SACCNY Newsletter: Top News & Initiatives
Dear SACCNY Members and Friends,
Q2 marked one of the Chamber's most active quarters in recent history, underscoring the value of strong engagement at a time when the transatlantic relationship faces new complexities.
In April, we brought together 120+ leaders at Accenture’s office for the Nordic–U.S. AI Leadership Summit, exploring what AI actually means for strategy, operations, and leadership today. The conversations were sharp, the room was full, and the takeaways were clear: the companies that move from experimentation to implementation fastest will define the next era of competitiveness. Thank you to Accenture and Combient for excellent collaboration, and to Microsoft and SAP for your support!
Two days later, we marked our 120th Anniversary with a Gala that reminded us all why this community exists and how far it has come since 1906. Needless to say, it was the party of the century.
May took us to Stockholm for the Innovate Nordics kickoff, followed by three intensive days in New York. The nine Nordic life science companies connected with investors, advisors, and industry leaders focused on turning transatlantic ambition into market reality. ArcanaBio took home the Grand Pitch Finale prize, and every company in the cohort left with connections to fuel their U.S. expansion. Big thank you to EY for fantastic collaboration!
June was equally full. Skyline launched in Stockholm with a strong cohort of Swedish companies preparing their innovative energy solutions for New York’s built environment. On June 17, Team Sweden gathered at the Swedish Residence to discuss the findings from two studies: Team Sweden’s U.S. Business Climate Survey, and SACCNY’s study ‘Adapting, not Retreating: How Swedish Companies are Navigating U.S. Tariffs,’ with analysis conducted together with PwC US. The studies paint a clear picture: Swedish companies are not stepping back from the U.S. market. They are doubling down.
We are incredibly impressed by the Consulate General of Sweden in New York for pulling off yet another extraordinary Midsummer Celebration in Rockefeller Park. With more than 10,000 people in attendance, it is the largest—and most fun—Midsummer celebration outside of Sweden.
We also celebrated the introduction of the Håkan Wohlin Scholarship, which supports the next generation of talent. A heartfelt thank you to Håkan, a valued Gold Member and a former SACCNY intern. Congratulations to Linn Ji, the first scholarship recipient!
Thank you for being part of this community. Your engagement is what makes all of it possible.
Warmly,
Barbara Wennerholm
President of the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce, New York
SACCNY in the News
Dagens Industri: Ny studie: Svenska bolag möter utmaningar i USA
Dagens Industri: 120-åring ska smörja USA-relationen
SACCNY Highlights
Nordic–U.S. AI Leadership Summit
On April 14, SACCNY, Accenture, and Combient hosted the Nordic–U.S. AI Leadership Summit at Accenture’s office at One Manhattan West—a sold-out gathering of 120+ leaders from business, academia, policy, and media. SACCNY Patron H.R.H. Princess Madeleine of Sweden attended, underscoring the significance of Nordic–U.S. collaboration at this particular moment in the AI era.
Five sessions covered the full arc: AI through a geopolitical lens; the platform shift reshaping enterprise infrastructure; the Nordic–U.S. AI stack of capital and cross-border partnership; industrial AI inside established operations; and what it takes to scale, from security to ROI.
Three takeaways: the next phase of AI belongs to those who implement and scale fastest, not those who build the most from scratch; Sweden’s strongest path runs through application and collaboration; and transatlantic trust remains the foundation everything else depends on.
A heartfelt thank you to Accenture, Combient, the Consulate General of Sweden in New York, SAP Sweden, and Microsoft Sweden, and to every speaker and participant.
SACCNY Annual General Meeting no.120 & SACCNY Board of Directors Meeting no.932
April 15 was a day of governance.
The Annual General Meeting brought all members together in the morning, followed by the Board of Directors Meeting right after.
The board reviewed a very strong year since the last AGM and set priorities for the rest of 2026, further sharpening the Chamber's value proposition.
SACCNY 120 Years:
The Great Gatsby Anniversary Gala
In 1906, a group of visionary Swedes founded the first international Swedish Chamber of Commerce with a clear mission: to promote, advance, and protect commercial relations between Sweden and the United States. That mission continues to guide SACCNY today. And as SACCNY President Barbara Wennerholm noted in Dagens Industri: “A more complex transatlantic relationship has made our role, 120 years later, more important than ever.”
On April 16, we celebrated that legacy in style. The sold-out 120th Anniversary Gala brought members, partners, and friends together for a Gatsby Glamour Black Tie evening at one of Manhattan's premier social clubs—cocktail reception, three-course anniversary dinner with many surprises along the way, dancing, live music and a continued celebration at the Swedish Residence. A perfect ending to an unforgettable evening! A warm thank you to Consul General Erik Ullenhag and the Consulate General of Sweden in New York for a long and brilliant partnership.
