The Tech Arena 2024 🚀

I am exhausted - in that kinda way when you've given your all. Despite not being able to clone myself, I tried my absolute best to be everywhere and nowhere all at once. Yes, I know - that was my absolute tip on what you shouldn't do - but the Duracell battery within me just weren't caving.

Instead of sharing a traditional summary of my takeaways (because it would take you forever to read), I'll instead share a 🔥list🔥 just as Makthavare did back in the days at Almedalen. It was the coolest list to end up on!

Here you have this Tech Arena's...

Never Give Up

Omid Ekhlasi, the CEO of Techarenan ⭐ He shared during his opening speech that the first year they had as much as 7 (!) attendees listening in to the first panel. After trying for SO many years, he finally got his true arena. Never give up, never give in.

Most Tired

It hurts to say, especially since I was so excited that this was on the agenda, but it was the panel on the topic of "Creating Momentum Through Diversity in Tech". No momentum there at all.

Worth-the-sitdown

SvD Tech Brief interviewed Klarna's Head of AI. I couldn't see an empty chair anywhere and the talk was super interesting - eventhough I think we all had wished to hear some gossip from what has happened at Klarna during the last few days.

Funniest title

The Fireside chat with Hedda Båverud Olsson, CEO of Lassie named "Paws and Possibilities: What's next for pet tech, and insights into Lassies journey so far". It won my heart. Also, why were there so FEW people there listening? Lassie has raised a lot of money, with a lot of cool executive females as well as developers. Absolutely worth a listen.

Humble brag

Max Junestrand at Leya squeezed into his pitch, without even sounding braggy, that they were a part of this years YCombinator batch but returned to Europe to focus on their customers. Also the best pitch I've heard during the two days - and Leya ended up winning the Pitch40 competition.

Confusion

AI or Al? It was very confusing scrolling LinkedIn since Al Gores fireside were quoted or referred to mostly - but the talk of the town was also AI.

Brains

The company Brainzell won the Stars Challenge, and got to receive the award from Steve Wozniak on Stage. Heard them pitch before on Stockholm Impact - they're basically building mini brains, AND THEY'RE SO COOL?

Dance

Thinking that politicians are boring? Nuh-uh. I don't know if Karin Wanngård, the Mayor of Stockholm, has ever been introduced on a stage to house music before, but she really vibed with it, showed off her best moves, and I'm so here for that.

Yay

Even the men's bathrooms had tampons. Small step for human kind, but a big step for man.

Best hug

My dear friend Annsi Krol!!! It even got caught on picture, haha.

Favorite word

I think I've said "swiss army knife" at least 20 times just during the Thursday. One founder asked me if that was what I was doing in my current role, and I stole it right away.

What I thought I didn't need

You know all these mint pastille boxes companies always have during these kinds of events, that you hate to get? Turns out they're really handy when the only free thing to drink is coffee - I didn't see water until like 3 o'clock during the Thurs(thirst?)day.

Where was everyone

I thought the talk by Stina Ehrensvärd would be filled to the brim - it was a fantastic talk about how they built Yubico, and value driven business. But a lot of chairs were empty, and afterwards all people said was "I wanted to go but there was another talk..." You missed something!

Passionate

Alexander Morad's speech with the name "AI or DI3" made me even more hyped to use AI more in my day to day life 🤷‍♀️

Best place

Without being able to mingle with them all - I love the startup corner. So many cool people and companies, in such a small space. Also, they have to mingle with you.

Fave thing

People's altruism. There's something that happens during these kinds of events - people just open up more for collaboration - love it!

Beef

Steve Wozniak mostly talked about "Don't believe the movies - I also did stuff"

All in all - it was a fantastic experience and I am so happy for the people I've met and the insights I've had. I wished I could have met up with more people but... too much to do, too little time!

I mean, look at this smile? It IS the star-eyed-emoji.

See you at the Tech Arena next year 👋