Sjónaukinn 2024

Kjartan Sigurðsson

Assistant Professor at the University of Akureyri

Dr. Kjartan Sigurdsson fronts the work on innovation and entrepreneurship at UNAK, combining his academic knowledge with real-world experience. As an assistant professor with deep expertise in sustainable business strategies, innovation, and entrepreneurship, he contributes to modern business through teaching and consulting. Known for delivering practical advice, he fosters responsible business development and has significantly influenced the growth of companies throughout Europe and Iceland. His success in translating academic research into business progress and guidance on innovative and sustainable practices have firmly established his reputation for driving industry growth.

What is innovation – How do we handle it at the University of Akureyri?

Innovation transforms novel ideas into practical solutions, crucial for driving progress and addressing emerging challenges in society and industry. In this presentation, I explore the role of innovation at the University of Akureyri and how it serves as a pivotal catalyst for regional and academic development. I will delve into the newly initiated project Entrepreneurship and Innovation, designed to infuse an entrepreneurial spirit throughout the university’s community, engaging staff and students in innovative endeavours. This project is not merely an educational initiative but a broader commitment to fostering sustainable economic growth and enhancing the university’s role as a bridge between academia, local industries, and society. The focus will be on the strategic development of this bridge—a venture previously unexplored in North Iceland—which aims to facilitate seamless interactions and partnerships between the university and external stakeholders. By leading these efforts, the university supports the development of new business initiatives and positions itself among leaders in driving entrepreneurial ventures and industrial collaboration. The outcomes of these efforts could significantly impact economic vitality and provide a model for enhancing competitiveness and fostering societal prosperity through continuous innovation and entrepreneurial activities. The University of Akureyri aims to be recognized as innovative and a key player in nurturing a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem in rural Iceland.

Guðmundur Fertram Sigurjónsson

Founder and CEO of Kerecis

Fertram Sigurjonsson is the CEO and founder of Kerecis, an Icelandic biotechnology company specializing in developing, manufacturing, and distributing medical products crafted from cod skin. Renowned as a serial entrepreneur, Fertram has spearheaded domestic and international ventures, spanning software engineering, financial technology, and the energy, biotechnology, and healthcare sectors. His prolific innovation is underscored by a portfolio boasting hundreds of patents and applications.

Beyond his executive role at Kerecis, Fertram has contributed his expertise to numerous corporate and advisory boards. He holds positions of influence within esteemed organizations such as The Icelandic Science and Technology Council, the Icelandic Chamber of Commerce, and the Association of Icelandic Life- and Healthtec Companies.

Fertram's entrepreneurial prowess has earned him widespread recognition and prestigious awards. He was honored with the Entrepreneur of the Year award from Ernst & Young in the United States in 2021, a testament to his outstanding contributions. The President of Iceland has also celebrated his achievements, honoring him with the Icelandic Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award on multiple occasions. Under Fertram's leadership, Kerecis has achieved notable milestones, earning distinctions such as the Growth Spurt of the Year award twice. The company's exceptional trajectory culminated in its acquisition by Coloplast for 1.2 billion dollars, propelling it to the status of Iceland's first Unicorn company and earning Fertram the title of Business Person of the Year 2023 in Iceland. Recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to healthcare, Fertram was named Inventor of the Year 2024 by the European Wound Management Association.

Outside the boardroom, Fertram's academic background in chemistry and engineering informs his commitment to environmental stewardship. He is devoted to his family, sharing his life with his wife, Fanneyja Hermannsdóttir, and their five children. His personal and professional passions converge in his advocacy for preserving oceanic ecosystems, reflected in Kerecis's dedication to sourcing sustainable resources for its products.

Bergljót Borg og Ósk Sigurðardóttir

Bergljót works as the manager of SLF, a non-profit organization which runs rehabilitation services and summer camps for children with special support needs. She also works part-time as an adjunct at the Faculty of Occupational Therapy at the University of Akureyri and leads the innovation study team. Her educational backround and professional experience is in the field of Physical Therapy and she also holds a MPM degree and MS in Health Science.