SACCNY Patron H.R.H. Princess Madeleine of Sweden honored the occasion with her presence, celebrating the Chamber's remarkable legacy and continued mission.
A heartfelt thank you to our Platinum Sponsors and longstanding SACCNY members Investor AB and Ericsson.
SACCNY Connect: Networking with a Purpose
This spring, SACCNY launched a new format primarily for our individual members; the Supporting Patrons, Associate Members and Young Professionals. SACCNY Connect combines networking with knowledge sharing in settings that go beyond the standard evening mingle.
The inaugural event on April 1 was hosted by SACCNY Gold Member SEB at their Hudson Yards office. A panel on the current financial landscape featured John Arne Wang (Head of SEB US), Pontus Lundqvist (Head of Equities, SEB), and Daniel Forslund (Head of Corporate Banking, SEB). Malte Barnekow, entrepreneur and former CEO of Four Walls Whiskey, spoke about building and scaling premium brands internationally and what separates entrepreneurship in the U.S. from Sweden.
The second edition on May 14 took place at SACCNY member ETON’s flagship store on Madison Avenue, featuring insights into the brand’s Swedish heritage and nearly 100 years of craftsmanship, along with networking, bubbles, and exclusive offers for attendees.
Recent Events
FIFA World Cup Watch Party with Lokal CRE
On June 25, SACCNY joined “Lokal After Work: Heja på Sverige” hosted by SACCNY memberLokal CRE, for the Sweden—Japan game.
The 1-1 draw secured Sweden’s place in the next round and today they are facing France—with our President Barbara Wennerholm excitedly watching from the stands.
Heja Sverige!
Skyline 2026: Looking Ahead to New York
The Stockholm kickoff is behind us (see Highlights below). The cohort now prepares for two New York delegations.
First NYC Delegation: September 21–23, Climate Week NYC
Second NYC Delegation: November 2–4, 2026
Partners: Swedish Energy Agency, Build Edison
A Conversation with Team Sweden — What the Data Says About Swedish Business in the U.S.
How do Swedish companies really feel about the US market in 2026?
Our findings show that they are not retreating—they are doubling down.
On June 17, Team Sweden in New York gathered at the Swedish Residence for an exclusive breakfast seminar. The conversation drew from two brand new reports: Team Sweden’s Business Climate Survey for Swedish Companies in the United States 2026, and SACCNY’s ‘Adapting, Not Retreating: How Swedish Companies Are Navigating U.S. Tariffs,’ a report based on a SACCNY survey and analysis conducted by PwC US.
Barbara Wennerholm, Anders Wickberg, Consul General Erik Ullenhag and Leo Varghese sat down to discuss these results, and one conclusion stood out: while tariffs and policy uncertainty continue to create challenges, the United States remains the top priority market.
Swedish companies are adapting strategies, organizing for resilience, and investing long-term. As one participant noted, for those with established local operations, the current environment may even open up new competitive advantages.
A special thank you to Leo Varghese, Director of Global Structuring at PwC US, for sharing valuable perspectives on tariffs, customs processes, and how companies are adapting to an increasingly uncertain environment.
Chalmers & SACCNY: A Celebration with Alumni & Friends
On June 9, SACCNY and Chalmers University of Technology, a valued SACCNY member, co-hosted an exclusive evening at the library of the Swedish Residence, in collaboration with the Consulate General of Sweden in New York. The event brought together Chalmers alumni and friends living and working in New York.
Guest speaker Kajsa Krause, a Chalmers alumni, shared her career path in brand strategy and the journey that brought her to New York—a story that sparked plenty of conversation over drinks and appetizers well into the evening.
Ongoing Events
Innovate Nordics 2026: The 12th Edition
Now in its 12th edition, Innovate Nordics brought a cohort of Nordic life science companies to the U.S. market, in partnership with EY. Nine companies from Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland made up the 2026 cohort: Adalyon, ArcanaBio, Chronicare, Everi Labs, Matrix Muscle Support, MedVasc, Prenaital, SeeQ Diagnostics, and Worldish.
The program launched May 7 in Stockholm with company pitches and two panels. Nordic Life Science: From Research to Market and Scaling Success: Nordic Life Science in the U.S. Market.
The cohort arrived in New York for a three-day program focused on U.S. market expansion, investor connections, and industry insights. The agenda included company visits, expert sessions, investor meetings, and discussions with leaders across healthcare, technology, and finance. The program also featured a pitch finale where participating companies presented their innovations to a distinguished jury of industry representatives. ArcanaBio was awarded the Grand Pitch Finale prize for its innovative biophotonics technology enabling reagent-free protein measurement from saliva.
