7 May 08:30-20:30Epicenter Stockholm

MAY 07 2026 

Welcome to Immersive North.

Welcome to IMMERSIVE NORTH - a full-day convergence of research, industry, design, and experimentation at the frontier of Immersive Intelligence.

From the moment the doors open at 08:30, IMMERSIVE NORTH invites you into a living ecosystem of ideas and hands-on exploration. With live demonstration booths distributed across Epicenter, the Demo Arena runs throughout the day - a dynamic space for conversations, prototypes, and real-world applications. 

We begin by asking the defining question of our time: Why Immersive Intelligence - and why now? As AI reshapes how we think, and XR transforms how we perceive and interact, their convergence marks a fundamental shift in how we learn, work, heal, and build.

Welcome to the frontier - secure your spot today.

IMMERSIVE NORTH is powered by Immersive Sweden - an initiative by Wisdome, Epicenter, Visual Arena and Visual Sweden,  supported by Vinnova. Together, these partners are accelerating the development, deployment, and adoption of immersive technologies across Sweden and beyond.


Agenda

08:30

Arrival, registration, coffee

09:00

Opening remarks by Albert Bengtson

Why Immersive Intelligence and why do we need Immersive Sweden to do this

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Main Stage
09:10

Jacob Felländer - Step into the in-between

09:20

Anders Ynnerman - Beyond Human Intelligence


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Main Stage
09:40

Eva Essvik, GöteborgsOperan – From stage to virtual worlds

09:50

Rajib Eklund - The Next Layer of Connectivity

10:10

Maks Gordiano - Immersive Intelligence: The Convergenced Future

10:30

Break

Demo floor opens

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Main Stage
10:50

Alexandra Gerard, Co-founder of UnitedXR - Connecting Europe’s XR future


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Main Stage
11:10

Louise Paepe, RTC Antwerpen – Scaling immersive learning

11:30

Daniel Kemppi - VR as diversion through creativity and play in hospital settings

11:40

Annika Gustafson - Helsingborg - "Sh*t, I’m flying!"

11:50

Lunch

12:50

Emmelie Fågelstedt - Modda Sörmland - What Happens When 500 Teachers Go Immersive?

From onboarding to lifelong learning

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Main Stage
13:00

UNITY - Jack Strongitharm -- Where AI meets immersive industry

13:20

PICO - Rob Pereira - Immersive Intelligence Hardware

13:35

Roman Seling & Milo Hancock - Disguise - Where the Physical World Ends, Your Brand Begins

13:50

Break

Main Stage
14:10

Timmy Ghiurau, Midbrain.ai – Rewiring how we think

14:30

Jonas Kronander - Mobile XR enabled by cellular systems Ericsson Research

14:40

Panel: Ylva, Pontus, John, Tomas, Ebbe, Mikael

15:00

Break

15:20

Leigh Sachwitz - The Storytelling Company - As tools get more powerful, what we do with them matters more.

15:40

Janne Elvelid, Meta - When AI moves closer to us

16:00

Niclas Johansson - From prediction to perception

16:10

Sofie Marin & Ami Malmros - Where Art Becomes a System

16:25

Petra Dalunde, Mimers AI Factory - Shaping the Conditions for Trusted AI

16:35

Wrap-up by Maks Gordiano

16:55

Closing remarks by Albert Bengtson

17:30

Afterparty

Join us at and hotel.

Located at Apelbergsgatan 40, just steps from Hötorget.

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Annika Gustafson / The Power of VR Beyond Entertainment
XR Strategist for the City of Helsingborg

Annika Gustafson is a leading expert in XR and immersive storytelling, currently serving as XR Strategist for the City of Helsingborg. Previously, as Co-Director of the international conference VR in Mental Health (www.vrinmentalhealth.com) she helped establish a global platform for dialogue between mental health professionals, researchers, and XR innovators. She has led the groundbreaking research project The Whole Child, The Whole Day, exploring VR’s calming impact on children and youth with learning disabilities. And as executive director of BoostHbg, she spearheaded the Nordic countries' most innovative transmedia and VR incubator. She’s currently consulting RISE, Sweden’s state-owned research institute for applied science and innovation, on developing the first judicial and ethical guidelines for VR in Sweden.

Annika will join us at Immersive North for,

"Sh*t, I’m flying!" – The Power of VR Beyond Entertainment explores how virtual reality is transforming the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. Through real stories and powerful experiences, this talk highlights how VR is more than just a game – it’s a tool for relaxation, joy, and physical engagement. You’ll discover how cutting-edge technology can break barriers, empower individuals, and create moments of pure freedom. Whether you’re a developer, innovator, or simply curious about the future of immersive tech, this session will change the way you think about VR’s potential.

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Eva Essvik
Chief of Partnerships and Digital Innovation, GöteborgsOperan AB

At Immersive North, we explore how culture and technology come together to create new ways of experiencing the arts.

Eva Essvik has been driving that transformation for over 15 years.

Working at the intersection of culture, innovation and digital development, she has led initiatives that expand how audiences engage with performance. At the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, she helped bring a 109-piece orchestra to a global audience through GSOplay — reaching millions and building an international community through digital live experiences.

Because access changes engagement.

By opening up performances through free digital formats, new audiences were invited to explore culture on their own terms — at their own pace.

At GöteborgsOperan, Eva has led the journey from idea to the world’s first virtual opera house — Operaverse. Blending immersive technology with a rich cultural heritage, Operaverse has reached over 6 million views and continues to evolve across VR and mobile platforms.

The ambition is clear: To create interactive, immersive experiences that spark curiosity and lower the threshold for new audiences — especially younger generations.

This is where tradition meets transformation.

On stage, Eva shares insights from building immersive cultural experiences at scale: How do we translate heritage into new formats? How do we attract and engage the next generation of audiences? And what does it take to turn experimentation into long-term innovation?

Because the future of culture isn’t just preserved.

It’s reimagined.

 

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Roman Seling / Where the Physical World Ends, Your Brand Begins
GTM, Disguise Cloud & Nordics

Roman Seling has spent his career at Disguise Technologies at the sharp end of immersive technology — leading Disguise’s cloud platform, opening up the Nordics market, and now leading end-user platform adoption across Europe.

