Exploring and exploiting sustainable markets
Mikael for many years helped the ICA Retailers build their environmental profile, develop their own green brand, establish collaboration with the green movement on environmental labelling etc.
He helped the construction company Skanska understand the sustainable market transition and develop their green strategy as an integrated part ot their offer to customers. For the construction company JM he developed the environmental profile of a new city district including plans for establsihing an environmental science park and collaboration with universities.
Major sustainable city development projects
1994-1997 Mikael was head of environmental planning and responsible for the conception of Hammarby Waterfront, Sweden’s largest sustainable city development project, when Stockholm was bidding for the 2004 Olympic Games. The work included international campaigning, political negotiations, community consultation, writing the first environmental brief, working with the departments in the city to integrate environmental issues in the planning process, and establishing cooperation with the stakeholders and contractors to secure the high environmental ambitions for the 10.000+ dwellings project.
He was 1998-2000 head of environmental planning for the second largest sustainable city development project in Sweden, City of Tomorrow in the Western Harbour in Malmö, writing the environmental brief, establishing it with the contractors, securing 25 million Euro in public support for extra environmental investments.
Regional growth, innovation and green business
2003-2011 Mikael was the driving person behind the environmental business sector development programme and the cleantech export strategy for Skåne, the southernmost region in Sweden. The work also included following and influencing the policy development and initiatives on both regional and national level. He also restructured and expanded Sustainable Business Hub, the regional environmental technology network.
He was also the key person in setting up Sweden’s first specialized cleantech business incubator 2006-2007.
2012-2015 he coordinated the development and internationalisation of the pilot area smart sustainable cities in the new regional innovation strategy, of Region Skåne, including work within Baltic Sea Region, EU and Asia, analysing existing capabilities, stakeholders and needs, setting up collaboration structures on regional level and building partnerships.
The work included working with the EU funding systems, analysing opportunities for Swedish actors and positioning south Sweden to take part in both processes, programs and calls of relevance for smart sustainable cities, innovation and cleantech.
Smart city innovation
Mikael helped city of Malmö and city of Lund to set up, finance and develop Innovation platforms for smart sustainable cities – Future by Lund and Malmö Innovation Platform - multi stakeholder collaboration platforms for innovation, projects and investments. The work included developing a model for leading innovation on complex city challenges with need for collaboration among many stakeholders, building international partnerships with other regions and cities, as well as working with smart specialization and smart financing. Mikael also linked the local work to the regional, national and international level. He was at the board of both platforms during the first thre-year period of development.
Links here http://www.malmobusiness.com/innovationsarena ; http://futurebylund.se/
European Innovation Partnership on Smart Cities and Communities (EIP SCC)
During 2014-2016 he was expert within the EIP SCC Action cluster on Business Models, Financing and Procurement, doing strategic analysis, presentations and webinars. He looked into international best practice on local innovation collaboration for smart city innovation, as well as investment and business models for smart sustainable cities. His report on Local innovation ecosystems for smart cities is available here: https://eu-smartcities.eu/sites/all/files/Report%20on%20Local%20Innovation%20Ecosystems.pdf
Financing
In addition to the above Mikael has been coordinating many successful applications within national, Nordic and EU programs related to cleantech, sustainable cities and innovation.
