Vinnova Critic Wins Award
Former Palo Alto entrepreneur Jens Nylander wins the prestigious “Årets Samhällsaktör” (Public Advocate of the Year) award for using AI to uncover waste, fraud, and inefficiencies in Sweden’s public finances, including a review of Vinnova’s payments.
Årets Samhällsaktör 2024, the award presented by Gullers Grupp and Dagens Industri to individuals and organizations working for the public good, was announced on Tuesday. Jens Nylander won the innovation category, one of three award categories alongside sustainability and leadership.
Nylander was recognized for his work with Ormeo, a groundbreaking AI database used to analyze invoices across municipalities and government agencies. Among the agencies he has scrutinized is Vinnova, Sweden's innovation agency, where he uncovered procurement irregularities. In one instance, a consultant, which is believed to have close ties to Vinnova’s Director General, Darja Isaksson, secured an 8.6 million SEK contract through manipulated processes, invoicing far more hours than originally agreed upon.
Nylander also exposed the possible misuse of Vinnova grants at universities. Public employees formed companies to redirect millions in funding into salaries and dividends. Some grants disappeared without a trace, while companies dissolved once the funding was exhausted.
From 2014 to 2022, Nylander led Automile in Palo Alto, a fast-growing startup specializing in real-time vehicle tracking to optimize routes, save fuel, and enhance safety. Automile quickly expanded across Europe and the United States. In 2020, the company was acquired by Norwegian telematics firm ABAX, leading to the relocation of its headquarters to Utah.
Nylander is also known for his earlier venture, Jens of Sweden, which produced MP3 players.
Nylander’s findings with Ormeo have sparked a national debate on transparency and accountability in Sweden’s public sector. They demonstrate how technology can expose inefficiencies and enhance oversight.
Jens Nylander has also been nominated for Sweden’s Grand Journalism Award, Stora Journalistpriset, which will be presented later this week.