Record interest in Vitalis – innovation and collaboration in focus

Over four dynamic days, stakeholders from across the healthcare sector – from public authorities and policymakers to nurses and startup founders – came together at Vitalis. With more than 700 speakers, 450 sessions and nearly 200 exhibitors, Vitalis 2025 lived up to its promise as a leading meeting place and knowledge hub for the future of healthcare.

The buzz on the exhibition floor has now faded after the largest edition of Vitalis to date. More than 6,500 participants are leaving the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre with new connections, fresh ideas and valuable insights from the Nordic region’s premier event dedicated to the future of health, care, and wellbeing.

Maria Sterner, Head of Vitalis, summarised this year’s event in three words:

– Energetic, engaging and rich in content, I’d say.

A strong start with a full-house opening ceremony

Tuesday’s opening ceremony – attended by over 1,000 participants – set the tone for the days to come. High-profile speakers, including Petra Noreback, Press Secretary to the Minister for Health and Social Affairs, and Gunilla Nordlöf, Director General of the Swedish eHealth Agency, shared national perspectives with a strong focus on health data and collaboration in the digital transformation of healthcare.

This year’s Vitalis Grant was awarded to Maria Andersson Ödman for the Gränby Project – a pioneering initiative bringing cancer care closer to patients through a clinic located in the Gränby shopping centre.

AI, health data, and the future of care at the forefront

Vitalis welcomed AI experts from Silicon Valley, who shared research and insights into emerging technologies, with a particular focus on precision health.

– It’s an incredibly exciting area. We’ve only seen the beginning, and there’s much more to come, said Maria Sterner.

One of the attendees, Sven Öyvind Svahn, commented on how AI permeated the event:

– There’s barely a single exhibitor who isn’t talking about AI.

There was also a clear thirst for knowledge around EHDS – the European Health Data Space.

– Health data is becoming increasingly important, especially with the new EU regulations and the development of the EHDS. It’s reshaping how we need to share and use data moving forward, said Maria Sterner.

The entire healthcare ecosystem are gathered

Vitalis brings together an unusually broad mix of participants – from civil servants, politicians and decision-makers to nurses, administrators, software developers and tech giants.

– It’s a unique space. You rarely find this diversity of people in one place. Here, we meet with a shared ambition to drive change and development, said Maria Sterner.

Startups in the spotlight – strong interest in new solutions

Last year’s popular Innovation Area was expanded this year with the HealthTech Startup Showroom, giving emerging companies like Mabel AI the chance to present their innovations.

– People are genuinely curious and excited when they hear about our solution. The interest in new healthcare innovations is undeniable, said Sarab Youssef, Machine Learning Engineer at Mabel AI.

Geras Solutions was honoured with the HealthTech Award – a surprise to CEO Simon Körösi:

– I never thought we’d win. It’s a fantastic boost for our work diagnosing dementia at an early stage and personalising care programmes for people at risk, he said.

International perspectives and hope for the future

Several participants highlighted the international flavour of the event – something Maria Sterner also observed. Major delegations from the Netherlands, Ukraine, France and India attended, and the number of international participants has grown significantly.

– The Ukrainian delegation shared how they’re managing digital transformation in the midst of a war. It was incredible to hear how they continue to develop their digital services under such tough conditions, said Maria Sterner.

Despite ongoing challenges such as budget cuts and increasing pressure on the welfare sector, the atmosphere at Vitalis remained hopeful – driven by technology, innovation, and a shared belief in the future.

– There’s a real sense that we’re on the right track. Many of these topics have been discussed for years, but now it feels like real progress is being made, said Maria Sterner.

Vitalis as a driver of development and collaboration

According to Maria Sterner, Vitalis plays a key role as both a centre for knowledge and a catalyst for collaboration.

– We showcase best practices from the leaders in the field, while also looking far ahead to what’s next.

For conference attendees, there’s now the opportunity to catch up on sessions they missed.

– Almost the entire conference programme is available online. It’s been a well-received feature in previous years, and we’re pleased to offer it again this year.