“Change only challenge the prepared mind” Prof Svante Lindquist (Nobelprize presentation)

On the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Sweden and China the Sweden-China Innovation Forum took place the 21st of May 2010. Leading government’s officials such as Maud Olofsson, H.E. Li Keqiang, First Vice Premier of the People´s Republic of China and His Majesty the King Carl Gustav. This Forum discussed and provided insights from many different aspects with talks from leading Swedish Academics and CEO´s.  The Forum discussed issues like national policies for innovation with examples how to create entrepreneurial bridges between academia and other sectors. But the most commented topic from the Swedish speakers were addressing questions how to create innovative environments in companies and academia, both from an organizational standpoint but also how this should be addressed on the individual level. One interesting speech on this topic was Professor Svante Lindquist presenting insight about the 829 Nobel Prizes, how these individuals have been challenging known facts and what milieus that had foster their thinking and development towards breakthrough work. A lot of the facts he presented were very intuitive like; courage, challenge earlier paradigms, see new ways, high degree of freedom in competitive environments but also pinpointed facts like more elements of chaos and structural instability. The Chinese delegates were very interested in this topic obviously as China still haven’t produced any Nobelprize winners. The Visual Voltage was presented to the delegates both by showing parts of the exhibition, but also through CEO Christina von Dorrien presenting the Interactive Institute´s research under the topic of Finding the Frontiers: how Interactive Institute is developing new fields within research through new combinations with experimental work-methods . This presentation was in the context of the growing creative industries and particular how art and design play a more important role in the future of innovation. I don’t know if innovation will save the world but it is very clear that innovation is the new black in the global economy.