SUSTAIN- O L O G Y ? H U H ? Dear Members and Friends, SACCNY
members
include
some
of
the most innovative companies and individuals doing business in both Sweden and the U.S., so it’s only natural they are at the forefront of the most pressing issue of our time: Sustainability.
The term sustainability is thrown around a lot these days, and like any big-idea-turned-buzzword, there is danger of it losing potency and purpose. To truly capture the many nuances that can and should be attributed and include all the “ingredients” or -ologies, such as ecology, biology, sociology—we needed a concept of our own as, we too, put this issue at the forefront of all we do. Welcome to Sustainology! We like it, and feel it also gives us the flexibility to use for a variety of themed conferences devoted to exploring issues around sustainability and cutting edge technology to best meet those important goals. We hope you agree! So what does sustainability—or Sustainology—mean, exactly? For the planet, for business, for society? As you know, SACCNY asks these questions every year at our annual sustainability conference, formerly known as “From Farm to Fork.” For 10 years now, we have gathered experts in sustainable thinking. This year, in light of increasing global focus on food, we revamped the conference to focus on sustainable food systems. We are particularly interested in how technology and innovative thinking is pushing these systems forward. Sustainology Summit, as we have christened this year’s event, will be
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a forum for discussion of today’s most relevant intersections between food, environment, technology, and innovation. We could not mount this important conference without Citi, our conference host, and Deloitte, our award partner. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to them both for once again generously supporting this event! With this issue’s fresh focus on food, it’s only natural to mention a special meal that brings SACCNY members together every year. Our annual Crayfish Party is always a great time—a chance to roll up our sleeves and crack into a pile of crayfish, while making new friends and acquaintances. This year’s dinner, thanks to our sponsor Skanska, was no exception. In step with SACCNY’s overall revamp, the dinner was held in a new venu and had a fresher overall spirit. Our Board Meeting in Stockholm this August brought to the fore dynamic conversations on e-commerce and trade, and we were happy to welcome Swedish Minister of Trade and EU Affairs, Ann Linde, as our guest speaker. In keeping with our current focus on tech, innovation, and sustainability, Tekniska Museet, Sweden’s National Museum of Science and Technology, offered a wonderful site. Our friends at Serendipity and Teknikföretagen
co-hosted the closing dinner, which included exciting onstage pitches by winners and finalists at this summer’s Serendipity Challenge in Almedalen! We brought together many of the brightest minds in innovation and technology for the fourth consecutive year at our Innovate46 conference. Serving as a platform for Swedish startups looking to expand to the U.S., Innovate46 allows entrepreneurs to pitch and top-notch speakers to share exciting ideas in presentations and panels. This year’s conference was a great success. We congratulate the winner of The Anders Wall Award for Exceptional Entrepreneurship, 2017, CELLINK, and the Expo Challenge winner, Hugo & Celine, and look forward to an exciting future and to staying on hand to assist their journey across the Atlantic. Sincerely,
Anna Throne-Holst President - Executive Director SACCNY