Scattered XR Stage at Ericsson’s D15
Swedish startups in different stages, universities, and Volvo Cars did three-minute pitches for their XR projects at Ericsson’s D15 Labs in Santa Clara. The event was part of a Vinnova-financed two-week program in Silicon Valley aimed at finding collaborative partners and, in some cases, also investors.
One of the pitching startups was Stellar Capacity. CEO Claudia Olsson introduced the XR project, Horrible Bosses: How Not to Become One.
“When we do leadership training, we usually do it physically,” Olsson explained. “We discuss different leadership cases and scenarios and find them quite effective. But what's even more effective is if you can actually experience different management styles.”
Stellar Capacity is a Swedish training company specializing in leadership development, AI, and digital skills training. The Horrible Bosses XR project exemplified its approach to integrating technology into education.
Bert-Ola Eriksson from Katam Technologies presented how they use computer vision and augmented reality (AR) to revolutionize forestry.
“Forestry 100 years ago was much simpler than today,” he said. “Unfortunately, today's foresters use the same tools as they did 100 years ago.”
Katam’s innovative approach replaces traditional tree measurement methods with drone imaging and AR tools, aiming to modernize forestry practices and enhance sustainability.
Volvo Cars showcased a project to digitize the car design review process, replacing costly physical models with XR solutions.
Despite some impressive individual innovations, the projects showcased at Ericsson’s D15 Labs were fragmented, with established players like Volvo Cars, fledgling startups, and research groups in different stages. The participants have received up to $15,000 from Vinnova for travel and partnership establishment.
Tove Jaensson, responsible for the project at Vinnova in Stockholm, was with the group at Ericsson D15 Labs.
“These 13 projects have received funding to conduct a preliminary study, both at home and on-site here in Silicon Valley. The goal is to find an American partner to jointly apply with for funding to further, during a year, develop their innovation ideas.”
What is required to proceed to the next step?
“The projects need to collaborate with an American partner and provide a letter of intent to demonstrate a formal partnership. Vinnova finances only the Swedish participants, not the American side of the collaboration.”
How flexible is the collaboration process?
“The teams don’t need to work in the same place for all 12 months. Virtual collaboration or occasional travel is often sufficient. The key is that the American partner complements the Swedish team’s strengths, whether that’s technical expertise, customer insights, or innovation experience.”
Volvo Cars is a big and well-established company in the U.S. Why do they need funding from Vinnova to visit Silicon Valley?
“Sometimes even large companies benefit from the structure and support that Vinnova can offer. This funding is not just about money—it’s about providing a framework and facilitating opportunities for collaboration and innovation. While Volvo has substantial resources, being part of this program helps them connect with other participants and the broader ecosystem in a more focused way,” Jaensson says.
Besides the event at Ericsson and a meeting at Nordic Innovation House in Palo Alto, the participants will mainly set the agenda themselves for their two weeks in Silicon Valley.