The Programme in 2026
Day 1: Conference
One day, two stages. For the visionary inspiration seeker to the practical junky looking for best practices and new tools. We're currently designing the Nordic Edge Expo program to create an arena for you to connect with new people, learn and challenge your perspectives. We promise you one thing - this is the place to be for leaders who want to recalibrate their strategies for a rapidly changing future.
This is our preliminary program. New speakers and keynotes will be announced continuously.
Click on Stage 1 or Stage 2 to see more details
Main stage
09.00 - 09.45 Opening ceremony
We open Nordic Edge Expo 2026 by setting the scene for the days ahead. Trough future-oriented perspectives, political leadership and global
context, we frame Hope in Action as a call for collective action grounded in reality.
10.30 - 11.15 Ecosystems in Action – The City as a Platform
Cities are where global challenges become local realities. This session
explores how urban regions can become more resilient by strengthening ecosystems, governance, and collaboration. We'll hear from city officials and private companies on how they have led the shift towards resilient systems and cross-disciplinary collaborations.
12.00 - 12.45 Investment and impact - Finansing the Transition
This session brings together finance, public actors and system innovators to explore how investment models, public-private collaboration and new
financial instruments can accelerate change.
13.30 - 14.15 Leading in times of change - From Hope to Action
What does leadership look like when the ground is shifting? This session explores how leaders navigate uncertainty, complexity and accelerating change. Moving beyond titles and formal roles, we focus on leadership as a practice — about creating direction, enabling action and mobilising others when the path forward is not fully clear.
14.30 - 15.00 Closing keynote - Hope in Action
We end the day by reconnecting inspiration with responsibility.
Action Stage
10.30 - 11.15 Toolbox for transformation
This track focuses on concrete methods, frameworks, and tools that help organizations move from strategy to implementation. Drawing on tested approaches from the NEB-STAR and NetZeroCities initiatives, the session shares hands-on insights into transformation, innovation practices and cross-sector collaboration — with a clear emphasis on what actually works in real-world settings.
12.00 - 12.45 Resilient Food Systems in the Nordics
The Nordic countries share climate risks and supply chain vulnerabilities, yet differ widely in food system resilience. This session explores how we can build stronger food systems together — learning from Nordic strengths while activating local neighborhoods as arenas for change,
experimentation and new food practices.
13.30 - 14.15 Wicked Problems – Bold Moves
Complex societal challenges demand more than incremental solutions. This session explores how cities, companies and ecosystems can take bold,
coordinated action on issues such as mobility, climate adaptation and
system-level change
Day 1: Nordic Fund Day
Nordic Fund Day connects promising, purpose-driven Nordic startups, particularly those focused on sustainable solutions, with a global network of investors for potential funding and strategic partnerships, emphasizing quality matchmaking and real-world impact.
When arranging Nordic Fund Day for the eleventh time during Nordic Edge Expo in 2026, it will be our biggest ever made, and it all takes place as the grand finale of day 1.
Day 1: Afterparty
To end day one in the only right way possible we will gather everyone for a afterparty at Fiskepiren with drinks and a few surprises.
Day 2: Workshops
Day two of the event will consist of curated workshops to choose from for the participants. Ranging from testbeds in urban context, digitalization, climate-neutral cities, discussions about what's making innovation great. And that's just a small part of all the important topics that will be covered throughout the day. The key component to all the workshops is interaction and creating spaces for meaningful conversations and actions – not just listening to someone and then leave.