He's seen what happens when cutting-edge technology meets the real world. His focus isn't the flashy demo; it's the commercial viability of immersive technology within organizations.

At Immersive North, Roman will explore the convergence of the digital and physical worlds — and the extraordinary opportunities that open up for companies bold enough to close that gap.

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Jonas Kronander // Mobile XR enabled by cellular systems
Senior Research Manager, Ericsson

Dr. Jonas Kronander has been with Ericsson Research since 2007. He is currently a Senior Research Manager in the research area Networks and he is managing a section focusing on radio networks for machine-type communication. He has been engaged in the research leading up to 5G and 6G. His current research interests include extended reality (XR) and its impact on radio networks. Jonas Kronander holds an M.Sc. in Engineering Physics and a Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics from Uppsala University, Sweden.

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Fredrik Häggblom / Decision-making in the age of complexity
Growth Strategist & CEO, Pitch Perfect

I’m a Growth Strategist & CEO at Pitch Perfect, helping companies turn sales strategy into predictable revenue growth.

I work where sales strategy, customer behavior, and sales leadership meet, because that’s where real growth is created.

With over two decades of experience building and leading high-performing sales teams, I’ve worked across B2B and consumer sales, partnering with brands like Apple, Electrolux, and Fjällräven. 

At Immersive North, Fredrik will take the stage to unfold decision-making in the age of complexity

As technology reshapes how we access information, collaborate and manage risk, decision-making in complex organisational environments is undergoing a profound transformation.

This session explores how the evolution of the B2B-decision journey reflects deeper shifts in how organisations build trust, distribute responsibility and make sense of uncertainty.

By connecting these changes to the rise of AI, immersive technologies and increasingly complex decision ecosystems, participants will gain practical perspectives on how to rethink processes, build new capabilities and design more relevant ways of engaging and creating value.

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Emelie Fågelstedt / XR at Scale: What Happens When 500 Teachers Go Immersive?
Senior strategist and founder

At Immersive North, we explore what happens when immersive technology moves beyond experiments — and into everyday practice.

Emelie Fågelstedt brings exactly that perspective.

Through Modda Sörmland, an initiative by Region Sörmland, she is part of a large-scale effort to equip 500 primary school teachers with VR headsets — and the skills to use them in the classroom. The goal is not just to introduce new tools, but to reshape how children engage with learning, technology and their own future.

Because scale changes everything.

What happens when immersive learning is no longer a pilot — but part of the system? How do teachers adapt, and what actually sticks in the classroom? And how can XR help open new pathways into STEM for the next generation?

Built as a cross-sector collaboration between municipalities, regional businesses and after-school STEM initiatives, Modda Sörmland is creating a shared effort to expand both access and imagination.

This is where immersive learning becomes a catalyst.

Not just for education — but for future opportunity.

On stage, Emelie shares insights from implementing XR at scale: What works, what doesn’t, and what it takes to turn ambition into lasting impact.

Because when 500 teachers go immersive — it’s not just classrooms that change.

It’s how a generation sees what’s possible.

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Daniel Kemppi / VR as diversion through creativity and play in hospital settings
VR educator & operations manager at AktiVRa non-profit association

At Immersive North, we explore how immersive technology can change not just how we work and learn — but how we feel.

Daniel Kemppi brings that into one of the most human contexts of all: pediatric healthcare.

As the founder of AktiVRa, Daniel is a pioneer in using virtual reality to support children in hospitals. His work transforms clinical environments into spaces for creativity, play and exploration — offering moments of relief during treatments and long hospital stays.

Because sometimes, the most powerful use of technology is not efficiency.

It’s escape. It’s imagination. It’s emotional support.

With a background in healthcare and a deep curiosity for technology, Daniel works where innovation meets empathy. His approach is grounded in a simple but profound idea: when children are given the chance to create and play, even a hospital room can become a place of wonder.

This is where immersive technology becomes truly meaningful.

Not as spectacle — but as care.

On stage, Daniel shares how VR can be used as a tool for diversion through creativity and play: How do we design experiences that support emotional wellbeing? What role can immersion play in reducing fear, stress and pain? And how do we bring humanity into highly clinical environments?

Because the future of immersive tech isn’t just about new realities.

It’s about making the ones we’re in more human.

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Sofie Marin
CEO & Founder, Arts Dynamics

At Immersive North, we explore how creativity doesn’t just express ideas — it shapes how we think, act and evolve.

Sofie Marin works exactly in that space.

Through Arts Dynamics, she operates at the intersection of artistic practice, human development and complex systems. Her work explores how artistic processes can be used not only to create experiences, but to unlock new ways of understanding, collaborating and navigating change.

Because art is not just output.

It’s method. It’s structure. It’s a way of sensing the world.

Sofie brings a perspective where creativity becomes a tool for transformation — helping individuals and organisations engage with uncertainty, expand perception and build new capabilities in times of rapid change.

Joining this perspective, Ami Malmros from Riksteatern will share their view from the stage — bringing insights from one of Sweden’s leading performing arts institutions on how immersive and artistic practices are evolving in a broader cultural context.

This is where immersiv intelligens takes form.

Not as technology alone, but as a human capacity — shaped through experience, reflection and interaction.

On stage, Sofie invites us to reconsider the role of art: What if artistic processes could help us navigate complexity? How can we use creativity to build deeper understanding and stronger collaboration? And what happens when we treat art not as something we consume — but something we actively use?

Because the future isn’t just built with technology.

It’s shaped through how we experience, interpret and create meaning.

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Maks Giordano // Immersive Intelligence: The Convergence Architecture Reshaping Industry, Health, and Learning

A new category of intelligence is emerging at the intersection of AI and immersive technologies. Not artificial intelligence alone, not extended reality alone, but something fundamentally different: Immersive Intelligence, a convergence that changes how knowledge is created, how skills are transferred, and how complex systems are understood. This opening keynote maps the forces behind this shift, from the collapse of the screen as primary interface to the rise of spatial reasoning and embodied cognition as design principles. Drawing on cross-industry perspectives from healthcare, manufacturing, education, and scientific research, the talk establishes a shared conceptual framework for the day ahead. What happens when machines not only think but also see, sense, and situate? And what does this mean for the organizations, researchers, and builders shaping what comes next?

