When discussing innovation, we often highlight the importance of an ecosystem — sometimes focusing on funding (or the lack thereof), and other times on access to knowledge, talent, and resources. Yet, despite each ecosystem’s uniqueness, the core challenge remains: How do we maximize what we have?
“It’s all about skill development — it does not matter how many resources you have if you don’t know how to use them,” remarked Mr. Kjell Håkan Närfelt during his recent lecture at CSII.
It was a special event co-organized by the Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok, National Innovation Agency (NIA), and Chulalongkorn School of Integrated Innovation (CSII) that brought Mr. Närfelt, Chief Strategy Advisor at Vinnova, Sweden’s Innovation Agency, to Chulalongkorn University. This event united representatives from academia, industry, and government — a moment where the “triple helix model of innovation” came to life. With distinguished guests like Her Excellency Mrs. Anna Hammargren, Ambassador of Sweden to Thailand, and Dr. Krithpaka Boonfueng, Executive Director of the National Innovation Agency, Mr. Närfelt's lecture, “Honouring the Nobel Prize: What Lessons Can Be Learned from Developing the Swedish Innovation Ecosystem?”, not only reflected on the legacy of Alfred Nobel, but also shared valuable insights into what makes Sweden a global leader in innovation.
So, what lessons can we take from the Swedish Innovation Ecosystem and Mr. Närfelt’s insights?
Entrepreneurship as the Engine of Innovation
Mr. Närfelt underscored a fundamental truth: entrepreneurship is the engine that powers innovation. Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation. It requires brave, creative individuals who are willing to take risks, test ideas, and bring solutions to market. In Sweden, startups and scale-ups thrive because they operate within a supportive ecosystem that values and nurtures entrepreneurial efforts.
Valorisation: Transforming Ideas into Impact
A standout concept from the lecture was valorisation — the process of turning knowledge, research, and ideas into tangible societal and economic benefits. Sweden’s success stems from its ability to bridge the gap between research and real-world application, ensuring that innovation leads to meaningful impact. This mindset encourages not just invention, but the practical use of innovation to solve problems and create value.
From Innovation Ecosystem to Ecosystem Innovation
Interestingly, Mr. Närfelt flipped the traditional concept of an “innovation ecosystem” to highlight “ecosystem innovation.” In this approach, innovation happens within the ecosystem, pushing its overall development forward. Instead of waiting for the perfect environment, innovators in Sweden create opportunities within the conditions they have — continually improving the ecosystem in the process.
Sweden’s innovation ecosystem offers valuable lessons: Support entrepreneurs, transform ideas into impact, and build a community-driven network where education and entrepreneurship thrive together. By adopting these principles, we can cultivate an ecosystem that not only supports innovation but innovates the ecosystem itself.
At Chulalongkorn School of Integrated Innovation (CSII), these principles are at the core of what we do. We equip our students with the skills to innovate through hands-on projects that connect them directly to Thailand’s dynamic innovation ecosystem. By fostering entrepreneurship, encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration, and bridging academia with industry, we empower students to transform their ideas into real-world impact. In the process, they don’t just participate in the ecosystem — they actively help shape and develop it.
Through this approach, CSII is cultivating a new generation of innovators ready to drive sustainable growth and progress in Thailand and beyond.
Learn more about CSII: https://csii.chula.ac.th/about/