13 April 2026

Inside Gothenburg's rising tech sector

From shaping the future of 6G and quantum computing to powering threat detection for governments and fortune 100 companies around the world. Gothenburg’s businesses and researchers are not only following global tech trends—they are helping define them.

Central Gothenburg — Gothenburg is Sweden's second largest city region and a hub for Nordic industry and innovation.

Few forces are reshaping the innovation landscape as profoundly as artificial intelligence, shows our new in-depth article on Gothenburg's tech sector: 7 tech trends shaping 2026.

“AI is no longer an emerging technology. It’s now becoming widely deployed and is reshaping business models, processes, value chains and competitiveness,” says Kent Jellmund, investment advisor for ICT and tech, at Business Region Göteborg.

In Gothenburg, AI-driven companies like Zenseact, Einride and Smart Eye are developing and testing autonomous vehicles and driver-monitoring systems. The municipal energy company Göteborg Energi is collaborating with AI Sweden to develop solutions that optimise grid capacity and energy consumption. At AstraZeneca’s R&D site, AI is playing an increasing role in parts of drug discovery and development. Applications of AI are widespread.

And the AI ecosystem is continuously being strengthened. Last month, for example, several tech founders and entrepreneurs together with the city, the Swedish government and Nividia launched an ambitious initiative, AI Gothenburg, to ramp up the starting and scaling of AI-driven companies.

An emerging hub for quantum computing

Quantum computing is another area where Gothenburg has quietly emerged. And it’s now one of Europe’s leading hubs for quantum research and innovation. Chalmers University is a key player here, and it is developing Sweden’s largest quantum computer and operates the nation’s only quantum testbed. Several companies are also taking their solutions to market, including Atlantic Quantum, now part of Google.

The new in-depth article also places the spotlight on other trending areas such as cybersecurity, which is now a boardroom issue. In addition, it dives into, for example, health tech, edge computing and connected vehicles, 6G, climate tech and deep tech.

“Gothenburg has exciting players and developments in all these areas. The backbone for this is the region’s strong innovation ecosystem, engineering expertise and collaborative spirit,” says Kent.

Kent Jellmund is a tech investment advisor in Gothenburg who has supported the market entry of IonQ, Plug & Play, Syntio and Lingsom, among others.

Businesses investing heavily in R&D

Another key reason for the developments taking place is the large investments being made in research and development. During the past decade, the business sector’s R&D investments have more than doubled in Gothenburg’s county—and it is now Sweden’s premier hub, and a leader within the EU. The digital and green transitions happening across industries are key drivers.

Gothenburg has several strong sectors, including ICT, automotive and mobility, life science, logistics, urban development and advanced manufacturing. And these sectors are increasingly converging. Volvo Cars, SKF, AstraZeneca, Saab, Ericsson, Volvo Group, Ericsson, Polestar, Zeekr Technology and many other global companies have important operations in the region.

“We have many exciting companies to partner with. These are forward-looking companies committed to innovation and sustainability. It’s an appealing environment for large corporations, startups, investors and talent,” says Kent Jellmund.

A place to innovate, scale and grow

Meanwhile, Gothenburg continues to attract new companies and investments.

Last year, truck giants Volvo and Daimler launched their joint software company, Coretura, here with the aim of transforming the global truck market.

Johan Lundén, CEO of Coretura, a joint-venture between Daimler and Volvo that was launched in Gothenburg in June 2025. Photo: Coretura — - Johan Lundén, CEO of Coretura

American quantum company IonQ set up here last year and is collaborating with AstraZeneca and logistics innovator Einride. Other companies that have established or expanded their presence in Gothenburg in recent years include global innovation platform Plug & Play, automotive software company KPIT and data engineering company Syntio.

“As Gothenburg’s investment promotion organisation, we support expanding companies and investors who want to tap into Gothenburg’s ecosystem. If you are curious to learn more, don’t hesitate to get in touch,” says Kent Jellmund.

Read 7 tech trends shaping 2026

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Facts about Gothenburg

Gothenburg is the second-largest and fastest-growing city region in Sweden. Since 2009, the economy in the Gothenburg region has grown by 71% in real terms, which is twice as strong as Sweden as a whole.
Knowledge-intensive services has become Gothenburg's new flagship, with over 95,000 people working for technology consulting firms or companies in IT or other advanced business services. This part of the services sector has almost doubled in size over the past 15 years.
The Gothenburg region has the highest concentration of engineers and natural scientists in Sweden. Engineers and IT professionals are the two most common occupations in the Gothenburg region.
Testbeds are a cornerstone of Gothenburg's innovation strategy. The region has 60 active testbeds where companies can trial new solutions in real-world, lab and simulated environments.