Maks Giordano began his career in the mid-1990s at ID Media AG, working on globally recognized digital projects such as the launch of the Volkswagen New Beetle and the award-winning online debut of Wallpaper magazine. Early on, he helped build Cycosmos—one of the first social networks and avatar-based communities—anticipating today’s XR and Metaverse landscape decades in advance.

In 2000, he joined MetaDesign AG’s management board, leading digital and early mobile initiatives across Europe. He quickly became an evangelist for emerging interfaces and platforms, working with major publishers, telecoms, and technology companies at a time when mobile and immersive experiences were just beginning to take shape.

As co-founder of Iconmobile Group in 2003, he helped scale one of the first global mobile-focused agencies, developing early mobile advertising technologies and working with brands like Microsoft, BMW, and Yahoo. After its acquisition by WPP, he led innovation, mobile, and gaming at ProSiebenSat.1 Digital, launching early app ecosystems and exploring new forms of interactive media and user engagement.

In 2009, at Kyte in San Francisco, he led European operations for a live-streaming platform backed by Disney and NTT DoCoMo, developing interactive video formats for companies like CNN and MTV, and collaborating with global artists—pushing early forms of participatory, immersive media.

Since founding juuman’okudo in 2010, Giordano has focused on helping organizations navigate digital transformation, with a strong emphasis on immersive technologies, new interfaces, and innovation ecosystems. He works with leading companies such as Lufthansa, Deutsche Telekom, BMW, and UEFA, building innovation labs, ventures, and capabilities that increasingly converge AI with XR.

Alongside his advisory work, he teaches innovation and entrepreneurship, mentors startups, and contributes to shaping the next generation of immersive and experiential technologies.

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Anders Ynnerman // Beyond human capability

Anders Ynnerman is Professor of Scientific Visualization at Linköping University and serves as Director of Strategic Research at the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and Chairman of Sferical AI. He´s also the Director of Visualization Center C in Norrköping and WISDOME – Wallenberg Immersive Science Communication Domes.His research explores how scientific visualization, immersive technologies, and artificial intelligence can work together to help humans understand and interact with complex data. By combining advanced visualization with AI-driven analysis, his work aims to extend human perception, insight, and decision-making beyond natural cognitive limits. Anders will present the keynote “Beyond Human Capability,” exploring how the convergence of AI and immersive visualization is expanding how we perceive, explore, and understand complex information.

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Leigh Sachwitz

She arrived in Berlin in 1993 with an architectural diploma from Glasgow School of Art and no plan beyond the city itself. Post-wall Berlin had that effect. Spaces that weren't spaces yet. Rooms that became clubs that became something harder to name.

She started designing them: makeshift bars, art spaces, light and projection installations, all by night, while working in an architectural office by day. Sound followed. Then video. Then the realization that what she was actually building wasn't spaces at all. It was experiences.

In 2005, she founded flora&faunavisions in Berlin. An interdisciplinary design label, internationally recognized and multiply awarded, that has spent two decades asking the same question across every project and every medium: what does it feel like when this truly lands?

The answer looks different every time. The Ring Cycle, a 16-hour digital kinetic opera for Opera Australia. Immersive experiences for the German Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025. Vikings: The Immersive Experience, currently running at Dock X London, traveling to Vienna in September. Becoming Marilyn Monroe, a world premiere immersive exhibition that opened in Zurich in March 2026 and runs through July.

In 2025, flora&faunavisions joined The Storytelling Company. In February 2026, the group completed its transition under one brand: 180+ people across five cities, four disciplines, one name. The "Designed by flora&faunavisions" credit lives on within TSC's Originals discipline — the place where the company builds worlds that travel: original IPs, licensable experiences, stories made to move audiences globally. Leigh serves as Chief Strategy Officer, shaping how the worlds get built — all of them.

Leigh Sachwitz will join us at Immersive North for Emotions & Tech, a question Leigh has been living with for thirty years, long before the technology caught up. As the tools get more powerful, the stakes around what we actually do with them get higher. This session sits at that intersection: what it takes to move someone, and what gets lost when we forget to ask.

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Jacob Felländer // Step into the in-between

At Immersive North, we explore new ways of seeing, understanding and experiencing the world.

Jacob Felländer invites you into one of them.

His work moves beyond the limits of traditional photography. Cities blur, lights stretch, and moments merge into one another — creating images that feel less like documentation and more like journeys. Each piece holds multiple layers of time and space, woven together into a single visual experience.

At the core of his practice lies a simple but powerful idea: emotion through immersion. Jacob creates experiences that go beyond the visual — engaging multiple senses to shift how we feel, not just what we see. In his exhibitions, image, space, light and presence come together to form environments you step into, rather than observe from a distance.

This is where perception becomes experience.

Alongside his artistic work, Jacob operates at the intersection of art, research and future capabilities. He lectures at Harvard and the Stockholm School of Economics (SSE), and runs a research lab that uses artistic processes to help organisations develop human capabilities in the age of AI.

His work doesn’t just explore new realities — it equips us to navigate them.

In a time defined by complexity, acceleration and constant input, Jacob offers something else. A way to engage with the world through depth, sensation and perspective. Not by reducing complexity, but by expanding our capacity to experience it.

So take a moment.

Let your senses adjust.

Let time stretch.

And step into an image that doesn’t just show a world —

but lets you feel it.

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Timmy Ghiurau // Rewiring how we think
Midbrain.ai

At Immersive North, we explore not only new technologies — but new ways of thinking.

Timmy Ghiurau is working at exactly that intersection.

As part of Midbrain.ai, Timmy operates where neuroscience, AI and human cognition meet. His work focuses on understanding how we process information, make decisions and interact with increasingly intelligent systems — and what that means for how we design the future.

Because the real challenge isn’t just building smarter technology.

It’s developing humans who can think, adapt and act within it.

Timmy brings a perspective grounded in how the brain actually works — how attention is shaped, how cognitive load affects decisions, and how we can design systems that align with, rather than fight against, human perception and behaviour.

This is where complexity becomes tangible.

Instead of adding more layers, his approach is about clarity. About reducing friction between human and machine. About creating conditions where insight, not overload, can emerge.

In a world defined by constant input and accelerating change, understanding cognition is no longer optional — it’s foundational.

