There is no shortage of innovative solutions for sustainable cities. The real challenge is helping them grow — from promising ideas and successful pilots to investments that can create impact at scale.
During Innovation Day, Fredrik Blomquist Lundli, Partner at Fundforward, will moderate the panel discussion “From Belief to Bankability – Investors’ Perspectives on Financing Urban Innovation.” The session brings together investors with different perspectives to explore how innovative solutions for sustainable urban development can become attractive investment opportunities and reach the market on a larger scale.
Ahead of Innovation Day, Fredrik shares why financing is a crucial piece of the transition.
The panel is called “From Belief to Bankability”. What “bankability” mean to you?
– To me, it’s about demonstrating that sustainable innovations are not only good ideas, but also good business. When an innovation becomes bankable, it has reached a level of maturity where banks and investors are willing to finance it.
Fredrik is currently leading the Nordic initiative Nordic Circular Investments, supported by Nordic Innovation, which aims to highlight practical examples of circular business models that have already proven successful.
– We want to showcase real investments that work rather than just discussing theory. This autumn, we’ll present ten Nordic examples that demonstrate how circular business models can deliver both financial returns and positive societal impact.
Learn more about Nordic Circular Investments …
Many innovations perform well in testbeds but never reach the market. What is usually missing?
– Very often, it’s the connection to the market. An innovation needs to fit into existing value chains and solve a real problem for customers.
Fredrik also points out that innovation is not always about new technology.
– It can just as well be a new service, a digital platform or a smarter way of using existing resources. What’s essential is having a business model that makes the solution scalable.
What makes an innovation investable?
– The companies that succeed are usually those that test their solutions early in real-world environments and collaborate with established industry players. The sooner you move beyond the lab and prove that your solution works in the market, the easier it becomes to attract investment.
According to Fredrik, reducing risk is ultimately about building trust.
– Being able to demonstrate real results is often more valuable than having the perfect business plan.
Innovation Day brings together innovators, cities and investors. Why are these meetings so important?
– Different types of investors have different perspectives. Banks, venture capital firms and infrastructure investors all have different mandates, investment horizons and expectations.
Understanding which type of capital fits your stage of development is essential.
– The right investment isn’t just about money. It’s also about finding the right partner for your company’s next phase of growth.
What do you hope participants will take away from the panel discussion?
– I hope they’ll leave with practical insights into what is already working across the Nordic region — and with greater confidence to test new ideas themselves.
The discussion will be built around real investment cases and lessons learned from the Nordic countries.
– We need to become better at sharing what already works. That makes it easier for more innovations to move from promising pilot projects to investments that create real impact.
Learn more about Fundforward … Sign up to be among the first to receive the ten selected Nordic investment cases when they are revealed on 26 October, together with the project’s key insights.