Hello, tech leaders: Joel Bergqvist, The Adventure

Digital innovation should make a real difference—not just look modern. That’s one of the driving forces behind Joel Bergqvist, CEO of Äventyret. In this interview, he talks about leadership without a set of ready-made answers, why AI requires a level-headed perspective, and how membership in TechSverige fosters a sense of community and provides opportunities to make a difference.

What do you think is important for effective leadership?

– I don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to leadership. Good leadership is tailored to the situation—people need different things at different times. Sometimes it’s about freedom and trust; other times, it’s about clarity and support.

One important lesson I’ve taken away is that leadership isn’t always about having the answers.
The best advice I’ve ever received was: “I don’t know—no one has solved this challenge before, so your first attempt will be the best solution the world has seen so far.” It’s a great example of how leadership is sometimes about offering encouragement, not providing the answers.

What is high on your agenda right now?

– We are in a situation where both deepening and expansion are high on the agenda. A key focus is the development of Thingwalla— which we see as a future operating system for European public digital services, where applications are built by the market. This has given us an unusually prominent role in the European GovTech landscape, where we’re driving discussions on how public digitalization can become smarter, more open, and more effective in practice.

How do you use AI today?

– We’ve come a long way in adopting AI tools and use AI throughout virtually our entire workday—from analysis and research to development and prototyping, as well as in certain solutions we’ve launched for clients. Not because it’s trendy, but because it makes us faster, sharper, and better at focusing human energy where it’s truly needed.

At the same time, we strive to maintain a level-headed approach to the AI race. If we aren’t careful, it’s easy to develop a one-sided dependence on a handful of suppliers, which could have consequences down the road. That’s why it’s important to understand when AI truly adds value and when it’s better to rely on the expertise our skilled employees have built up over many years.

I also believe that AI will have more systemic effects than many have yet to identify. It will be easier than ever to build and launch new services, but it will also reshape the logic of how companies build competitiveness, develop skills, and hire employees. In a country like Sweden, where the labor market model is based on collective bargaining agreements, strong skills, and high standards, this is a bigger issue than just the next technological shift.

What challenges do you see for Äventyret’s continued development?

– We’re built for real change, not just to refine what already exists. That kind of transformation requires courage and a willingness to invest on the part of our clients. In a market characterized by high interest rates, many projects are being postponed. At the same time, we’ve used the downturn to our advantage to develop our business. We have refined our methods, processes, and how we operate as a company, which means we are in a stronger position now.

Why are collective bargaining agreements important to you?

– We signed a collective bargaining agreement relatively recently, but it’s something we’ve always been fully in favor of. It provides security and clarity, and it also strengthens us as a company in our relationships with customers who want to work with a long-term, reliable partner.
What made us take the plunge was that we clearly saw that collective bargaining agreements were becoming increasingly important in our dialogue with customers. Once that business logic became clear, it was a fairly easy decision to make.

What are the benefits of being a member of TechSverige?

– One of the biggest advantages is that, through TechSverige, the industry gains a voice with greater influence than any single company has on its own. I am personally involved in TechSverige’s Public Market Council, and I really appreciate that there is a forum where such issues can be discussed seriously.

As a smaller player, I also appreciate that our membership gives us the opportunity to contribute a wider range of perspectives. Our membership is just as valuable as that of the large companies. That is a strength. For Äventyret, membership therefore means both a sense of community and the opportunity to make a difference. It is valuable to be part of a community that not only reflects the industry but also strives to develop it.

Äventyret is an innovation-driven service design agency that creates digital business solutions. The company helps businesses and public sector organizations develop services, products, and operations that truly work better in practice.