On stage, expect a talk that challenges assumptions, sharpens awareness, and opens up new ways of thinking about intelligence — both artificial and human.

Because the future isn’t just about smarter systems.

It’s about sharper minds.

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Janne Elvelid // When AI moves closer to us
Meta

At Immersive North, we explore how technology is no longer something we use - but something we live with. Janne Elvelid brings a front-row perspective on that shift.

Leading policy work for Meta in Sweden and Finland, Janne has spent his career navigating the intersection of technology, society and transformation. Across roles spanning public sector, academia and industry, his focus has remained the same: how digital systems reshape how we live, decide and connect.

Now, that transformation is becoming more personal than ever.

As AI moves into wearables — from glasses to always-on interfaces — the boundary between human and technology begins to blur. What happens when intelligence is no longer in our pockets, but integrated into how we see, hear and experience the world?

This is not just a technological shift.

It’s a societal one.

Janne explores what the future of AI wearables means in practice — from everyday interaction to questions of trust, privacy and human agency. How do we design systems that are not only powerful, but responsible? And how do we ensure that as technology gets closer to us, it still works for us?

Because as AI becomes more embedded in our lives, the real question isn’t what it can do.

It’s how we choose to live with it.

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Dr. Ylva Hansdotter // From hype to real use

At Immersive North, we don’t just explore what’s possible.

We ask what actually works.

Dr. Ylva Hansdotter has spent decades at the forefront of XR — from launching one of the world’s first VR app stores at HTC Vive in Silicon Valley to advising the European Commission on immersive technologies. Today, as co-founder of Flowtropolis and CADcog, she focuses on making industrial XR and 3D workflows scalable, accessible and truly usable.

Because the challenge isn’t innovation.

It’s adoption.

Despite years of promise, XR is still often stuck in pilots and proof-of-concepts. Ylva tackles that gap head-on, bringing a deep understanding of both technology and the realities of implementation inside organisations.

This is where things get real.

On stage, she challenges the field with two critical questions:

Why has XR seen so much talk — but so little large-scale deployment in industry?

And what is the true killer use case that will drive real adoption?

With over 25 years of experience leading innovation and international teams, Ylva brings a no-nonsense perspective on what it takes to move from experimentation to infrastructure.

Because XR won’t scale because it’s impressive.

It will scale when it becomes indispensable.

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Tomas Bendz // From experimentation to impact

At Immersive North, we explore how emerging technologies move from promise to practice.

Tomas Bendz brings a perspective grounded in making that shift happen.

As a strategic advisor, he works with organisations to drive growth through innovation and technology — helping them navigate digital transformation, identify new opportunities and turn emerging capabilities into real competitive advantage.

Because the challenge isn’t seeing the future.

It’s building it.

With deep experience in visualisation and immersive technologies, Tomas focuses on how XR evolves in real-world contexts — from virtual prototyping to immersive training, and into the still-unfolding space of digital collaboration.

In high-risk industries, this is already tangible. Teams can train complex scenarios in simulated environments — reducing costs, improving safety and enabling better decisions before they happen in reality.

But technology alone doesn’t create impact.

Execution does.

Tomas bridges the gap between visionary ideas and practical implementation — bringing a mindset rooted in curiosity, experimentation and continuous learning. Because it’s through testing, failing and iterating that XR moves beyond pilots and into real use.

At the same time, larger structures are taking shape. Through XR Sweden, a national initiative supported by Vinnova, efforts are underway to connect actors and build a stronger, more aligned ecosystem.

This is where XR starts to scale.

On stage, Tomas explores:

Why XR has yet to fully break through in many organisations

Where it already creates undeniable value

And what it takes to turn immersive technology into sustainable business advantage

Because XR won’t succeed because it’s new.

It will succeed when it works.

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John Nilsson // From workplaces to virtual worlds
TechSeed

At Immersive North, we explore how organisations themselves are being reshaped.

John Nilsson is not just observing that shift — he’s actively building it.

Through his work at TechSeed, he explores how XR is transforming how organisations operate — from how teams collaborate and make decisions, to how knowledge is shared and applied across complex environments.

Because the workplace is no longer a place.

It’s an experience.

As immersive technologies mature, they move beyond demos and into real use.

They allow teams to step into shared environments that mirror reality — enabling new ways to align, train and act together, regardless of physical location.

This is not just about learning faster.

It’s about organisations becoming more adaptive, more aligned, and more capable of operating in complexity.

But this shift is not just technological.

It’s structural.

John brings a perspective from building real-world XR solutions — where immersive environments are used to support operations, decision-making and collaboration across distributed teams.

What happens when organisations are no longer limited by physical space?

And what does it take to build systems that people don’t just use — but intuitively understand?

On stage, he will show:

– How XR is reshaping how organisations collaborate and operate

– What becomes possible when solutions become experience-based

– And what it takes to scale this beyond pilots and isolated initiatives

Because the future of work won’t just be digital.

It will be experienced.

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Mikael Spuhl // Making complexity visible

Mikael Spuhl is the founder and CEO of 3D Interactive Sthlm, a Swedish XR studio with over 15 years of experience in the field and hundreds of delivered immersive projects across industries, including real estate, defence, retail, automotive, and cultural institutions.

His work is built around a simple idea: complexity doesn’t disappear — it needs to be made visible.

Through interactive 3D and what he describes as the Spatial Web, Mikael helps organisations turn abstract data, systems and processes into intuitive, spatial experiences. The result is improved understanding, clearer communication, and better decision-making in environments where traditional interfaces fall short.

Beyond commercial projects, Mikael and his team are actively engaged in European innovation initiatives focused on shaping the infrastructure for Web 4.0 and Virtual Worlds — contributing to the development of more open, interoperable, and scalable digital ecosystems.

At the same time, he is contributing to the future of physical-digital infrastructure. As an innovation leader within Campus 2030 at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and through the Vinnova-funded project “Platsförståelse – Öppen referensarkitektur för platsbaserat och säkert lärande i XR”, he is working on a new generation of spatial infrastructure for context-aware learning and collaboration.

