How Sweden can harness global foresight to shape the future

In a world of uncertainty and rapid change, strategic foresight is more than a tool – it’s a mindset. By learning from global experience, Sweden can anticipate challenges, drive innovation, and create sustainable solutions for generations to come.

Insights
Report

A report from Vinnova, Sweden’s innovation agency, highlights how businesses, researchers and public organisations can work proactively with future-oriented strategies. The insights show that foresight is not just about identifying trends – it is about building resilience and adaptability. International comparisons, especially with countries such as Singapore and the United Kingdom, demonstrate the importance of embedding foresight into governance to secure long-term outcomes and global competitiveness. Sweden has further potential to strengthen the institutional integration of strategic foresight. Without clear processes, efforts risk becoming fragmented and losing impact.

Key recommendations for Sweden

Build foresight capabilities: Invest in scenario planning, risk analysis, sustainability, and adaptive strategies to navigate future challenges.
Enable continuous dialogue: Create structures for ongoing collaboration where diverse perspectives shape a dynamic foresight process.
Institutionalize strategic processes: Ensure foresight is systematically integrated into decision-making, inspired by global best practices.
Embed future perspectives in policy: Implement processes that identify and integrate future scenarios into strategic decisions.
Strengthen public leadership: Enable public agencies to lead foresight initiatives, increasing ownership and relevance in research, innovation, and societal development.

By embracing these principles, Sweden can move from reactive to proactive – building strategies that not only address today’s challenges but also prepare for tomorrow’s opportunities. Together, we can create a shared understanding of risks and possibilities, ensuring space to grow for people, businesses, and society.

Listen to the AI-generated audio file for the report

Read the full report on strategic foresight

How Sweden can harness global foresight to shape the future