Marine Innovation Day has emerged as a central meeting place for marine technology innovation. It gathers visions, research, and practical solutions to drive development towards a more sustainable future in and by the sea.
Over the years, the day has offered inspiring lectures from international experts, panel discussions with industry leaders, and pitches where students and startups present their ideas. Together, a dynamic arena is created where new collaborations are born, networks are built, and the next generation of marine innovations take shape.
Marine Innovation Day offers something for everyone – whether you represent business, research, the public sector, or are a student. By participating, you gain inspiration, new contacts, and the opportunity to help shape future marine innovations.
Sharing insights and knowledge from the ecosystem.
Program Director, NATO DIANA at COVE
Matthew Clancey leads COVE's NATO DIANA Accelerator Program, supporting companies in developing dual-use technologies for civilian and defence markets. He connects innovators with key stakeholders, helping bring impactful ideas to end users. With experience as a Canadian Army officer and in the aerospace sector, Matt specializes in stakeholder engagement, project management, and strategic planning.
Business Development, Nordic Air Defence
Jens Holzapfel is a venture advisor for defence tech investments at Inflection, a first-check venture capital firm, and an angel investor in security companies. He is also the business director of Nordic Air Defence, a defence tech startup developing a novel solution to counter drones. Previously, Jens spent two decades in the Swedish defence and national security community, holding various managerial and specialist roles both in Sweden and overseas.
Director, METIP (Maritime Emerging Technologies Innovation Park Foundation)
Paul Verbruggen leads METIP, a hub for maritime and marine technology innovation. METIP supports startups and scale-ups with networking, funding, and growth guidance. The center focuses on autonomous shipping, drone deployment, sustainable maritime operations, and digitalization, collaborating closely with industry, research institutions, and the Royal Netherlands Navy.
CEO and founder, Nautrik AB
Nautrik is a company specializing in the design and development of autonomous maritime drones for both defense and civilian applications. Oscar has a background in electric boat manufacturing and battery factory development, he brings extensive experience from 14 years in Silicon Valley, California. Nautrik is a fast-growing defense-tech company, driving advancements in maritime autonomy and AI through high expertise and rapid iteration cycles.
CEO and founder, Polar Mist
Gustaf von Grothusen is CEO of Polar Mist, alumni of the engineering physics programme at LTH, proud marine. Polar Mist is taking an AI-first approach to maritime deterrence, fusing real life military know-how with modern AI-techniques, to build modern deterrence at low cost.
We got more interesting speakers coming up!
Vice Admiral (RO), Senior Military Advisor at Saab AB
The speaker for the day is Jan Thörnqvist, who has 44 years of experience in the Armed Forces. He has been a staff officer at the Armed Forces Headquarters, and his most recent positions in the Armed Forces were Force Commander in EUNAVFOR operation ATALANTA, Navy Chief, and Chief of Joint Operations. He is a member of the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences and the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences.
Chief of Naval Staff
The speaker for the day is Commander Håkan Nilsson, an experienced officer in the Swedish Navy with 39 years of experience in the Armed Forces. He currently serves as the Chief of Naval Staff and was previously the Naval Base Commander in Karlskrona.
Director and Head of Cable Monitoring Solutions at NKT
Senior Lecturer at Blekinge Institute of Technology
Bill is also a visiting professor at Osaka Institute of Technology in Japan and a lecturer at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland.
Bill has lived in Silicon Valley for a long time and is an actor in the global innovation ecosystem. Bill is the founder of Stanford Foresight.Bill holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University's Mechanical Engineering - Design Group, a Master's degree in Computer Science, and a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. He holds several patents and has written various publications.
Research Leader, MTC
The speaker for the day is Research Leader Oskar Frånberg at Marine Technology Center of Sweden and Associate Professor, Blekinge Institute of Technology.
Technical Director, Head of Materials and Facilities Supply Department, Swedish Coast Guard.
Until 2012, Henrik served in the Navy, after which he took up the position as head of the Armed Forces' Technical Office for Ships. Since 2016, he has been the department head focusing on materials and facilities supply – which means the entire lifecycle from concept development to decommissioning within material systems.
Chief Analyst Vinnova
Karl Hallding from Vinnova – where he primarily works with strategic environmental analysis today.
Marine Innovation Day 2025 once again brought together actors from business, academia, and the public sector to explore future marine innovations together.
The day offered inspiring speakers, engaging discussions, and the opportunity to forge new connections across industry boundaries.
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