The project addresses a critical gap in today’s XR landscape: the lack of secure, interoperable, and locally deployable systems capable of creating a shared spatial understanding between users and devices. By developing an open reference architecture built on standards such as WebXR, OpenXR and USD, the initiative enables real-time spatial synchronisation, persistent place-based information, and AI-driven interaction — all while meeting strict requirements for data sovereignty, security, and GDPR compliance. The work is carried out in collaboration with industrial partners such as SSAB, Linde Group and Scania, targeting high-impact use cases in industry, education, and the public sector.

A core belief underpinning his work is that XR must become more accessible. Creating, distributing, and experiencing immersive content should not be complex or fragmented. This is the foundation for Spatial Suite — a platform developed by 3D Interactive Sthlm that combines XR and AI into a clear and intuitive system, lowering barriers and enabling broader adoption of spatial technologies.

Mikael is also an active voice in the broader tech ecosystem, contributing to discussions on digitalisation, standards, and platform development, including within initiatives such as IoT Sweden. His work consistently addresses a central question: how do we build systems that not only work — but work together?

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Pontus Jakobsson // From vision to real-world systems

At Immersive North, we explore how ideas become products — and how products create real value.

Pontus Jakobsson works at that exact intersection.

With a background spanning 3D technology, XR, simulation, and business development, his focus has always been the same: turning emerging possibilities into solutions that matter. From early work in real-time 3D and visualization to leading complex partnerships and international projects, Pontus brings both technical depth and commercial clarity.

Because innovation only counts when it delivers value.

As co-founder of Locka, a leading 3D visualization studio for urban planning and real estate, he helped shape how complex environments can be understood through high-end visuals and interactive applications. Today, through his work with Hypr10, he is focused on the next phase — developing XR solutions for training, simulation, and decision-making in industries where precision and performance are critical.

This is where immersive technology becomes operational.

Not as a concept — but as a capability.

With experience across defense, automotive, and infrastructure, Pontus works with end-to-end XR systems — from early feasibility and architecture to implementation and integration. His approach bridges strategy, technology, and execution, ensuring that solutions don’t just look good — they work in real-world conditions.

On stage, Pontus explores:

How to turn XR from potential into a product

What it takes to build scalable solutions in complex industries

And how immersive technologies can drive real customer value across sectors

Because the future isn’t built on ideas alone.

It’s built on making them work.

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Louise Paepe // Scaling immersive learning
RTC Antwerpen

At Immersive North, we explore how immersive technologies move from vision to real-world impact.

Louise Paepe is making that shift happen at scale.

As XR Coordinator at RTC Antwerpen, she plays a key role in one of Europe’s most ambitious initiatives for immersive learning. Through the XR Action Plan in Flanders, more than 690 vocational and technical schools are given free access to XR hardware and software — opening up entirely new ways to teach, learn and train.

But access alone isn’t enough.

Louise works hands-on to make XR usable in practice — curating content, supporting educators, and ensuring that immersive tools actually enhance learning outcomes. From building a shared software library to training teachers across the region, her work turns potential into everyday capability.

This is where immersive learning becomes systemic.

Not as isolated experiments, but as infrastructure for education.

On stage, Louise brings insights from implementing XR at scale: How do we move from pilots to widespread adoption in education? What makes immersive learning truly effective in the classroom? And what does it take to support teachers in this transformation?

Because the future of learning isn’t just digital.

It’s experiential.

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Fansu Njie
Director

Fansu Njie is an award-winning director known for his visually striking storytelling and ability to move seamlessly between formats, genres and technologies.

His work spans film, television and commercial productions, where he consistently explores new ways of engaging audiences through narrative, emotion and visual language. With a strong cinematic voice and a curiosity for emerging formats, Fansu has become a key figure in the evolving landscape of immersive and spatial storytelling.

At the core of his work is a drive to push boundaries — not just in how stories are told, but in how they are experienced.

At Immersive North, he joins Andreas Krona to explore the latest developments in immersive movie production, sharing insights from both creative practice and the frontlines of a rapidly changing industry.

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Andreas Krona
Ogon

Andreas Krona is the CEO of Ogon, a company bringing spatial experiences to the mass market through standard displays and existing distribution platforms.

With over 25 years in the immersive field, he has been at the forefront of major industry shifts — including the 3D wave around 2010, where his work reached more than 170 million people worldwide. Highlights include Super Bowl halftime commercials and collaborations with Time Inc.

Blending creative vision with commercial strategy and deep technical expertise, Andreas offers a rare end-to-end perspective on spatial storytelling.

At Immersive North, he joins director Fansu Njie for a session exploring the latest in immersive movie production.

From Netflix Top 10 to Next-Generation Storytelling: Why Fansu Njie Is Investing in Immersive Production

Fansu Njie has established himself as a globally recognized director, with productions reaching Netflix Top 3 in the UK and Top 10 in the US. He is now taking the next strategic step—developing his upcoming project as a fully immersive experience.

By integrating AI and spatial technologies from the outset, the ambition is clear: to deliver a Hollywood-grade cinematic experience while fundamentally redefining production economics.

In this session, Fansu Njie together with his immersive technology partner Andreas Krona (Ogon) will provide an inside perspective on how immersive technologies are reshaping not only storytelling—but also cost structures, workflows, and commercial models.

While the case is grounded in film, the implications extend far beyond media. The principles explored are directly applicable to any organization looking to leverage immersive and AI-driven capabilities to create differentiated customer experiences and new business opportunities.

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Ebbe Sundberg // From pilots to real impact
Gleechi

At Immersive North, we go beyond experimentation — into what actually works.

Ebbe Sundberg, from Gleechi, operates at the intersection of immersive technology and real-world application. His focus is clear: turning XR from something impressive into something effective.

Because immersion alone isn’t enough.

Ebbe challenges us to look deeper: What is it that actually makes XR training effective — not just immersive? And when does XR move from a pilot project to becoming mission-critical infrastructure?

These are the questions shaping the next phase of the field.

With experience in building and implementing XR solutions, Ebbe brings a grounded perspective on what it takes to create real value — where learning sticks, performance improves, and organisations move beyond experimentation into adoption.

This is where immersive intelligence becomes tangible.

Not as a concept, but as a capability.

On stage, expect insights that cut through the hype and focus on what truly drives impact — from design principles to organisational readiness.

Because the future of XR won’t be defined by how impressive it looks.

