Digital Europe visits - more collaboration is needed to drive digitalization forward

The Swedish and European IT industry is booming and the impact of digitization is now more noticeable everywhere in society. As we all know, the potential is enormous, while finding the right development paths and avoiding pitfalls along the way is a major challenge.

No one knows everything, or even exactly how digitalization will affect society in the future. As things speed up, competition increases and conditions change, the importance of having the courage to innovate, give up old truths and learn from those who succeed becomes crucial. No matter what interests you represent.

This was the background to IT&Telecom's meeting yesterday with Digital Europe's new Danish general director, Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, and Alf Karlsson, state secretary to Minister for Digitization Peter Eriksson, together with Teknikföretagen, the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise and a number of member companies.

Of course, everyone shared the view that the power of digital transformation is deafening, while digitalization is an elusive phenomenon in that it affects society far and wide, high and low. How does it affect the labor market? The education system? Welfare? Everything seems to be happening at once, which can easily lead to a challenge in finding focus and direction.

The power of example should not be underestimated. Michael Collaros from Aifloo, Petronella Warg from Min Doktor and Jan-Åke Lindqvist from WSI all gave thought-provoking examples of the enormous potential of their innovations and business models. Aifloo can revolutionize home care with its data-driven AI solution to safely and securely monitor patients. Min Doktor has the potential to relieve the country's strained health centers and emergency rooms. And WSI offers full-scale support for innovation and production of wireless products and IOT solutions.

If they are to succeed fully in Europe, we industry representatives together with politicians have a great responsibility. And that means increased collaboration. Between business and politics, companies and trade associations, and at least between Brussels and national stakeholders. Yesterday we took a big step in that direction. The road ahead is anything but straight, but those of us who participated agreed that we need to walk to reach the finish line.