounting for 35% of Sweden’s private sector spending, and attracts international talent through its world-class universities and research hubs. Innovation districts such as Nāst, GoCo Health Innovation City, Lindholmen, and Campus Lundby provide fertile ground for collaboration between startups, corporates, academia, and the public sector.

Volvo Group, Volvo Cars, AstraZeneca, and other global leaders are headquartered or deeply rooted here. Since 2009, Gothenburg has grown faster than any other major Swedish city, adding 170,000 residents and 36,000 new companies.

All of this makes Gothenburg the ideal stage for international collaboration and business innovation.

Quick Facts

Number of residents in the city of Gothenburg: approx. 600,000
Number of companies: approx. 73,000
Number of university students: approx. 69,000
Number of people employed: approx. 395,000
Main visitor attractions: Liseberg Amusement Park, Universeum Science Center, Gothenburg Museum of Art, and Gothenburg Botanical Garden.

Source: Business Region Göteborg

How to Get Here & Around

Gothenburg is well served by Landvetter Airport, offering international connections and efficient transit into the city. The train company SJ connects Gothenburg with Stockholm, Malmö, and other major Swedish cities. Once in the city, the dense network of trams, buses, and ferries served by Västtrafik makes it easy to reach the event venue.