In a sense, there are only winners among the nominees in the DigitalWell Award. But now five winners have been crowned among the 16 candidates who are highlighted for their contributions to the health society of the future.
The digital health and welfare services of the future depend on zealots, visionaries and entrepreneurs. The purpose of the DigitalWell Award is to highlight the forces behind these good examples.
In the nomination process, roughly 30 proposals were received, which were then narrowed down to four candidates in the four different categories. The campaign has had a big impact in DigitalWell Arena's channels, where well-deserved tributes met the finalists.
Tough work for the jury
Now the winners have been chosen. A tough job, think both Fia Mårdfelt, eHealth Arena, and Anne-Christine Hertz, Leap For Life, who sat on the jury.
- Appointing a final winner in each category was a challenge, so many good initiatives that also address important areas. All the nominees all show great drive, but not least great courage and perseverance. Something which is an important component for success and which we see that there is a lot of in all those who were nominated. A big congratulations to Värmland and Dalarna for many great initiatives and an extra big congratulations to the winners! says Fia Mårdfelt.
- Their drive is so important and gives us the opportunity to work with innovation work to be able to solve the challenges of the future, says Anne-Christine Hertz, who thinks the fact that three of the winners represent the public sector is a little extra fun:
- There are incredibly driven employees both in the regions and the municipalities. What is so nice is that they were given the opportunity to work in an innovative way and made it possible for the organization to open up to cooperation with business. It is important to have the opportunity to highlight them, which is why it is so nice to have an award like this.
Focus on young people's health
Initiatives for young people's health were also a theme. Zimify and Ineq Solutions shared a prize and both have digital services to reduce the exclusion of young people, and Christian Persman is the project manager for an investment in IoT technology for increased health in schools.
- What I think is so important about Christian's initiative is that it elevates IoT technology and meets the students where they are. It also fulfills two functions – it increases students' health skills, but also teachers' skills about IoT. The health of young people is such an incredibly important issue, not least during the pandemic when many have been sitting at home, says Anne-Christine Hertz.
Scholarship worth SEK 10,000
The winners were presented "live" in connection with DigitalWell Arena's partner meeting. Ingela Agnarsson, was awarded in the category "Innovation through Collaboration". She promised to use the scholarship of SEK 10,000 to lift Filipstad even more, where she is currently creating a new health arena together with DigitalWell Arena.
- I get a little moved, because I think it's natural for me that we should work like this, but it's great that more people pay attention to it and think it's good, said Ingela Agnarsson.
Here are all the winners and motivations
Innovation ability through collaboration
Winner: Ingela Agnarsson, Region Värmland
Justification: "To take steps towards the health society of the future requires committed and courageous employees and managers who show the way. Ingela has an ambition to develop the whole society through improved health. To do so, she invites collaboration with companies, academia and civil society. The courage to find new ways and do it together with business means that Ingela is a role model for many others. Alone is not strong. Ingela is proof of how a committed employee and manager can influence development in a large and complex business."
The participation of the individual
Winner: Marie Johansson, Karlstad municipality
Justification: "Being a bridge builder between the elderly and digital technology is really contributing to the health society of the future. Marie sends clear signals that we together need to increase the rate of innovation to strengthen the individual's own abilities. Meeting tomorrow's challenges with today's solutions is not an option. Marie and Karlstad municipality are leading the way and dare to both challenge themselves and other actors to contribute. It will lead to more services being developed that increase the individual's participation."
Data and digital technology
Winner: Christian Persman, Arvika municipality
Justification: "The health of children and young people is incredibly important for our future health society. As a school development leader, pushing to use data and digital technology to improve the health of our children and young people is an important social contribution. Christians and Arvika's municipality's decision to make the new upper secondary school available for innovation together with other actors is exactly what society needs to be able to take advantage of the opportunities with data and digital technology."
Service development and commercialization
Mostafa Ismail, Zimify
Justification: "Mostafa and Zimify address an important challenge in our future health society. Combining a big heart with entrepreneurship and drive is a success factor. Mostafa's business acumen not only enables Zimify to grow, but it enables many students to study and feel better, simply an important sustainability factor. How can the service be used by more target groups? We really look forward to following Mostafa's future entrepreneurial journey.”
Sara Lindahl and Sofi Finnstam, Ineq Solutions
Justification: "Sara and Sofi at Ineq solutions have addressed an important social need through their service. They have shown how important it is to understand needs and that it is possible to help many others as good school counselors. Sara and Sofi's ability to convert it into value-creating services with a high level of innovation is impressive. Taking help from expertise and benefiting from Innovationssupporten and DigitalWell Ventures shows insight and collaborative skills. With strong entrepreneurship and a fantastic drive, it is possible to succeed as an entrepreneur in Värmland. We look forward to following Sara and Sofi on your future journey.”
