Chalmers President Martin Nilsson Jacobi and Professor Jessica Jewell participated in the Royal Technology Mission 2026 to Switzerland and Germany, organised by the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA). The mission brought together leaders from academia, industry and the public sector to explore research, innovation and industrial development in relation to Europe's future competitiveness.
From left: Jessica Jewell, Professor at Chalmers Universityof Technology, His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, and Martin Nilsson Jacobi, President and CEO of Chalmers University of Technology.
From 4 to 9 October, the delegation visited Zurich, Munich and Stuttgart. Led by King Carl XVI Gustaf together with representatives of IVA, the mission focused on European competitiveness and resilience in an increasingly complex geopolitical environment.
The programme included visits to leading universities, research environments and technology companies, with discussions spanning artificial intelligence, energy, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors and European technological capabilities.
Research, innovation and industrial collaboration
Among the organisations visited were ETH Zurich, the Technical University of Munich, Hitachi Energy, Siemens, Infineon and Mercedes-Benz.
The programme brought together perspectives from research, industry and innovation, with particular attention to how Europe can strengthen its technological capabilities and competitiveness.
“I study how new technologies, especially climate technologies, develop and scale. So in addition to the honour of being included in such a delegation, it was valuable for my research to get behind the scenes of innovation ecosystems in space, automotive and materials”, says Jessica Jewell.
“It was inspiring to visit so many innovation environments, and especially to see young minds tackling Europe’s technology challenges, from using AI to make sense of satellite data to burying transmission cables with minimal disruption to surrounding communities. But it was also sobering to see how far Europe needs to go in critical technologies to catch up.”
For Chalmers, participation in the mission provided an opportunity to engage in discussions with international representatives from academia, industry and the public sector.
“At this critical time for Europe, it is important for Chalmers to join forces with others who share our ambitions. By working together, we can strengthen Europe's competitiveness and prosperity, and ensure that we do not fall behind the global superpowers in a race that is as much about technological development as it is about geopolitics,” Says Martin Nilsson Jacobi, Chalmers president.
About the Royal Technology Mission
Royal Technology Mission is an international delegation programme organised by the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) since 1984. The initiative brings together leaders from business, academia and the public sector for knowledge exchange, dialogue and networking.
The 2026 mission took place in Switzerland and Germany on 4–9 October, with visits to Zurich, Munich and Stuttgart. Among the participants were:
Marcus Wallenberg, Chair, The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA)
Åsa Bergman, President and CEO, Sweco AB
Anna Borg, CEO, Vattenfall AB
Emma Gretzer, Director General, Formas
Darja Isaksson, Director General, Vinnova
Micael Johansson, President and CEO, Saab
Maria Khorsand, CEO, Mistra
The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) is an independent academy with the mission to “promote the engineering and economic sciences and the advancement of business and industry for the benefit of society”. IVA has approximately 1,300 elected Swedish and international Fellows. They are decision-makers, experts and researchers from the private sector, academia and public administration.
Photos: Erik Cronberg
A personal experience, providing new perspectives on the monarchy
"For me personally, this was a very moving trip. I am American by birth and, since last year, Swedish by choice. The US has no royal family, nor the institutions that come with it. On the Mission we were welcomed by CEOs, university presidents and leaders of innovation parks, quite literally with red carpets and once even by a company’s own band. His Majesty made that possible," says Jessica Jewell.
"It gave me a new perspective on the role of a monarchy in an open society. At a time of growing polarisation, the delegation brought decision-makers together across borders in a remarkably nonpartisan setting. Sweden is a small country, which in some ways is a disadvantage. But IVA, under its chair Marcus Wallenberg, together with His Majesty, uses these missions to turn that small size into an advantage: leaders from business, the public sector and academia can connect easily and build the networks of trust that drive innovation".