Sweden Startup Nation gathered handpicked partners and enthusiasts - first fundraising dinner held at Berns

Sweden Startup Nation is building a data platform that will provide unique data on Sweden's startups and scaleups. What the data means and what needs to be addressed going forward to strengthen Swedish innovation is the focus of the evening.

On a Thursday evening in late November, history was made. Berns Ljusgården was filled with investors, entrepreneurs and partners who all share the same conviction: that Sweden needs a cohesive, data-driven and inclusive structure to strengthen its innovative power. The dinner marked the starting point for Sweden Startup Nation's long-term work to lay the foundation for the world's best startup nation. 

To understand why this evening - and Sweden Startup Nation - is needed, it is important to understand both the problems and opportunities in Sweden's innovation system. Lisa Ericsson, head of both KTH Innovation and KTH Ventures, is part of the backbone of the Swedish innovation ecosystem and also one of the key figures behind Sweden Startup Nation. Lisa clearly gave voice to something many of the evening's guests recognized: that today's system is still characterized by gaps, silos and unequal access to support. Her message was clear - Sweden needs to get its act together, and do it now.

Two powerful entrepreneurial stories gave the evening a clear pulse. Hanna Sjöström, CEO of Neola Medical, described the struggle to build deeptech in Sweden and the technology that saves the lives of premature babies. Ramtin Massoumzadeh, CEO of Quandify, took guests on a journey from student projects to a global solution that creates transparency in water consumption. Both reminded us of the enormous potential of Swedish innovation, but also of how bumpy the road is.

One of the most important elements of the evening was the presentation of the data Sweden Startup Nation is now starting to collect. Stina Lantz, CEO of SISP and co-founder of Ignite Sweden together with the developer behind the data platform, Jonathan Ahlbom, clearly showed where the gaps in the system are - in capital, processes and the path to market. "Without data, we build in the dark. With data, we can build something that makes a real difference," she said. The panel that followed, with Martin Dell (RosholmDell Advokatbyrå), Karin Ebbinghaus (Elonroad) and Stina Lantz (SISP & Sweden Startup Nation), emphasized the same point: Sweden needs a common structure, otherwise we risk losing both momentum and competitiveness.

Jonathan Ahlbom describes how the Sweden Startup Nation data platform is being built by a team of AI agents.

A central part of the evening was devoted to Sweden Startup Nation's partners - the organizations that early on understood the value of building a long-term and unifying structure for Sweden's innovation system. RosholmDell Advokatbyrå, Almega Tjänsteföretagen, Sörmlandsfonden, IVA, Vinnova, KPMG and Norrsken Foundation were represented and several shared why they chose to join. Their support is crucial, not only financially but also as ambassadors for a modern and more collaborative innovation model.

Our partners are introduced and thanked for their crucial support.

The evening was closed by Lisa Ericsson, Head of KTH Innovation and KTH Ventures, who summarized the spirit of the evening: "This is not a project. This is a structure for Sweden's future prosperity. But we cannot build it without you."

Lisa Ericsson took us on a journey beyond the headlines about Sweden's unicorns and the innovation lists that Sweden tops. Innovation and startups are crucial to Sweden's future but this is not reflected in how resources are allocated.

The evening made it clear that something important had happened. Sweden Startup Nation is no longer just an idea - it is a momentum, a movement and a promise of a more cohesive innovation system.

Thank you to everyone who participated, and especially to every partner who makes this work possible. If you would like to contribute, get involved or find out more, please get in touch. Together, we are building a Sweden where more ideas become reality, more businesses grow and more innovations reach the world.