Space For the Future: A Symposium with the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences
How are Sweden, the Nordic countries and the United States shaping the future of the space sector? What trends in rapidly changing technologies, geopolitics and business opportunities are affecting businesses and policy leaders?
Strengthening international dialogue and exploring new opportunities in space
The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) - through IVA West and IVA Division VI – hosted this exclusive symposium with 40 selected guests, including representatives from business, universities and public policy in Sweden, Iceland and Texas.
Forward-looking conversations
This Space for the Future symposium offered a forward-looking conversation on the future of the space sector.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences welcomed everyone, with remarks by Mattias Goksör, Professor, University of Gothenburg (IVA Väst) and Ulla Eriksson-Zetterquist, Professor. University of Gothenburg (IVA Division VI).
Professor Maureen McKelvey then lead her discussions with each panelist. The symposium promoted networking before and after the panel, to engage all the selected guests.
Panelists
Dr. Mitch Stevison, CEO, Frontgrade Technologies, Headquarters Colorado; Frontgrade Gaisler is located in Gothenburg
Patrik Melander, Chairman, CEO & Co-founder of Connect 5G; Chairman Swedish American Chamber of Commerce-Dallas, Texas
Peter Dahlen, Managing Director, American Chamber of Commerce, Stockholm
Valur Árnson, Senior Advisor, Ministry of Culture, Innovation & Higher Education, Iceland
Karin Nilsdotter, Strategic Head of Space and Defence, Innovatum Science Park, Trollhättan
Karin Holmqvist, Head of Space Strategy and Development, Saab Group, Sweden
Space for the Future: Trends in Texas & Nordics
The moderator and panelist briefly reviewed the past, to understand the present and the future. In the USA, the concept of ‘new space’ is an old concept from the late 1990s, to capture specifically commercial interests. Today, the panelists discussing Space for the Future provided deeper understanding on how and why space is evolving from a primarily institutional field into a broader societal arena shaped by advanced technologies, defence and security needs, entrepreneurship, industrial capability, and new commercial opportunities.
Therefore, the symposium Space for the Future captured intiatives by public, intermediaries, and private actors – as well as different activities – including sending up governmental missions, but also about communications, large technical systems, and using low orbit to study phenomena on earth. Concepts are developing because “space” developments range much more broadly than envisioned in the 1990s. The focus was on capturing current trends and future directions for technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
By bringing together expertise from academia, industry and government, the symposium strengthens international dialogue and identify new opportunities for collaboration in one of the world's fastest-growing strategic sectors.
A special feature was the participation of members of a Delegation from Texas through the Nordic/Texas Initiative, a collaboration involving the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce Texas, Dallas, the University of Gothenburg's U-GOT KIES Centre, and the Honorary Consulate of Sweden in Dallas.
Organizers
The symposium, Space for the Future: in Nordic/Sweden and in USA/Texas, was held at Ågrenska villan in Gothenburg, Sweden, on 15th September 2026. The Sympoisum was organized by Professor Maureen McKelvey from the University of Gothenburg, an IVA Fellow and Director of the U-GOT KIES Centre and hosted by the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) and the University of Gothenburg U-GOT KIES centre.