A sincere thank you to Elisabeth Granhage and EY for their partnership across the full program, to Jason Rekate and Citi for hosting the Grand Pitch Finale, to Getinge, DNB, Weill Cornell Medicine, Nasdaq, ThinkEquity, Lionshead Wealth Management, and Cornell Tech for contributing their time and expertise — and to Orrefors Kosta Boda and Emon Maasho for the beautiful Innovate Nordics statuette.
To the 2026 cohort: it has been a privilege. We look forward to following your journeys.
Skyline 2026: Swedish Cleantech meets New York
Now in its fourth edition, Skyline is an accelerator program run by SACCNY, the Swedish Energy Agency, and Build Edison for Swedish companies with solutions for New York’s built environment, urban infrastructure, and building-to-grid energy systems. Previous cohorts have secured U.S. partnerships, pilot projects, and commercial relationships with property owners, utilities, and investors.
This year’s cohort—Blykalla, Zigrid, Linervent, Orbital Systems, Affectus, Wioniq, and ViaEuropa—gathered June 2–3 at Fersenska Palatset in Stockholm, hosted by Handelsbanken for a full day of workshops that covered U.S. market entry, New York’s energy landscape, export financing, IP, and business development and the U.S. economic outlook. The evening moved to Newsec for a panel on urban energy systems and the future of buildings.
Next stop: Climate Week NYC in September, followed by a second delegation trip in November. We look forward to seeing these companies bring Swedish innovation to one of the world's most dynamic energy markets.
A special thank you to Handelsbanken and Dan Lindwall for hosting, to all speakers and panelists for their expertise, and to the Swedish Energy Agency and Build Edison for their continued partnership in making Skyline possible.
Spotlight!
Some of Our Newest Members
White & Case is a global law firm founded in New York in 1901, with about 43 offices across 29 countries. Its Stockholm office has worked with Swedish and international clients since 1983, and together with Helsinki it gives the firm the strongest Nordic presence of any leading global firm. The team handles M&A, private equity, debt finance, capital markets, and disputes, with lawyers qualified across Swedish, US, and English law for cross-border work in both directions.
Epiroc is a Stockholm-based mining and infrastructure equipment company, listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.
The Group makes drill rigs, rock excavation and construction equipment, and rock-drilling tools, alongside service, aftermarket support, and a growing line of automation, digitalization, and electrification solutions. With around 19,000 employees and roughly SEK 62 billion in 2025 revenue, Epiroc serves customers in about 150 countries and manufactures in the U.S., Sweden, Canada, and Australia. As demand climbs for the metals and minerals behind the energy transition, Epiroc sits close to the center of it.
Atlar is a Stockholm-founded fintech building a modern treasury platform for finance teams. Its software pulls bank and ERP data into one place so companies can see cash positions in real time, automate payments, and forecast cash flow without the manual spreadsheet work.
Founded in 2022 and backed by Index Ventures and General Catalyst, Atlar counts Acne Studios, GetYourGuide, and Storytel among its customers.
Michael Page is a global recruitment firm founded in London in 1976 and part of PageGroup plc. Its consultants place permanent, contract, and temporary professionals across finance, technology, legal, sales, and other functions, with specialist teams organized by sector and seniority.
The Group employs more than 6,800 people across some 150 offices in 37 countries, including a long-standing U.S. presence that helps companies build out their teams as they enter and grow in the market.
Bjorli is an accessories brand elevating wellness rituals led by the content creator Aris Yeager who portrays the European Kid on Instagram and TikTok.
They will launch their initial product, the most premier sauna hat in the world via pre-orders on August 15th. They will thereafter release thoughtful accessories that elevate wellness rituals and make those rituals more fun and enjoyable.
World Childhood Foundation USA (Childhood USA) was founded in 1999 by Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden to end the sexual abuse and exploitation of children.
A United Nations–accredited NGO, Childhood USA works across prevention and recovery, funding grassroots programs and research while advocating for stronger child-protection policy. Rather than running projects directly, it acts as a broker between community organizations doing the work and the funders who support it, and has reached more than 90,000 children and families in the U.S.
Aimtech is a Skåne-based security and safety company serving businesses, housing cooperatives, and property owners across southern Sweden. Its work covers four areas: intruder alarms, access control and door entry, fire alarms, and ongoing service.
Rather than default templates, Aimtech designs each setup around the building's actual needs, with one named contact who stays responsible from recommendation through installation and follow-up.
Recommended Resources
SACCNY News
Welcome Linn Ji — and Farewell Beatrice Ekelund
June brought a team transition. We welcomed Linn Ji, and said a heartfelt goodbye to Beatrice Ekelund, whose dedication and hard work have left a real mark. Thank you, Beatrice!
Wishing you a lovely summer from the entire SACCNY Team!