Six hundred startups crowded into Stockholmsmässan Thursday morning – all with dreams of being the next Swedish “unicorn.” With concepts ranging across the tech spectrum, Sweden Demo Day 2019 attracted an estimated 3,000 investors, corporate-types and relevant stakeholders.
The Ecobloom team was out in full force, too. With our brown paper “booth” illustrating how aquaponics works, and the benefits of the EcoGarden™, we fielded a bunch of questions from various attendees.
The event is unique among start-up showcases, not just for its size and scope, but for its democratized approach to how the businesses present themselves. Traditional trade show-style booths and massive product displays are prohibited. Instead, exhibitors are provided a single piece of brown butcher-block paper (about 2 meters tall), to communicate their concept.
Our day got started with a panel discussion on the past, present and future of food tech. The micro-symposium, one of the many side events of Demo Day, presented the research findings into the state of the Swedish food and agricultural industry led by the Boston Consulting Group. Attendees walked away with an understanding of the massive market cap that the industry holds, as well as the incredible potential for food tech to solve both the hunger crisis and to mitigate climate change.
Then, it was back to the auditorium for more pitching, lots of investor meetings as well as tons of questions and intrigue at our booth.
All in all, it was an absolutely exhausting day, but completely energizing at the same time.
