“Accelerating innovation is ultimately about our ability to transition to a sustainable society”

“BUSINESS AS USUAL IS BEING DISRUPTED BY THE DIGITAL AND GREEN TRANSITION”

How can digital innovation open the door to new opportunities? And how can digital innovation contribute to my organization’s development, especially when it comes to the business model and sustainability? Those were just a few of the questions that Sofie Fjellgren set out to answer when she enrolled in the Accelerating Digital Innovation program.  

In her role as Marketing Manager at the engineering consulting company Erfator, a subsidiary of the Bravida Group, she sees how business as usual in her industry is being disrupted by the digital and green transition.

What interested you about the Accelerating Digital Innovation program?

- It is increasingly apparent that the need for innovative solutions that create value for organizations, customers and stakeholders is becoming a top priority for actors in various industries. Accelerating innovation is not just about increased competitiveness and a more efficient utilization of resources, but ultimately about our ability to transition to a sustainable society. In order to learn how we can go from ‘asking why’ to ‘taking action’ and actually embarking on a transformation journey within digital innovation, I enrolled in the Accelerating Digital Innovation program.

What opportunities do you think digital innovation brings to your industry?

- The construction and civil engineering sector accounts for approximately one-fifth of Sweden’s climate emissions, which is why it is vital that we take advantage of digitalization’s opportunities to find new ways to address societal challenges. We need to promote digital innovation at both the organizational and system levels – from ideas to planning, building and management. Digitalization offers enormous potential to create new business models and value chains, as well as to strengthen the integration of circular flows and life cycle perspectives.

What did you think of the program’s content?

- I think the quality of the program is incredibly high. The lecturers are wonderful, and their expertise and passion are inspiring. I also like the setup, with breakout sessions scheduled in, which led to many exciting and dynamic discussions. Listening to the other participants’ challenges and how they’re handling the technological shift in different industries has really broadened my perspective.

What takeaways do you have from the program?

- I have gained a lot of new insights, tools and ideas to develop my organization’s digital capabilities as well as take full advantage of digitalization’s many opportunities. The different program modules give a 360° perspective on digital disruption, business model innovation, digital strategy, data-driven decision-making and transformative leadership. Other important things I’ve learned include how to find new ways to create value for customers using digital innovation, as well as how to make it profitable.