Ljusgårda Shared Its Research Results at UN Meeting on Innovation and AI

The session focused on how AI and transformative innovation policies can contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive future. Ljusgårda was the only company on the panel, representing Swedish entrepreneurship alongside speakers such as the Head of Digital Agriculture at the FAO, researchers in innovation and entrepreneurship, and experts in energy and AI.

Ljusgårda, a leading player in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), contributed to the panel discussion with two representatives from its research team – Erik Lundgren and Julia Ragnell. They presented results from the company’s latest AI project, conducted with support from Sweden’s Innovation Agency, Vinnova. The project combines biology, sensor technology and artificial intelligence to develop more intelligent and self-optimizing growing systems.

“Being invited to share our results in UN highlights the potential of our work. We're building ecosystems where technology and biology work in harmony – systems that not only grow food, but may also contribute to areas like health and nutrition in the future. When we truly understand the potential of plants, entirely new opportunities emerge,” said Erik Lundgren, Founder and Chief Research Officer at Ljusgårda.

Ljusgårda provided concrete insights from its research work and highlighted how well-designed innovation support can accelerate early-stage development. The company emphasized the importance of short, flexible project formats with minimal administration and open collaboration models – key conditions that enable young tech companies to quickly validate ideas, drive innovation at a high pace, and reduce risk in exploratory projects.

“It was inspiring to contribute a business-driven perspective on how innovation actually works in practice. For us, successful innovation is about speed, learning, and the courage to experiment – supported by structures that allow exactly that,” said Julia Ragnell, Business Developer at Ljusgårda.

The meeting was shaped by discussions on how the right policies and collaborations can create ecosystems where AI not only drives technical development but also strengthens societal resilience and equality. Using examples from the energy and agriculture sectors, speakers highlighted both the opportunities and challenges of implementing AI in practice – from more efficient resource use to the need for new governance models that balance rapid innovation with responsibility and long-term benefit.

Ljusgårda is a Swedish company specialized in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) – farming in highly controlled, high-tech indoor environments. With an innovation-driven research team, Ljusgårda combines plant science, advanced technology and sustainability to unlock the full potential of plants. The work extends beyond food – into new applications for ingredients, functional compounds and bio-based products. A unique opportunity to power the next generation of sustainable agriculture, where precision-grown biology becomes a new resource for both health and industry.