But by how well it works.

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Alexandra Gérard // Connecting Europe's XR future
UnitedXR

At Immersive North, we explore not just technologies — but the ecosystems that make them thrive.

Alexandra Gérard is building one of them.

As Co-Founder and Co-Director of UnitedXR, a new international XR event in Brussels, she is helping shape a shared platform for Europe’s immersive landscape. Launched as a collaboration between Stereopsia and AWE, UnitedXR builds on years of experience at the forefront of the field — bringing together communities, industries and ideas across borders.

With over 15 years in event production, strategy and stakeholder engagement, Alexandra works where vision meets execution. From large-scale initiatives to policy discussions, her work focuses on strengthening connections — between people, organisations and opportunities.

Because the future of XR in Europe won’t be built in isolation.

It will be built through collaboration.

As a board member of XR4Europe, she also contributes to shaping the broader ecosystem — from policy and funding to long-term development of the field.

On stage, Alexandra brings a European perspective on what comes next:

How do we connect fragmented initiatives into something stronger?

Where are the real opportunities for collaboration?

And what does it take to build a thriving XR ecosystem across cultures, industries and nations?

Because the next step isn’t just innovation.

It’s coordination.

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Kristin Nenzen // Making cities understandable

At Immersive North, we explore how complex systems can become something we can see, feel and act on.

Kristin Nenzen brings that into the fabric of our cities.

Through her work with, Anton Gustafsson at RISE and Visual Sweden, she is part of developing digital twins of urban environments — not just as technical models, but as tools for understanding social sustainability. From early research in Linköping to ongoing projects in Skäggetorp, her work focuses on a critical question:

How do we experience a socially sustainable city?

Because data alone doesn’t create insight.

It needs to be experienced.

By combining visualization, simulation and cross-sector collaboration, these initiatives create new ways for stakeholders — from planners to citizens — to explore scenarios, test decisions and better understand the impact of urban development over time.

We explore how digital twins of neighborhoods, districts, and cities can help societal actors see, feel, and show how their work on social and economic sustainability connects, can be strengthened and create value.

This is where digital twins become more than infrastructure.

They become shared understanding.

This value is created in people’s everyday lives, in how organizations interact and perform, and in how places develop over time.

At the same time, we explore how this can open up new ways to engage residents through dialogue and participation.

At the core lies an innovation idea: Data-driven collaboration for social sustainability — connecting planning, decision-making and long-term management into one continuous process.

On stage, Kristin brings insights from working at the intersection of technology, society and urban development: How can we visualize the invisible dynamics of a city? What does it take to move from data to collective understanding? And how can immersive tools support more inclusive and sustainable decision-making?

Because the future of cities isn’t just built.

It’s experienced — together.

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Albert Bengtson
XR Captain at Epicenter

At Immersive North, we explore how new capabilities don’t just emerge — they are built.

Albert Bengtson is helping lay that foundation in Sweden.

As co-founder of Immersive Sweden, his focus is clear: to support the birth of a national ecosystem for immersive intelligence. Bringing together industry, public sector and innovation actors, his work is about creating the conditions where immersive technologies can move from isolated initiatives to collective capability.

Because ecosystems don’t happen by accident.

They are designed.

Connected.

Activated.

With a background from Apple, CGI and years of driving business innovation, Albert combines strategic thinking with practical execution. As co-author of Principles of Intrapreneurial Capital, he brings frameworks for how organisations can turn ideas into action — and innovation into real, scalable value.

This is where immersiv intelligens becomes national infrastructure.

Not just something explored — but something enabled.

On stage, Albert shares a systems-level perspective:

What does it take to build an ecosystem around immersive intelligence?

How do we move from fragmented efforts to shared momentum?

And how can Sweden position itself at the forefront of this shift?

Because the future isn’t just created by technology.

It’s created by those who bring people, ideas and action together.

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Jack Strongitharm // Where AI meets immersive industry
Unity

At Immersive North, we explore how technologies converge to create entirely new capabilities.

Jack Strongitharm brings that convergence into focus.

At Unity, he works at the intersection of AI and immersive technology — a space that is rapidly reshaping industries far beyond gaming. From manufacturing and healthcare to architecture and training, the way we build and experience digital environments is being fundamentally transformed.

Because it’s not just about creating immersive experiences anymore.

It’s about making them intelligent.

AI is changing both sides of the equation — accelerating how experiences are created, while also making them adaptive, responsive and context-aware once deployed. This shift enables entirely new kinds of applications, where systems learn, evolve and interact with users in real time.

This is where immersive technology becomes dynamic.

On stage, Jack explores how Unity is enabling this shift:

From rapid prototyping with Unity tools

To seamless integration of CAD and BIM workflows

To deploying across today’s devices — and the platforms of tomorrow

The result is a new generation of applications that transform how we work, learn and innovate.

Because the future isn’t just immersive.

It’s intelligent.

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Niclas Johansson // From prediction to perception

At Immersive North, we explore where technological breakthroughs meet unsolved problems.

Niclas Johansson goes straight to one of them.

After more than a decade mapping Sweden’s immersive landscape — co-founding Immersivt.se and teaching strategy at Futuregames — Niclas now focuses on a shift happening beneath the surface of AI.

Because the challenge is no longer just prediction.

It’s rendering.

Despite billions invested in world models, today’s AI systems can simulate physics and generate 3D environments — yet still struggle to deliver the right knowledge, to the right agent, at the right time.

This is where things break down.

And where XR already holds answers.

Long before AI, the XR industry solved similar constraints through techniques like level of detail, frustum culling, scene graphs and frame budgeting — all designed to manage complexity and deliver what matters, when it matters.

Now, that same logic is becoming critical again.

Through his work at TLDR Graph, Niclas is building toward what he calls cognitive rendering — systems that don’t just generate worlds, but prioritise and present information in ways that make them usable for intelligent agents.

This is where immersiv intelligens meets AI architecture.

On stage, Niclas explores:

Why the hardest problem in AI has shifted from prediction to rendering

What XR can teach us about managing complexity in intelligent systems

And how cognitive rendering could reshape how agents perceive and act

Because intelligence isn’t just about knowing more.

It’s about seeing what matters.

