Staffan Hanstorp - 25 years in the tech industry

After 25 years on the board of TechSverige and the organization's former name, we would like to extend a big and warm thank you to Staffan Hanstorp for his invaluable contribution. With a career in the industry that began in the 1980s, and also includes board assignments for Almega and the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, 65-year-old Staffan Hanstorp is currently chairman of the IT company Addnode Group, but will also serve as an advisor to TechSverige's board.

- It's been an extremely exciting time, with huge technological shifts that have completely changed everyday life for everyone. Both at work and privately. IT and tech are an integral part of almost everyone's everyday life today," says Staffan Hanstorp.

What has been the most fun?

- As an entrepreneur, it is of course most enjoyable to see the growth of the company that I have had the privilege of leading for many years. Like many entrepreneurial ventures, it started with three young engineers and 30 years later has grown to 2500 employees in some 20 countries.

What has been the most challenging?

- With the board assignment, it is that tech is a large area. It is difficult to familiarize yourself with all the issues that are important in themselves but are a little further away from the area in which you are active. Generally speaking, we lack skills and resources, and things don't seem to be getting any better. One of the industry's biggest challenges is to attract more people to study and work in the industry.

What has your involvement in TechSverige been like?

- It started with what was once called LKD. I have been a board member for many years and also chairman for a number of years. Through this, I have also sat on the board of the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise. 

What has driven you and formed the basis of your commitment?

- There is an expression I often use: Create good conditions for IT entrepreneurship. I think it briefly summarizes what our responsibility in TechSverige is. It is also a way of giving something back to an industry that has been my birthplace for virtually my entire working life.

What developments have you seen in the industry, in society at large and within TechSverige, Almega and Svenskt Näringsliv?

- When it comes to the industry, tech is becoming increasingly important for almost all services and products. This applies to sales to consumers as well as to other companies. TechSweden represents an industry that is developing incredibly fast. Not everyone in it realizes that.

How do you see that TechSverige has made a difference and contributed to the industry and member companies?

- I believe and hope that we have helped create the place and platform that IT and tech have in our part of the world. What in retrospect may seem to be somewhat obvious things, I think had a good impact. The Home PC program. The standard agreements for the industry. The deregulation of the monopoly. The broadband rollout. To name a few.

What do you see as the tech industry's most important issues for the future?

- Building skills to regain the leadership we had in many years. We are not far behind. But several other countries are working faster and better together to take a position in the market.