This year, Nordic Innovation took part in the democracy festivals across Denmark (Folkemødet), Sweden (Almedalsveckan), Finland (Suomi Areena) and Norway (Arendalsuka). We organized eight events under the umbrella of the Nordic Council of Ministers, engaged in four arenas facilitated by our partners and co-hosted two events.
We came across topics such as recycling of critical raw materials, transport in times of crisis, Nordic quantum collaboration and financing of sustainable ocean industries. The new geopolitical situation and the need to build a more competitive and resilient Nordic region was a red thread passing through most events which also highlighted the urgent need for innovation. The Nordics role within the EU, as a potential engine for competitiveness and innovation, was also on the agenda.
Offshore wind as a tool for security and defense
Innovation and new ways of applying technologies from a security perspective were on the agenda at the event ‘Havvind og innovation i usikre tider’, at Folkemødet, Denmark. The event explored the opportunities for co-locating offshore wind with security systems. The discussion was based on the innovation project OFFWOFF, which investigated the potential to co-locate floating offshore wind with fish farming. The question is: can the insights from this project be used to develop new systems for defense and security?
"When it comes to fish farming, the facilities are packed with sensors that monitor the fish and the surrounding area with regard to algae and ocean currents. A fish farm is equipped with sensors that are also well suited for other types of monitoring," said Paal Hylin from SubFarm.
"As an industry, we have a strong interest in contributing to innovation and development, not only within the production of green energy, but also in other important areas such as, for example, fisheries and security," said Andreas Karhula Lauridsen from European Energy.
An engine for European competitiveness and innovation
In September 2024, the “Draghi Report”, commissioned by the European Commission, was published, examining the challenges Europe faces in terms of competitiveness. The report highlights the urgent need for greater innovation, noting that Europe is falling behind the US and China. According to the report, the issue is not a lack of ideas or ambition, but rather Europe’s difficulty in turning innovation into successful commercialization.
This topic was addressed from a Nordic perspective at Almedalsveckan in Sweden. Together with Dagens Industri, Nordic Innovation organized the event ‘Scaleups som motor för konkurrenskraft – hur når vi dit?’ The discussion concluded that access to capital, political predictability, and the ability to attract talent are crucial for startups to be able to grow into scaleups.
The discussion also touched on the EU’s new strategy for scaleups and startups, highlighting areas where Nordic countries hold advantages and can act as frontrunners within the EU.
"We must improve the investment climate in Europe. We need to export the Swedish investment model to the EU, because we have one of the best models in Europe. It must be shared across the EU," said Arba Kokalari, Swedish Member of the European Parliament, and continued: "Sweden also has the experience and expertise to lead the development of AI in Europe."
EU’s focus on security and resilience is a business opportunity
As part of the Critical Raw Materials Act, the EU has set a target to recycle 25% of all critical raw materials. Today, only about 1% is recycled in the Nordic countries. This gap presents a significant opportunity for innovation and new business ventures.
At Almedalsveckan, Suomi Areena, and Arendalsuka, Nordic Innovation organized events focusing on recycling of critical raw materials and how to turn this challenge into an opportunity for Nordic businesses. The EU emphasizes that critical raw materials are essential not only for securing Europe’s green transition but also for the European defense industry, highlighting the strong connection between security needs and business opportunities.
"Access to raw materials is crucial for the EU and the Nordic region. The EU emphasizes the circular aspect as part of the solution. There is enormous potential for Nordic companies with significant market opportunities. Recycling 25% is both a challenge and an opportunity," said Sindre Bornstein, Managing Director of Nordic Innovation.
Nordic collaboration is key to green competitiveness
Security, resilience and competitiveness were key topics at the event ‘Innovative nordiske transportsystemer – beredskap og konkurransekraft i en ny tid´, at Arendalsuka, Norway. The discussion emphasized the importance of Nordic cooperation in transport in light of the evolving geopolitical situation.
"Due to the security landscape that changed in 2022, we began to see a stronger belief in Nordic cooperation. If we do not cooperate in the Nordic region, green solutions will not be competitive. We risk losing resilience, market position, and missing the opportunity to assume a global leadership role," said Ida Kallmyr Lerheim from Renergy.
The beginning of a Nordic quantum collaboration
Competitiveness, collaboration and the Nordic’s role in the EU were highlighted during the event ‘Norges plass i kvante-Norden’, at Arendalsuka, Norway. Drawing on Nordic Innovation’s report ‘Nordic-Baltic Quantum Ecosystem’, Nordic ambassadors and representatives from research and industry explored how the Nordics can take a leading role in quantum technology.
"The new strategic technologies play a crucial role in our competitiveness. It is important to think Nordic, as we are far too small to be good at everything on our own. Complementarity, competitiveness and geopolitics are key words" said Mikael Eriksson, Sweden’s Ambassador to Norway.
"It is also important to have the EU in the picture. Once again, we see that we are falling behind the USA and China. That is why it is important that we cooperate at the European level," said Högni Kristjánsson, Iceland’s Ambassador to Norway.
Nordic collaboration has gained new momentum
Nordic Innovation also organized the events ‘Å balansere bruk og beskyttelse for en bærekraftig havøkonomi’, ‘Elflyget – regional genombrot eller grön bubble?’ and ‘Bæredygtig transport på tværs af Norden’.
The Nordic democracy festivals 2025 have in many ways marked a turning point in the way we discuss and perceive Nordic collaboration.
“We see that Nordic collaboration has become much more important. It is truly on the agenda compared to previous years. Previously, most discussions were nationally focused. Now, the focus is on what we can achieve together, especially within the Nordics. Nordic collaboration has gained new momentum,” says Lena Henriksson, Head of Communication at Nordic Innovation.
We would like to thank everyone who participated in our events. Whether you joined a panel discussion, attended as a visitor or contributed with questions during the discussions, we appreciate your engagement and interest in Nordic Innovation.
See you next year!
