With 4,500 member companies and a 130-year industrial legacy, Teknikföretagen is launching Tech Forward to strengthen Sweden’s competitiveness as a technology nation. The initiative aims to connect established industry with startups and scaleups, and to accelerate collaboration across organisational and sectoral boundaries.
Tech Forward has just been launched. What is the purpose of the initiative?
– We are a member organisation with 4,500 industrial companies, mainly in manufacturing and R&D. But now we see that there are a lot of new companies coming up from the tech industry. We see a gap regarding collaboration between the new tech companies and the established ones. They are both in tech, but they are different.
– It’s really important that we start to find collaboration where we can broaden perspectives and get rid of the silos. There is also a lack of knowledge across these different organisational structures. Many industrial companies stand for the main part of R&D in Sweden. But it’s not just that established companies have something to learn from startups. It’s very much the opposite as well. Collaboration between these two could really accelerate innovation in Sweden. So it’s about strengthening Sweden as a tech nation.
What can established companies and startups give each other?
– Established companies have innovation under their skin in a long-term perspective. Tech companies normally have speed. Startups have to be fast because it’s about survival. If you’re not fast enough, somebody else will probably fill the gap. It’s also about competence development and recruitment. How do you attract talent? Larger companies have experience with funding structures and global markets. Startups need knowledge about how to reach new markets and become part of the global economy. There is huge potential in learning from each other.
Where are the main challenges in making this collaboration work?
– Large global companies are often slow because their products are complicated and their organisations are bureaucratic. It takes time to get decisions in place. Many have tried to embrace startups and it hasn’t always worked. That’s why it’s important to start with networks and get to know each other’s cultures. It’s also about mentorship, from both sides. We have created an advisory board connected to Tech Forward with people from startups, scaleups and established companies. Their agendas are different, but it’s important to get them together.
How does Tech Forward facilitate this in practice?
– It’s a digital platform so everybody can access it regardless of geography. We have started with thematic circles where members discuss topics like value chains. Sometimes someone sets the framework for the discussion, and then you have collaboration. That can also create bilateral connections outside the platform. We are developing mentorship programmes and want to be fast in embracing new topics, whether it’s innovation structures or raising capital.
Teknikföretagen has historically been associated with traditional manufacturing. Is that changing?
– We have been around for 130 years and started with manufacturing. But of our 4 500 member companies, only around 200 have more than 500 employees. The majority are SMEs. We are increasing the number of companies working with services, software solutions and consultancy. The industry is shifting, and we are shifting with it.
– China has a speed we have never seen, and Europe is lagging behind. We work to influence politicians to set the right frameworks for investment and innovation. For example, AI companies need data centres, and data centres need competitive energy prices. So we need to ramp up the energy system. That’s a concrete example of competitiveness.
What can this cross-industry collaboration mean for the fashion industry?
– I think fashion can learn a lot as well. From my understanding, you are very fast in embracing consumers’ needs. You look quickly at what is happening in boutiques, what customers want, and you change your value chains and products very fast. You have also been very good at integrating digital channels, not just physical boutiques.
– From that point of view, to ramp up customer needs into services and products, there is a lot to learn. At the same time, established industries can learn from how fashion works with sustainable value chains and sustainable solutions. We can also see how physical products are surrounded by software solutions. If you look at the automotive industry, the car today is almost a software solution with a shell. And who understands design, materials and consumer experience better than fashion?
What is your view on Europe’s position in AI?
– A lot is happening in AI in the United States, and China is moving fast. Europe is moving, but we need to be careful not to regulate too much. We have asked our member companies about AI in industrial applications. They say they have built knowledge and are now ramping up applications. Regulation is important, but we also need to look at the potential. Stable energy prices and infrastructure are crucial. I think it is moving quite fast now.
In one sentence, what is the ambition of Tech Forward?
– We want to create more innovation in Sweden to increase Sweden’s competitiveness overall. We have been in the forefront for a long time, and this could be a good step to take right now.