Dalarna Innovation Days are over for this time. And what a day it was! With around thirty program points in three locations together with skilled lecturers, and time for dialogue and mingling, 1,500 participants could go home with new knowledge, new insights and new contacts.
- I am so pleased with the commitment of all participants and attendees, it is a real honor for us to be able to gather the innovation power in Dalarna and host these days, says Angelica Ekholm, CEO of Dalarna Science Park.
While Angelica Ekholm is more than satisfied with Dalarna Innovation Days, she notes that Dalarna needs more innovation, something she and her colleagues work for all year round.
- The great challenges of our time require innovation and cooperation; no one can solve them alone. I am now even more convinced that Dalarna's companies and organizations must act in time and prioritize development issues and cooperation.
Strong interest in generative AI
The 2024 edition of Dalarna Innovation Days was the second in the series and was carried out in collaboration with 52 companies and organizations.
- The event has really grown since the first year, many people want to participate and many want to contribute," says Christina Sjöberg, Communications Manager at Dalarna Science Park.
Dalarna Innovation Days 2024 began on Tuesday, October 22, with a formal opening ceremony at Dalarna University's new Borlänge Campus. The person who formally pressed the opening button, and thus got the stage filled with soap bubbles, was Dalarna's County Governor Helena Höij.
Tuesday also included the seminar Generative AI in Practice, where participants got to use AI to create their own texts and images. They also got a presentation of Clas Ohlson's successful AI journey.
Another popular event on Tuesday was the Science Tasting lunch, where diners learned more about the human sense of smell and taste, and in the afternoon all of Dalarna's energy companies had their own activity focusing on one of the biggest challenges of our time: access to green electricity.
Innovation management safeguards the process
On Wednesday, many people chose to spend the morning learning more about exponential sustainability development. The lecture was given by Rebecka Carlsson, an expert on sustainable business models, who argued that the next hundred years will correspond to 20,000 years of technological development - are we ready for that?
Several of the participants then continued the day in Dalarna University's large library in Falun where Dalarna Science Park's innovation leader Erik Tosterud held a seminar on the topic of innovation management.
Among other things, he explained why innovation is anything but nonsense and who can really call themselves an innovator.
- If management only urges the organization to be more courageous and innovative without offering any tools, nothing will happen. This is where innovation management can make a difference," explained Erik Tosterud.
Reinfeldt impressed
Since the 1990s, Sparbanksstiftelsen Dalarna has invited to the annual event Daladagen and on Thursday, October 24, it was time for this year's edition.
First on stage was Göran Adlén, who has been delivering trend forecasts for more than 20 years - forecasts that he had now asked AI to review. One of the conclusions from the AI analysis is that we haven't learned anything from history because we still start reacting only when it's too late. Another is that we now need to be brave and work together.
The second speaker of the day was former Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt who impressed with a presentation completely without script cards and image support.
He painted a very dark picture of the world geopolitical situation and made many references to historical events and happenings.
- We see a return to the barbarism of the past and the right of the strong to plunder.
Fredrik Reinfeldt also spent a lot of time on the upcoming US presidential election and reflected on Trump's many lies.
- When I was Prime Minister, I was told that if I lie once, I'm in trouble. If I lie twice, I have to go.
Birthday of Startup Arena
Friday started with Dalarna Talks, which summarized what happened during the first three days of Dalarna Innovation Days. Participants included Annie Lööf, via link.
Then, for the very first time, it was time for the Dalarna Startup Arena, a forum for business angels, investors and startups.
Eight selected startups from Dalarna, Gävleborg and Västernorrland got the chance to present themselves to a pitch panel, consisting of Karin O'Connor from SVT's Draknästet, Olivia Ingemarsson from Backing Minds, Dimitri Haid from Clas Ohlson Foundation and Anders Tunestam from DalaCapital.
Some of the ideas pitched were a new technology for timber measurement, a climate concept for the sports movement and a new tool for app building.
Dalarna Startup Arena also included an investor lunch and an inspiring presentation by futurist and entrepreneur Heaven Bereket.
- I've gotten goosebumps several times over, so Dalarna Startup Arena has really offered very nice presentations and thoughts. Very exciting, summarizes Jörgen Bond, long-time business coach at Dalarna Science Park.
See the pictures from the days
More about Dalarna Innovation Days
Scope:Over 25 events in three locations from 22-25 October. Parts of the program can be followed digitally.
Organizer:Dalarna Science Park
Dalarna Innovation Days is made possible by the European Regional Development Fund, Sparbanksstiftelsen Dalarna, Clas Ohlson Foundation, Dalarna University, Ljungbergsfonden and Region Dalarna.
Also contributing with program items during Dalarna Innovation Days are Dalarnas energibolag, Business News Dalarna, 2047 Science Center, Region Dalarna, Arbetsmarknadskunskap, Infram, Rekryteringslots, Falu kommun, Smartsign, Sogeti, Atea, Kvadrat, Loxodonta, Nordlo, Simplitude, Aspire, Trafikverket, Ung företagsamhet Dalarna, Leksands knäckebröd, LF Dalarnas, Green Iron, Leksands Sparbank, SSAB, Ny Teknik, Forever Sustainable, ALMI Gävle Dala and others.
