– Building bridges through innovation
Swedish Mining Innovation traveled with a delegation of eight SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises ) to Canada in the hope of creating new relationships, opening up future business opportunities and deepening collaboration between the two countries. Among other things, the SMEs went on field trips, mingled and pitched their innovative ideas to potential customers and key people at various companies. The trip ended with a day in Toronto and Sweden Canada Innovation Day before heading back to Sweden.
Day 1 – Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
The day started at NORCAT and a presentation by business developer officers Scott Rennie and Elena Zabudskaya from the City of Greater Sudbury and a virtual presentation by Robin Kaushik from Ericsson. The group then went on a facility tour with simulation training, studio NORCAT, NORCAT advisory and NORCAT innovation program. What a great start!
Cambrian College was the next stop with a tour of local indigenous Centre & Programming. The college sets the bar high by providing a Wabnode Centre for Indigenous students which provides programs and spaces for the students to participate in spiritual and cultural activities among other things.
Ryan Land from KGHM International gave a moving but inspiring presentation on Canadian Indigenous initiatives and Marquis Martel presented Epiroc, its history and current status.
The presentations were followed by a tour and conversation on Vale Electric Vehicle Lab & Glencore Centre for Innovation at Cambrian College. The first day ended with a group dinner with Ambassador of Canada to Sweden, H.E Jason LaTorre.
Day 2 – Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
We started the morning at Laurentian University/Université Laurentienne and a meeting with Vale, who is one of the world’s largest integrated mining companies. The participating Swedish SMEs did a short company presentation and pitched their innovative ideas for Vale Procurement.
Next up was a stop at Hatch, a global company that provides engineering, consulting and project management for various sectors but one of them beeing in Metals & Minerals.
After a heavy downpour, the group headed to MIRARCO lab for a facility tour and a round table discussion on collaborations with Goodman School of Mines (GSM) and MIRARCO – Mining Innovation Rehabilitation and Applied Research Corporation.
🤝A ‘Sweden+Sudbury Reception’ at Vale Cavern, Science North, was the last activity on the Sudbury trip. Opening remarks by Michael Loken, P. Eng., Director of strategic services, Ontario Ministry of Mines, followed by mining innovation with Chamirai C. Nyabeze, VP of Business Development and Commercialization at CEMI (Centre for Excellency in Mining Innovation), Mikael Johansson Business Sweden, Lawrence Hooey Swedish Mining Innovation and Sussie Gylesjö from Swedish Metals & Minerals. Our SMEs then ran their pitches for the event participants. You guys are awesome!
Sweden Canada Innovation Day 2024, Toronto
Jason LaTorre, Ambassador of Canada to Sweden
Driving the Green Transition focusing on ▪️ Mining ▪️ Bio-Economy ▪️ AI
Jason LaTorre, Ambassador of Canada to Sweden, shares his insights on the growing trade relationship between Canada and Sweden, particularly in critical minerals and sustainable innovations.
He highlights the sharp increase in both trade and investment between our countries in recent years and how SMEs play a key role in shaping the mining industry of the future.
– We need to increase the supply of critical minerals to drive the green and digital transitions, but we need to do it in the right way, says LaTorre.
With collaborations like this, Canada and Sweden are ready to lead the global transition together. 🌱💡
“We can’t compete on price with authoritarian regimes – but we can on quality and high ESG standards.”
– Jason LaTorre, Ambassador of Canada to Sweden
LaTorre also highlights the importance of our Swedish SMEs that can offer interesting technologies that can help a mine operate in a way that’s more efficient, more productive, safer and more sustainable.
Thank you for the exciting and engaging pitches over these past days. It was a real pleasure to listen to you all and also to gain a deeper understanding of the importance of the work you do:
Emil Svanberg RockSigma, Edward Murray Greeniron H2 AB, Daniel Pacurar Boreal Orchards/re:moss, Matt Baida VAST Landscape Architecture, Martin Blaszczyk Flasheye , Lisa Karlsson & Neil Wathey Alvenius, Urban Wikman Algoryx, Lars Lindqvist Optimation .
Thank you to Artemida Bodounova and Mikael Johansson from Business Sweden for organizing the trip.
