“Dialogue and cross-connections between different partners are very close at hand”
Background: The innovation platform Future by Lund started in 2012 as a Vinnova-funded project with the municipality of Lund as the principal. One goal has been to create a permanent business. In 2022, Future by Lund started an economic association, and at the end of 2022/23 the operations were moved to the association. In November, the first Board of Directors was elected with representatives from Lund Municipality, Lund University and Lund's business community. Per Eriksson, former Rector of Lund University and former Director General of Vinnova, is Chairman of the Board. Other board members are: Emeli Adell (Trivector Traffic), Magnus Sjöström (AFRY), Mats Pettersson (Sensative), Lars Mattiasson (XPlot), Therese Fällman and Johan Frithiof Karlberg (Lund Municipality), Lisa Thelin and Daniel Hellström (Lund University). Charlotte Lorentz Hjorth is CEO and Peter Kisch Chief Operating Officer.
As before, Future by Lund will explore and build methodology, knowledge and capabilities in the field of smart and sustainable cities. The organizations that are members of the association will work together to create common solutions to societal challenges in areas where no organization has its own mandate. In Future by Lund, all partners and members have access to a wide network of contacts in many different areas, both within municipalities, business and universities, but also with national and international innovation actors.
At the April 2023 Board meeting, associate researcher Emily Wise (Lund University) had the opportunity to discuss with some of the board members together with the association's CEO about the needs behind FBL's role in the ecosystem and the members' visions for the future. Several of the board members have been involved for a long time as partners in the Future by Lund project. Here is an abbreviated and slightly edited version of the conversation.
Why is Future by Lund Platform needed? What is the purpose it fulfills compared to other system intermediaries (such as science parks, incubators and cluster initiatives)?
Emeli Adell: “I think platforms are needed for broader focus. Here (with FBL) the focus is on the gaps and how we make ourselves a great city together. And that is not the focus of the other initiatives, but there the focus is more on the development of different companies/sectors or functions (for example, an incubator can focus on business development or idea development). Here it is a context. We work with different ideas that are pieced together.”
Magnus Sjöström: “FBL is unique. I don't see anywhere else where there is such a surface where everyone comes together. In other places there are some parts that meet (separately), but not together. Another difference is that in the FBL, we're trying to build things, we're trying to build societal change. In Lund (FBL), there has always been a different climate, which has been extremely creative and positive, in a way that is “right” and that makes us want to continue to engage. We at AFRY work in many other places (including abroad), but I can't help but continue here. It happens a lot, and I don't see it in the same way in other networks and collaboration initiatives. There is a difference in climate here and in many other contexts. Here's where it works. Dialogue and cross-connections between different partners are very close at hand. In other places it is much further away, and there can be a lot of competition and prestige. The climate here is different, and that makes it more pleasant to be engaged.”
Charlotte Lorentz Hjorth: “Another difference is that FBL proactively works on initiating and orchestrating portfolios of innovation projects (for a sustainable city). The FBL doesn't do everything; we fill different roles. FBL breeds things (in early stages) together with partners. We need to cooperate with other intermediaries in the ecosystem (in other stages of development). And it's important that we can all be entrances to a big common 'house' and find a good collective playing field together.”
Emeli Adell: “It is also important that there is interaction between entrepreneurs, small companies and larger companies. The power, energy and resources of the big companies are very important to bring, together with the municipality, in an arena where they come outside their regular role (that is my interpretation). There will be areas of innovation that are a bit broader, where you can find different types of solutions that you might not have thought of if you had procured something or just done what is your own task. In FBL, we dare to think a little broader and with a slightly longer time perspective. It is also a gender equality issue to be able to lift the female creative power. This kind of context, where even entrepreneurs/intrapreneurs in larger companies can work with creative stuff, is very important. It is a permissive atmosphere for idea development and creation.”
Emily Wise: “I hear you highlight four things that make FBL different and justify why the platform is needed: that FBL has a focus on societal change that requires a long-term time horizon and inclusion of other perspectives; that it is an arena where actors (from different sectors, stakeholder groups, disciplines) meet transversely; that FBL works in early stages to breed and orchestrate innovation projects/portfolios; and that there is an open and permissive culture of collaboration where one can lift and explore ideas and where things happen.”
What thoughts do you have about the future? What do you wish for? What do you see as important?
Magnus Sjöström: “That we use a unique location and knowledge/expertise to initiate new themes and new innovation portfolios, for example to work with smart fields and intelligent farming!”
Emeli Adell: “The journey so far has been very focused on technology. I wish we could see in our portfolios how we broaden ourselves up with other perspectives. I wish that we find and create new projects and solutions starting with needs and then continuing with how we can combine expertise to find solutions to the needs.”
Therese Fällman: “I hope and want the FBL to become a platform for the thoughts about Lund that we have in 50 years where we can live and work. Then we have to involve people because we build a community so that people feel engaged”.
Why do you think Lund has chosen a different path than the other innovation platforms? Why is Lund different?
Therese Fällman: “I came to Lund 3 years ago and thought there was a lot going on. I realized later that it was Lundagrejen. We throw balls up and some go up, some break. That is what makes it successful, that we dare to try and try new things and that the municipality is also positive about it. That is what Lund Municipality is. We test, we try and are positive about using the place as a test bed. This is the most important contribution we can give as a municipality, to open up, allow and be positive, not to set rules and prohibit new thinking. As for example with the electric road — yes, let's try it! To give confidence and believe that it can work, that something will be good and not think that everything will just fall down and break. I've worked in municipalities for 25 years, and when you try to have systems in-house (and quite a few do), then you end up in a democratic process and that's where the process is important. It's part of representative democracy.”
Magnus Sjöström: “AFRY is taking place in several cities. It is evident that (the open) culture is important.”
Emeli Adell: “We perceive Lund Municipality as pretty much a customer organisation (as we at Trivector Traffic perceive from infrastructure/traffic) — unlike other municipalities that do pretty much in-house. It has to do with how accustomed you are to interacting with actors who are outside.”
Therese Fällman: “Municipalities in Sweden may face financial problems in the future. With this situation, it is important to think about how we can help “Kommunsweden” to keep up the pace of innovation.”
Charlotte Lorentz Hjorth: “It requires leadership and courage. You need to constantly think ahead and develop a culture that is permissive and where you dare to hold the (innovation) flag all the way.
In connection with the transition to association form, three of the board members had to answer the question what is the benefit of Future by Lund for another article on the website. This is what Emily Wise has included in her compilation.
Mats Pettersson: “For Sensative, there is a lot to gain from having an innovation platform like Future by Lund in the city, because there will be a wonderful dynamic between an organic innovation platform where people and organizations can collaborate to create new smart applications for the city and our open software platform for these applications. Together we have already established Lund as Sweden's perhaps leading smart city and I look forward to seeing all the new innovations that we and all smart startups in Lund can create.”
Therese Fällman: “The municipality of Lund is looking forward to benefiting from the increased development power of the economic association. And to continue, together with the business community and the university, to shape an even better Lund for the future.”
Lisa Thelin: “Lund University has a long and valuable cooperation with Lund Municipality. The more complex challenges that society has to face, the more important it is that we can continue to work together to create clear spaces for collaboration. Future by Lund is a great way for us in Lund to maintain Lund's value as an innovation ecosystem and to create new collaborations between academia, the city and industry.”
The interview of members of Future by Lund's Board of Directors was conducted on 14 April 2023 by accompanying researcher Emily Wise. The text has been edited and abridged for clarity.
Pictured: Charlotte Lorentz Hjorth, FBL and Lund University, Emeli Adell, Trivector and Emily Wise, Lund University.