Launch of the podcast Inställning till Omställning

Change is rarely limited by a lack of ideas or technology. More often, it is limited by our ability to work differently, collaborate across boundaries, and turn ambition into action.

Inställning till Omställning explores what it takes to create real transformation – in organisations, industries, and society. Through conversations with people working at the forefront of innovation and change, we examine the mindsets, collaborations, and decisions that help turn challenges into progress.

Hosted by Maria Olofsson, VP Ecosystem at Ignite Nordic, the new podcast is produced by Ignite Nordic and Uminova Innovation within the project Innovationspiloter för omställning.

The podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and Podplay.

The Story of a Collaboration

The first five episodes we launch today focus on a common question: what does it take for startups and municipalities to successfully create change together?

Together, these episodes tell the story behind Digitala Seniortorget (Digital Senior Center), a collaboration between a startup (Umigotech), a municipality (Umeå), and the innovation ecosystem supporting them (Uminova Innovation and Ignite Nordic). The result is a practical example of how new forms of collaboration can improve quality of life while creating scalable solutions for public sector challenges.


Episode 1: Why Are Some Better at Adapting Than Others?
In the opening episode, host Maria Olofsson introduces the question that inspired the podcast. Drawing on nearly 17 years in the innovation ecosystem, she reflects on why transformation often stalls despite the availability of technology and solutions. The episode introduces the concept of system innovation and the importance of shared goals across sectors.
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Episode 2: Opening Up a Municipality from Within
Ellen Grahn, Innovation Manager at the Municipality of Umeå, shares her experiences creating space for innovation inside a large public organization. The conversation explores shared leadership, curiosity as a workplace culture, and how municipalities can enable experimentation by working with startups rather than trying to solve every challenge internally.
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Episode 3: Asking the Right Questions
Camilla Jägerving Isaksson, Development Strategist at Umeå Municipality’s Elderly Care Administration, discusses how changing a single question can transform an entire organization’s direction. Instead of focusing on reducing care needs, her team began asking what older citizens need to live good and independent lives—and the results followed.
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Episode 4: The Human Side of Innovation
Richard Larsson from Uminova Innovation explores one of the biggest barriers to public-private innovation: people. While technology is rarely the problem, organizations built around stability often struggle to collaborate with startups built for speed and experimentation. The episode examines what both sides need to make collaboration work.
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Episode 5: Building Digital Infrastructure for Society
Researcher and entrepreneur Per Levén, founder of Umigotech, shares the story behind Digitala Seniortorget. He argues that municipalities need to take ownership of critical digital infrastructure in the same way they own roads and water systems. The conversation highlights the growing role of GovTech in enabling long-term societal transformation.
Listen here