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Mikael Eriksson // When eyewear becomes intelligence
Skugga Technology

"When eyewear becomes intelligence, with Mikael Eriksson, Skugga Technology

At Immersive North, we explore how technology moves closer to the human experience.

Mikael Eriksson is building that shift.

As co-founder of Skugga Technology, his work focuses on a new category of body-near intelligence, where everyday eyewear becomes a sensor layer capable of measuring human load in real time.

Because the next interface may not be another screen. It may be something we already wear.

In his talk, Mikael presents a move from reacting to visible behavior to detecting early signals before strain fully appears. Starting with vision, this approach opens new ways to understand human state as it unfolds.

By turning preventive eyewear into a real-time layer of insight, Skugga points toward a future where technology does not just respond to what we do, but helps us understand what we carry before it becomes too much.

On stage, Mikael explores:

How eyewear can become the first interface for human load

Why early signals matter more than delayed reactions

What body-near intelligence could mean for health, work and human performance.

Because the future of intelligence isn’t just around us.

It’s closer than that.

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Ami Malmros
Riksteatern

At Immersive North, we explore how technology reshapes not only industries — but culture itself.

Ami Malmros brings that transformation onto the stage.

As Head of Technology at Riksteatern, Ami works at the intersection of media, innovation and the performing arts — helping translate emerging technologies into new possibilities for culture, audiences and artistic expression.

Because the future of culture is not only about preserving tradition.

It is about expanding access, relevance and experience.

With extensive experience spanning AI, digitalisation and sustainable development, Ami brings a rare cross-industry perspective to the cultural sector. Having led innovation projects and collaborations across diverse fields, Ami is driven by a simple but powerful idea: technology matters most when it responds to real human needs.

This is where immersive intelligence enters the cultural landscape.

Not as an add-on — but as a new way of creating, sharing and experiencing the performing arts.

By combining technical expertise with a creative perspective, Ami explores how culture can evolve in a time of rapid change:

How do we use technology to strengthen the human experience of art?

How can innovation open up new forms of access, participation and connection?

And what does the future of the performing arts look like when digital and physical experiences begin to merge?

Because tomorrow’s cultural landscape will not be shaped by technology alone.

It will be shaped by how we use it to bring people closer to meaning, emotion and each other.

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Petra Dalunde
Mimer

Shaping the conditions for trusted AI — with Petra Dalunde, Mimer

At Immersive North, we explore not only what technology can do — but what it takes to build the ecosystems around it.

Petra Dalunde works at exactly that level.

As Head of AI Ecosystem and Policy at Mimer, Sweden’s national AI Factory, she operates where innovation, collaboration and public trust meet. Her work focuses on shaping the partnerships, structures and frameworks needed to enable AI development that is not only powerful — but inclusive, responsible and grounded in societal value.

Because the future of AI will not be defined by models alone.

It will be defined by the systems around them.

With a background in strategic innovation, digital transformation and cross-sector collaboration, Petra brings a broad perspective on how technology moves from ambition to implementation. Her work spans the intersection of policy, regulation, ecosystem-building and real-world impact — helping connect actors across sectors into something stronger than isolated initiatives.

This is where intelligence becomes infrastructure.

On stage, Petra explores:

How we build trustworthy and inclusive AI ecosystems

Why collaboration across sectors is essential for long-term innovation

And what it takes to align technology, policy and societal needs in a rapidly changing landscape

Because the next generation of intelligence will not just be invented.

It will be coordinated.

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Milo Hancock

Where the Physical World Ends, Your Brand Begins, – Milo Hancock

Milo Hancock works at Disguise, where he helps bridge the gap between cutting-edge technology solutions and ambitious creative visions. Working at the intersection of innovation, storytelling, and experience design, Milo supports clients in understanding how emerging technologies can transform ideas into immersive, high-impact realities.

With a focus on enabling brands and creators to push beyond traditional boundaries, Milo works closely with projects that blend physical and digital worlds—where spatial computing, virtual production, and immersive technologies open new possibilities for engagement. His role centers on ensuring clients are informed, supported, and equipped to succeed as they navigate increasingly complex and experience-driven landscapes.

In his talk, Where the Physical World Ends, Your Brand Begins, Milo explores how brands can extend beyond physical limitations to create meaningful presence in new digital and immersive environments, and what this means for the future of audience connection, storytelling, and brand experience.

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Rajib Eklund

Talk: Exponential growth of technology and the role of Telecom to Shape What Comes Next

Rajib Eklund is a business and technology leader with deep experience in driving transformation at the intersection of connectivity, innovation, and strategy. At 3 Scandinavia, he works with how a telecom operator can play a meaningful role in shaping the future through technology, infrastructure, and new ways of creating value.

With a strong background in leading complex initiatives and solving business challenges, Rajib brings a perspective grounded in both technological evolution and human-centered leadership. He is known for combining analytical depth with a drive to build strong teams, foster innovation, and turn ambitious ideas into tangible results.

In his talk, Rajib will explore the evolution of technology, how the exponential factor changing the landscape rapidly, and how Tre is working to make a difference by contributing to a more connected, innovative, and resilient future.

Together with Poroptivity, 3 Sweden has also installed 5G connectivity at Epicenter, which will be available to explore during the conference, offering participants a live opportunity to experience part of the infrastructure enabling the next generation of immersive and connected experiences.

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Sophia Båge
Moderator, Immersive North

Sophia Båge works at the intersection of AI, business performance, and organizational transformation, helping companies identify and remove friction in marketing, collaboration, and decision-making so they can move faster, think smarter, and create stronger outcomes. Her work centers on turning emerging technologies into practical capability—bridging strategy, experimentation, and real-world implementation.

As Cluster Captain of the AI Cluster at Epicenter, Sophia brings together leaders, builders, and teams to move from AI curiosity to meaningful adoption through talks, community, and hands-on builder sessions. She is particularly focused on how organizations can build the human and organizational capabilities needed to work effectively with AI—not just as a tool, but as a force reshaping how we operate, decide, and lead.

Known for connecting strategic insight with sharp facilitation, Sophia brings both depth and energy to conversations about the future. Her perspective spans technology, leadership, and systems thinking, with a strong interest in how emerging technologies can help organizations navigate complexity rather than add to it.

