Jakob Lindvall jumped on the Demand Acceleration journey – and made it all the way to the UN in Geneva

Around the world, the realisation is growing that public procurement can become an effective tool for driving the green and digital transition.

After an intense spring, interest in the Demand Acceleration methodology has created an abundance of new opportunities. In his first six months, Jakob Lindvall has experienced a remarkable learning curve, and here shares some of his impressions from the journey so far.

Tell us briefly about your background in the innovation system?

– I have a very broad background with experience from both large, international companies and a number of startups that I have helped launch. For several years I was CEO of Norrköping Science Park, where we developed a business incubator, science park, and cluster activities. That was when I became aware of open innovation and realised what a society-changing force it becomes when all actors pull in the same direction. Since then, I have worked partly with innovation and business development, and partly as a kind of advisory developer in the Swedish innovation system, primarily with incubators and science parks in Sweden and abroad.

How did you become involved in the development of Demand Acceleration?

– I had been following the development of Compare and DigitalWell Arena from a distance and was very impressed by their progressive approach and genuine desire to drive societal change. When the question came from them about whether I wanted to help develop Demand Acceleration, I didn’t need any time to think – I jumped straight in!

What potential do you see in the methodology?

– Finally, there is a tool for the public sector to drive a form of open innovation process based on demand, within the framework of public procurement law. But an innovation does not become truly society-changing until it spreads. The beauty of the methodology is that it is equally focused on supporting the suppliers, so that they can scale up sustainable solutions and sell to more customers in a larger market (Acceleration).

Are there any challenges that need to be resolved to get there?

– If we are to reach the global goals by 2030, we have an enormous need to develop new sustainable solutions that are also implemented broadly. It is not enough for one municipality to solve its needs in a sustainable way – the solution must spread to others. Focus on scalability in the solutions is therefore important, as is the need for public actors to dare to do business with smaller companies that have the new solutions.

What reactions do you and the team around the Demand Acceleration methodology receive from the outside world?

– We had the opportunity to present the methodology at a UN conference in Geneva this spring, and it was very uplifting. The whole world can see that we are on track to miss the global goals for 2030 and that we must take decisive action together. Innovation is an important part of this, and from that perspective, two main efforts were highlighted at the conference – creating stronger links between research and industry, and using public procurement as a tool for promoting innovation. With that prologue, Demand Acceleration was of course a bullseye!

Are there any specific highlights from the journey so far that you would like to share?

– Policies and theories are all well and good, but it is in the practical work that real value is created. So it is incredibly rewarding to be there when users in the organisation discuss concrete problems and creative solutions together with the supplier. That is when it becomes truly tangible and value-creating!