Seminar
Invitation to 10th anniversary: Strengthening the European eco-system for scaleups!
- 3 Jun 2025, 13:30-20:00
- Torn1, Tornbyvägen 1, 582 73, Linköping
For 10 years, Swedish Scaleups has played a crucial role in helping over 400 swedish companies grow sustainably. Through support in talent acquisition, capital raising, internationalization, and sustainability, we have created a strong foundation for innovation and growth. We want to celebrate this with you!
On June 3rd, we invite you to the seminar “Strengthening the European Eco-System for Scaleups.” During the day, we will look back on the successes of the past 10 years, but also focus on the future and discuss what is required to continue strengthening the ecosystem.
The program in short:
Listen to Vinnova’s Director General on startups and scaleups — and to Stina Lantz, CEO of Swedish Incubators & Science Parks
Get inspired by real growth stories — both the successes and the challenges. Among the speakers are Tommy Johansson, Chairman of the board and previous CEO of AMRA; Anna Björklou, CEO of Termisk Systemteknik; Beatrice Björk of sfPORTEQ and John Strandberg, CEO of Reedz.
Join our roundtable discussions
Contribute your perspectives and help shape the EU’s future strategies and tools to boost Europe’s competitiveness.
Learn from a decade of experience with Swedish Scaleups
Project leaders share key insights and lessons from 10 years of collaboration. Featuring Madéleine Pilstrand (Create), Niclas Stjernberg (UIC), Victor Sundliden (Inkubera), Johannes Walfridsson (Lead Project Manager), and Lena Miranda (Linköping Science Park).
Meet the financiers
Hear reflections from those funding the journey — what has Swedish Scaleups achieved so far, and where do we go next? Taking part are Isabelle Canderskog (Tillväxtverket), Emma Hanson (Region Sörmland), Niklas Tideklev (Region Östergötland), and Louise Felldin (City of Linköping).
This day is for you who:
Are part of a Scaleup: You want to take part in experiences, network with other growth companies, and get inspiration for your own journey.
Work to support scaleups: You want to deepen your knowledge, exchange experiences, and find new collaboration opportunities.
Are a politician: You want to understand how decisions affect scaleups and contribute to a stronger ecosystem.
Are curious and want to know more: You are interested in innovation, growth, and entrepreneurship.
The event is open to all interested parties.
Speakers
Darja Isaksson
Director General of Vinnova
Stina Lantz
CEO of Swedish Incubators & Science Parks
Tommy Johansson
Chariman of the board and previous CEO Amra
Tommy is a successful entrepreneur with experience from several start-up companies, including C3 Technologies and AMRA. Tommy was the CEO and part of the AMRA foundation team during 2011-2018, and since 2023 he is the Chairman of the Board.
With a genuine interest in sports, building strong teams is a passion of Tommy´s. Good customer and partner relations are important topics for him, and in order to truly build a successful company, he believes having a very clear company vision, recruiting the right people, and keeping them in the company is key!
Tommy has an M.Sc. degree in Industrial Engineering and Management from Linköping University. The first 10 years, Tommy worked for large companies such as SAAB, Ericsson and Nokia, in different management positions. During the next 10-year period, Tommy worked for midsize companies in the software industry, including being the deputy CEO for IFS AB. In the following 12-years, Tommy successfully executed an entrepreneurial period. During the last five years, he has taken on a number of board positions, including being the Chairman of the Board for Configura AB and AddBio AB.
Anna Björklou
VD Termisk Systemteknik
John Strandberg
CEO Reedz
Madéleine Pilstrand
Create
Niclas Stjernberg
UIC
Victor Sundliden
Inkubera
Johannes Walfridsson
Project Manager, Linköping Science Park
Lena Miranda
CEO Linköping Science Park
Ellinor Bokedal
Director Strategic Communications & Policy, SISP
Isabelle Canderskog
Program Manager, Tillväxtverket
Emma Hanson
Region Sörmland
Niklas Tideklev
Region Östergötland
Louise Felldin
Linköpings Kommun
Beatrice Björn
CEO sfPORTEQ
For 10 years, the Swedish Scaleups program has supported Swedish growth companies characterized by high innovation capacity and strong scalability potential.Through close collaboration between Science Parks and Incubators in East Middle Sweden, we have developed initiatives and offers that help these companies grow. Over 400 companies have participated in the program, of which about 70 are Scaleups (according to our definition, which is inspired by the OECD but adapted to our regional context: companies with 7 million SEK in turnover and/or at least ten employees, high innovation level, a technical platform, scalable business model, and the potential to grow by 20% per year for the next three years).
Our efforts have included growth plans, Investment Readiness Plans, sustainability analyses, skills supply, organization, and internationalization.
Uppsala Innovation Center, Create, Inkubera, and Linköping Science Park.
The program has been implemented with support from the regions in East Middle Sweden, the municipalities of Linköping and Eskilstuna, and the ERDF via the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth.
Program
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13:30 — 14:00
Drop in & mingel
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14:00 — 14:10
Inledning-kort intro till Swedish Scaleups och resultaten från 10 år - Lena Miranda
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14:10
Spaning på den tid som grytt - Darja Isaksson, GD Vinnova
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14:40
AMRA – en tillväxtresa - Tommy Johansson
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15:30
Swedish Scaleups – ur ett bolagsperspektiv
Anna Björklou, CEO, Termisk Systemteknik, Linköping, John Strandberg, CEO & Founder, Reedz, Eskilstuna, Erik Rudolphi, Director of Business Development, Vidhance, Uppsala, Beatrice Björk, sfPORTEQ.
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16:00
Swedish Scaleups - 10 år av lärdomar – en reflektion från projektägarna
Madeleine Pilstrand, Create, Niclas Stjernberg, UIC, Victor Sunnliden, Inkubera, Lena Miranda, Linköping Science Park, Johannes Walfridsson, huvudprojektledare, Linköping Science Park
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16:20
Sweden Startup Nation, Stina Lantz, vd SISP
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16:40
Rundabordssamtal om Scaleups förutsättningar att skala och växa i Europa
Ellinor Bjälkedahl, SISP, faciliterar
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17:20
Swedish Scaleups för regional konkurrenskraft – ett finansiärsperspektiv
Isabelle Canderskog, Tillväxtverket, Emma Hansson, Region Sörmland, Niklas Tideklev, Region Östergötland, Louise Felldin, Linköpings kommun
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18:00 — 20:00
Mingle & dinner