Ósk works as Director of Capital Branch, Icelandic Red Cross. She has worked across many different organisational forms and has taken on the role of activist leader alongside the commercial and public sector. She's an adaptive leader with the ability to effect change across a range of environments from hospitals to start-ups, federations to associations. She has a broad educational background; OT R/L, with MPM and MBA degree and holds a Post Graduate degree in Strategy & Innovation from the University of Oxford.

Summary of presentation:

In 2015, efforts began to revamp the curriculum in occupational therapy, aiming among other things to enhance students' skills for innovation. By spring 2020, the first group of students participated in an innovation course. Today, the fifth cohort is completing their final projects. In autumn 2020, master's students in health sciences also began to take shortened innovation course as part of their core curriculum.

The course for occupational therapy students is structured as an accelerator, requiring students to define challenges, assess markets, and conduct needs analysis. They then develop financial and marketing plans and create a minimum viable product (MVP). This process has been remarkably engaging. Initially skeptical, students now eagerly anticipate the course.

Innovation is not only the cornerstone of economic success but also key to addressing the major challenges of the coming decades. The aging population and rising lifestyle diseases pose significant challenges in the years ahead. Healthcare professionals must not only fulfill their daily duties but also engage in continuous improvements and innovation processes. They are at the forefront of these mega challenges, highlighting the importance of training healthcare students to tackle problems fearlessly with a tool box acquired in their studies.

It's crucial for us as a society not to narrowly define innovators. Innovation is not solely for those in business or technology. It's important for innovators to be as diverse as the end-users. Therefore, teaching innovation in health sciences is essential, both to engage those tackling society's greatest challenges daily and to involve a diverse range of individuals in the process.

Arna Sól Mánadóttir, Hrafnhildur Ósk Halldórsdóttir og Thelma Dögg Grétarsdóttir

From Vision to Reality: The Journey of Entrepreneurship

We got inspired long before our formal course on entrepreneurship started. Our journey through the class was filled with unexpected challenges but at the same time we were eager to succeed. We recognized a critical need and devised a solution with the purpose of preventing hand-arm vibration syndrome specified to aluminium smelters. After graduation we took some break, but then got back together, taking the leap to step out of our comfort zone and dive into the real world. Despite being faced with setbacks, including a recent unsuccessful funding application, we have gotten interest from industry stakeholders. With a declaration of interest from an aluminium smelter, we believe in what we have made and will take on obstacles as they come, using them as a stepping stone towards what’s ahead. This is our journey, from vision to reality.

Gojiro Nakagami

Prof. Dr. at UTokyo 

After studying Health Sciences at Kobe University School of Medicine and UTokyo and working as an Assistant Professor, Dr. Gojiro Nakagami was appointed as a Visiting Researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles in 2013. He returned to UTokyo as faculty in 2017.

Dr. Nakagami’s research topic is in nursing science and engineering with special focus on developing technologies for the alleviation of geriatric syndrome. He uses animal models to elucidate pathogenic mechanisms, identify novel biomarkers, and develop treatment methods for hard-to-heal wounds. His contributions on a rapid identification technique, a minimally invasive removal method of wound biofilms and a biofilm-based wound management system have been cited worldwide.

Dr. Nakagami has collaborated with the UTokyo Hospital for over 15 years where he has developed a highly accurate pressure injury prediction model based on artificial intelligence. He is an active member of many academic societies including the Japanese Geriatrics Society, the Japanese Society of Pressure Ulcers, the Japanese Society of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Management, the Japanese Society of Nursing Science and Engineering, and the Japanese Academy of Nursing Science where he serves as a board member. During his doctoral studies, he was appointed as Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (DC2).

Summary of Presentation:

Bio-engineering in nursing has gained attention in recent years as a novel research framework dedicated to fostering care innovations. The research process initiates with clarifying clinical needs, followed by elucidating their mechanisms, developing objective measurement methods, and creating intervention devices and systems, culminating in their evaluation in clinical settings. This approach allows us to offer tangible solutions to clinical challenges and generate a substantial social impact. This presentation will share advancements in wound technologies that target wound biofilms, based on the bio-engineering nursing research framework.

