Earlier this week, GoWest 2026 took place in Gothenburg, bringing together founders, venture capital firms, institutional investors and ecosystem leaders from across Europe and beyond. The event once again confirmed GoWest’s position as one of the Nordics’ most relevant meeting points for deep tech, innovation and long-term capital.
The conference opened with Deep Tech Investor Day, which attracted a notable presence of international institutional investors and pension funds, highlighting the growing global interest in Nordic technology and early-stage innovation. The focus throughout the day was on long-term value creation, capital allocation and how deep tech is increasingly moving onto the radar of large, patient capital providers.
As highlighted by Sofia Hjelmberg, Investor Relations & Event Director at GU Ventures, West Sweden has experienced consistent and sustained growth over the past 15 years, supported by a strong industrial base, high innovation capacity and an increasingly international investor landscape. The region’s long-term development was positioned as a key driver behind Gothenburg’s growing relevance as an innovation and investment hub.
Discussions during the main conference further underlined the importance of international capital in scaling Nordic innovation. Klementina Österberg, CEO of GU Ventures, emphasized the growing role of institutional and long-term investors in strengthening the Nordic deep tech ecosystem, with Gothenburg emerging as a natural focal point for cross-border collaboration between founders, venture capital and large capital allocators.
Overall, GoWest 2026 stood out as a well-executed and internationally relevant forum, combining deep tech expertise with institutional capital, and reinforcing West Sweden’s position within the broader European innovation landscape.
