23 Nov 2022

New Opportunities for Companies from Northern Sweden at Smart City World Expo Congress in Barcelona

Last week, the Smart City Expo World Congress took place in Barcelona. Through a joint delegation trip organized by North Sweden Cleantech, Västerbottens Chamber of Commerce, and Enterprise Europe Network, regional companies had the opportunity to participate. Inpipe, Flow Below, Boreal Orchards, and Vertisà took advantage of this offer.

The annual expo attracted around 853 exhibitors and over 20,000 visitors from around the world. It provided a platform for regional entrepreneurs to market their companies, products, and services, and to establish international contacts with potential customers and partners. North Sweden Cleantech exhibited in the Nordic pavilion, serving as a hub for companies and organizations from northern Sweden.

Innovative Solutions and Panel Discussions

Innovative solutions were presented, including a panel discussion in the Nordic pavilion moderated by Johan Hedengran from North Sweden Cleantech. Fredrik Sahl, CEO of Flow Below which offers sensor-based solutions for inflow and infiltration in water and sewage systems, highlighted the need for smart solutions for underground infrastructure:

“Is a city really smart if it’s only smart on the surface? I missed smart solutions for our buried infrastructure. Maybe it’s a sign that we at Flow Below are ahead of the curve,” said Fredrik.

Fredrik Sahl, CEO at Flow Below participated in panel discussions.

Enduce, a company from Umeå that manufactures energy-recovering shower drains, was represented by business developers from Uminova Innovation and successfully pitched in the German pavilion, secured leads with e.g. parties interested in hotel and apartment development.

New Connections Were Made

Networking opportunities were abundant, with events like a Brokerage Event and speed-dating in the Nordic pavilion. Rosario Garcia Gil, CEO of Vertisà which is a company from Umeå that offers modules for vertical farming with an integrated irrigation system that saves water., made valuable contacts with representatives from Nordic cities:

“We made good contacts with the cities of Stockholm and Helsingborg in Sweden and Tampere in Finland, who are very interested in us coming there,” said Rosario.

Rosario Garcia Gil, CEO at Vertisà pitched on stage at the Nordic Pavillion.

The expo facilitated international business collaborations, with Fredrik from Flow Below having numerous meetings that could lead to future business:

“We have found a couple of leads that we will follow up on in the coming weeks. I also got a sense of how business is done in different countries,” said Fredrik.

Daniel Pacurar, CEO of Boreal Orchards a company that offers consultancy services related to plant production systems in suboptimal climates., also made significant connections:

“My dialogue with them confirmed the development of a specific project that is relevant for us in Madrid. We will follow this and maybe get some insights and contacts through Business Sweden,” said Daniel.

Information About the Spanish Market

Participants received insights into the Spanish market from the Swedish-Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Madrid. The delegation trip was appreciated by the companies, providing opportunities to meet new partners and customers, and to connect with supportive organizations.

“Through this, we further strengthen the collaboration between Västerbottens Chamber of Commerce and our international chambers of commerce, thereby providing opportunities for companies to enter new markets,” said Sofia Lindström, Regional Coordinator North, Västerbottens Chamber of Commerce.

Rewarding Trip for Participating Companies

The delegation trip created opportunities for companies to meet new partners and customers, as well as to connect with organizations that can provide various forms of support.

“I think participating in the delegation trip provided good opportunities to network, share what we do and our plans, and also to understand more about how North Sweden Cleantech, Business Sweden, and similar organizations can support startups,” said Daniel from Boreal Orchards.

Vertisà is one of Uminova Innovation’s startup companies, and their support, along with that from North Sweden Cleantech, has been significant for the company.

“Receiving support from Uminova Innovation and North Sweden Cleantech gives me a sense of security and confidence in my own company. This trip also helped boost my confidence as a business leader,” said Rosario.

The joint delegation trip organized by North Sweden Cleantech, Västerbottens Chamber of Commerce, and Enterprise Europe Network was appreciated by the companies. Rolf Näslund, Marketing and Sales Manager at Inpipe in Vilhelmina, which manufactures fiberglass-reinforced polyester liners used to renovate sewer pipes, road culverts, and water pipes, found the trip inspiring.

“I feel grateful, and the trip was well organized. Not everything at the expo was relevant, but the level of inspiration was high, and it wouldn’t have been the same to go alone,” said Rolf.

On main photo: Rolf Näslund, Johan Hedengran, Sofia Lindström, Daniel Pacurar, Peter Bäckström, Nina Rismalm, Rosario Garcia Gil, Jenny Åkermark, Helena Näsström, Fredrik Sahl.