Wound biofilms significantly hinder the healing of pressure injuries, making the targeting of biofilms a crucial aspect of enhanced wound care. Effective care for biofilm-based wounds requires clinically feasible methods for both detecting and eradicating biofilm. Our approach to biofilm detection employs a wound blotting technique that effectively captures small molecules, such as polysaccharides—a primary component of biofilm—from the wound surface. These molecules are then stained with Alcian blue, allowing for the visualization of biofilms in just two minutes.

For biofilm removal, ultrasonic debridement offers a non-invasive solution. We use a low-frequency (<100 kHz) and low-intensity (<100 mW/cm²) ultrasound device, attached to a curette-type probe, effectively eliminating biofilm, guided by the stained areas on the blotted membrane.

This presentation will explore the development of the wound blotting method for biofilm detection and its clinical applications in enhancing wound healing. Through this approach, we aim to improve the treatment of pressure injuries by overcoming the critical barrier posed by biofilm.

Sigríður Halldórsdóttir

Professor at the Faculty of Graduate Studies in Health Sciences

Sigríður Halldórsdóttir Ph.D. (Med. Dr.) completed her master's degree from the University of British Columbia in Canada in 1988 and her doctorate from the University of Linköping in Sweden in 1996. She has been a professor at the University of Akureyri since 1998 and has mainly taught research methodology. She has published research articles on various aspects of human life and three books on research methodology. 

The title of Sigríðar presentation is "The Importance of Ethically Responsible Innovation".

As we venture into the realm of innovation, ethics should be at the forefront of our minds. But what exactly is ethical innovation, and why is it so significant? This lecture aims to answer these questions. When teaching students the importance of ethics in responsible innovation and the balance between ethics and visionary creativity, we should provide them with ethical knowledge and understanding. This includes educating them about the main theories of ethics and promoting their sense of practical ethics, code of conduct, and the main ethical principles such as responsibility, justice, autonomy, truth, and harmlessness. It is crucial to educate students about ethical principles and theories and to develop ethical self-awareness. Ethical sensitivity, perception, awareness, and judgment are not just important, they are crucial for responsible innovation. Innovators must possess ethical reasoning, reflection, decision-making, and responsible behavior, which involve honesty, fairness, responsibility, and professionalism. They must respect diversity and the rights of individuals and groups and promote mutual respect in all interactions. Ethical innovation is not an option but a necessity, and it's a necessity that cannot be ignored or delayed.

Hanna Sigríður Ásgeirsdóttir

Project Manager for Hátindur 60+

Hanna Sigridur Asgeirsdottir, project manager for Hatindur 60+in Fjallabyggd, has been in independent business for the past 12 years and holds a B.A. degree in Social Sciences from Bifröst University.

The project Hatindur 60+ in Fjallabyggð

Innovation and Development Project in Fjallabyggð Providing Services for Elderly Residents. Enhancing Trust and Security in intergrated healthcare and care and implementation off inovation in welfare technology.

The project in Fjallabyggd focuses on enhancing services for elderly residents within the municipality, aiming to address their diverse needs effectively. Participating in a Nordic forum, Fjallabyggd has been recognized as a proactive contributor and is featured prominently in the report of the Nordic Welfare Centre titled "Integrated Healthcare & Care."

The aim is to create a modern, sustainable, and welfare-enhancing service for the residents of Fjallabyggd. Diverse projects will be undertaken under the agreements made with various professional bodies. Cross-sector collaboration between social and health services is fundamental to achieving synergistic effects of expertise in each field and thereby ensuring better service for the growing population. The system will be tailored to meet the needs of users, such as integrating services that contribute to enabling older individuals to live longer at home, ensuring both safety and social aspects. This will create more flexibility to utilize human resources, financial support, and infrastructure more efficiently.