As moderator at Immersive North, she will help guide the dialogue across AI, immersive technologies, and innovation—connecting ideas across disciplines, challenging assumptions, and helping surface the questions, tensions, and opportunities that matter most as we shape what comes next.

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Niklas Palmklint
Photographer during Immersive North

At Immersive North, we spend our time exploring how technology can deepen understanding, sharpen perception, and bring us closer to the essence of human experience.

But what if, for a moment, the most powerful interface isn’t digital at all?

Step into our professional photo booth and meet the gaze behind the lens: Niklas Palmklint. A photographer known not just for who he has worked with - artists like Lisa Nilsson, Maja Ivarsson (The Sounds), Peter Jöback and Robert Wells - but for how he sees.

In a world saturated with images, his work stands apart by doing something rare: slowing things down. Stripping away noise. Letting something real surface. His portraits feel less like snapshots and more like encounters - moments where identity, emotion and story briefly align.

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Amy Boulton // CULT of the Cyberpunks: Exploring Drag Performance in XR

Amy Boulton is an artist and XR Creative Director based in Stockholm, working across new media art, public art, and immersive performance. Her work explores the relationship between technology, identity, and place, often through experimental formats that challenge how stories are experienced and embodied. Joining her is Henrique Luiz de Freitas Benedito, an XR Creative Developer exploring the intersection of fashion, body, and real-time interaction. 

At Immersive North, Amy and Henrique will present CULT of the Cyberpunks, an experimental project exploring what happens when drag performance meets XR creative production. Together, they will share insights into the creative tools, workflows, and processes behind the project, including AI-enabled tools, motion capture, 3D modelling, and hybrid visual workflows. Work-in-progress will be shared, featuring short XR experiences based on the performers' own drag personas and their individual takes on the Cyberpunk theme, offering a glimpse into new artistic languages emerging at the edge of XR.

Supported by Film & TV Lindholmen and KINEMALAB.

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Henrique Luiz de Freitas Benedito // CULT of the Cyberpunks: Exploring Drag Performance in XR
XR Creative Developer

Henrique Luiz de Freitas Benedito is an XR Creative Developer exploring the intersection of fashion, body, and real-time interaction. His work focuses on how digital garments behave, respond, and shape identity in immersive environments. Coming from a background in fashion, he brings a material and body-aware approach to XR, building immersive experiences that connect movement, clothing, and presence.

At Immersive North, Amy and Henrique will present CULT of the Cyberpunks, an experimental project exploring what happens when drag performance meets XR creative production. Together, they will share insights into the creative tools, workflows, and processes behind the project, including AI-enabled tools, motion capture, 3D modelling, and hybrid visual workflows. Work-in-progress will be shared, featuring short XR experiences based on the performers' own drag personas and their individual takes on the Cyberpunk theme, offering a glimpse into new artistic languages emerging at the edge of XR.

Supported by Film & TV Lindholmen and KINEMALAB.

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Carolina Hedman
Founder, Globalyx AB

Carolina Hedman is a deep-tech entrepreneur, venture builder, and strategist working at the intersection of AI, XR, and climate resilience. As founder of Globalyx AB and Sweden representative for VRARA, she works to translate emerging technologies into scalable, human-centered solutions with global impact.

At Immersive North Carolina, we will explore a powerful shift where artificial intelligence is no longer just a tool, but part of the living intelligence of ecosystems themselves. In Maya Forest & AI, she will share how neural networks, satellite intelligence, bioacoustics, and predictive modeling are being applied to detect deforestation in real time, protect endangered species, and strengthen technological sovereignty for indigenous communities.

Drawing from work spanning digital twins, LiDAR intelligence, blockchain, and planetary systems, Carolina brings a perspective where deep-tech is not separate from nature, but increasingly designed in dialogue with it. Her session offers a bold vision for how AI can move beyond optimization toward becoming part of the infrastructure for planetary health.

This is a talk about technology, conservation, and the deeper question of whether we are ready to let nature help shape the architecture of the systems we build.

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Christoffer Malm
CEO, Epicz Lab

Christoffer Malm is CEO of Epicz Lab, where he focuses on making AI and digital solutions practical, scalable, and impactful for industrial companies. With more than a decade of experience driving digital transformation in global organizations, he has built a reputation for turning emerging technologies into measurable operational value.

Through leadership roles at Autoliv and SKF, Christoffer has built and scaled digital platforms that have reshaped how manufacturing and operations use data—delivering multimillion-euro impact and earning recognition in global Industry 4.0 forums.

His work spans digital twins, XR, connected services, and AI, but always with the same focus: cutting through complexity and aligning strategy, engineering, and user experience to create real outcomes.

At Immersive North, Christoffer will share perspectives on how industrial companies can move beyond experimentation and start turning AI into tangible business value—bridging the gap between emerging technology and operational reality.

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Parallel Program — Partner & Networking Experience

While the main stage hosts keynotes and talks, a parallel experience unfolds throughout Immersive North — designed for deeper interaction, exploration and connection.

This is where conversations continue, ideas take shape, and collaborations begin.

Across curated spaces, partners and participants engage through booths, sessions and informal gatherings — creating a dynamic layer to the conference that goes beyond the stage.

What happens in the parallel program:

– Curated booths showcasing real-world applications, tools and ideas

– Partner-led sessions and conversations in smaller, more interactive formats

– Matchmaking opportunities connecting people across industries and roles

– Ongoing networking in high-flow areas throughout the venue

– Access to partner and speaker meetups

– A rooftop gathering where the day transitions into deeper dialogue

From early exploration to strategic conversations, this parallel track is where the ecosystem comes alive — bringing together builders, decision-makers and creatives shaping the future of immersive technology.

Because Immersive North is not just something you watch.

It’s something you take part in.


Want to join as a partner and co-create the experience? Reach out to xr@epicenterstockholm.com

Accommodation Partner

We are happy to share that Best Western is our official hotel partner for IMMERSIVE NORTH.

Located in central Stockholm, the hotel offers a convenient and comfortable stay within close proximity to the event venue.

Participants of IMMERSIVE NORTH can enjoy an exclusive 17% discount on their booking.

👉 Book your stay here. Use the code: and17

We recommend securing your accommodation early to ensure availability.

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