<<ALMEDALEN 2025 >> Accelerating Ideas into Operational Capability
To strengthen Sweden’s total defense, we must rapidly transform new ideas and technologies into real, operational capabilities. An innovation is not truly an innovation until it’s implemented. But how far have we actually come?
Since the government’s Defense Innovation Initiative in 2023, authorities, industry, and businesses have taken steps to streamline innovation processes. This session focused on how we can continue to lower the barriers to collaboration and accelerate defense innovation.
Questions that the panel addressed:
- What are the main challenges in moving from idea to implementation in the defense sector?
- How can we create clarity around the capability needs of the total defense system that could be addressed by new ideas and technologies?
- What role does Sweden play in NATO’s innovation program DIANA, and what opportunities does it offer?
Highlights from the discussion
A New Era of Defense Innovation
The speakers emphasized that Sweden has entered a new phase – with new actors, structures, and collaboration models:
“It is not the lack of new technology that’s the problem – it’s how we get it put to real use.”
— Eva Hagwall, Deputy Director General, FMV
“We need new business models that allow us to integrate new capabilities step by step – all the way to the soldier.”
Collaboration Is Key
“We are starting from a good position – we already see innovations being deployed in Ukraine. Now we need to build real platforms for civilian and military collaboration.”
— Caroline Bergman, Program Lead, LEAD
“We must practice working together. All the building blocks exist – we just need to connect them.”
Insights from the Armed Forces and FOI
“Defense innovation needs to move in many directions at once now. It is good that we are putting this into the spotlight.”
— Jens Mattsson, Director General, FOI
“We need to be able to fight unfairly – by using technology that gives us an advantage.”
— Jonny Lindfors, Chief of Army, Swedish Armed Forces
“The global challenge is ‘mass to man.’ Russia is willing to sacrifice huge numbers of troops. That is not an option for us. We must respond with smart tech and sustainable systems.”
Challenges that the panel identified
- Funding and Talent: The ecosystem must align capital, expertise, and clear needs.
- Internal Organizational Engagement: Innovation must be embedded across agencies – not limited to pilot projects.
- Supply Chain Sovereignty: Sweden must avoid reliance on a few suppliers – diversity is key.
- “Underground Innovation”: How do we capture and manage informal, outside-the-box ideas born outside formal systems?
The Future of the Innovation System
The panel agreed that innovation capability is a strategic value in itself – regardless of whether each individual initiative results in a usable solution. We need to better justify and measure the value of innovation, even when results are not guaranteed.
“We need to actively train ourselves to manage risk. Innovation does not happen in safe territory.”
