Sweden has a rich history of innovation in various fields. From Ericsson’s mobile telephony to Spotify revolutionizing the music industry, and from life-saving drones used in healthcare to the invention of the pacemaker, one thing is certain: people in Sweden never rest!
On the contrary, they are constantly seeking ways to evolve and improve both healthcare and people’s lives by working on innovative ideas that ultimately become globally known and useful to hundreds of millions of people.
Here are 9 Swedish innovations and innovative businesses:
Pacemaker: In 1958, Rune Elmqvist developed a battery-operated artificial pacemaker, which was used in the first pacemaker surgery performed by surgeon Åke Senning at the Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm. Since then, millions of people worldwide have been saved thanks to the pacemaker’s placement.
Life-saving drones: In December 2021, a drone that was part of a research program aiming to explore the use of drones in healthcare saved the life of a 71-year-old man. Since then, the use of drones enables the provision of urgent medical assistance using the shortest route and access to inaccessible areas.
Three-point seatbelt: The three-point seatbelt was developed by Swedish inventor and safety engineer Nils Bohlin in 1959 for Volvo. It is designed in a Y-shape to distribute energy in a moving body during an accident. Since then, this seatbelt saves about one life every six minutes!
Zipper: The modern zipper, as we know it, was improved and developed by Swedish-American inventor Gideon Sundbäck from an earlier, less efficient model in 1913. Sundbäck’s redesigned version, called the “separable fastener,” was patented in 1917.
Ericsson – Mobile Telephony: Ericsson was founded in 1876 and played a crucial role in the development of mobile telephony. Lars Magnus Ericsson’s innovations laid the foundation for the modern telecommunications industry.
Spotify: Founded in 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon, Spotify revolutionized the music industry by offering a legal and convenient way to stream music. It quickly became a global leader in the streaming services market.
Skype – Internet Telephony: In 2003, Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis developed Skype, which revolutionized communication by enabling people to make both voice and video calls over the internet. Skype became widely popular for its ease of use and cost-effectiveness.
IKEA: In 1943, Ingvar Kamprad founded IKEA, emphasizing affordable, easy-to-transport, self-assembled furniture. The flat-pack design not only reduced production costs but also made it easier for customers to transport and assemble their furniture, reducing overall costs and allowing furniture purchases with designer signatures accessible to people with different incomes.
H&M: Founded in 1947 by Erling Persson, H&M popularized the concept of “fast fashion” by offering affordable and trendy clothing with quick style turnover tailored to current fashion trends. This business model has now been widely adopted in the fashion industry.