Pioneer the possible

Pioneer the possible is a communication concept developed to promote Sweden from a business perspective to target groups interested in doing business, investing or working in and with Sweden.

This communication concept is designed for you in your job of promoting Swedish exports or attracting inward investment and talent. It’s there to help you use Brand Sweden to strengthen your offer and make it more credible, so you can make more of a difference and be heard above the buzz.

This toolkit consists of ready-made social media campaigns and a manual for setting up events.

Pioneer the Possible is produced by the Swedish Institute in collaboration with organisations such as Business Sweden, Vinnova (Sweden’s innovation agency), Tillväxtverket (The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth), Svenskt Näringsliv (the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise), the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Swedish regions and many more.

Pioneer the Possible criteria

We’ve noticed a big interest in using the Pioneer the Possible concept for events not based on the material in this toolkit and in order to secure the concept’s credibility we have established some basic guidelines for when the concept can be applicable.
If you wish to brand your event with Pioneer the Possible without using the toolkit exhibition and/or related material or if you are not a Swedish foreign mission, please fill out the form below and make sure that all of the items below apply to your event:

A Pioneer the Possible event must focus on all of the below topics:

  • Sustainability/ the green transition
  • Co-creation
  • Innovation

Your event must:

  • Have an international target group
  • Have a Team Sweden sender
  • Be innovative and trail blazing in design and execution
  • Be designed using the Sweden brand
  • Include Swedish companies

Your communication must:

  • Be designed using the Sweden brand
  • Use the tone of voice described in the Pioneer’s handbook (Be bold, don’t be dull, be a breath of fresh air, be personal)
  • Always be tagged with #Pioneerthepossible

Detailed information about how this can be done can be found in the Pioneer’s Handbook.

Building Blocks

The Pioneer’s Handbook

This brand manual is a hands-on guide for anyone creating events and/or communication based on the Pioneer the Possible concept. This must be read before any activity planning starts.

The Pioneer’s Handbook

Thank you – campaign material

If you wish to create a PR/social media campaign highlighting successful bilateral relations we have developed tools for a concept that we call “Thank you”. Funds for sponsoring ads and social media posts can be applied through toolkit. SI will additionally cover costs for producing the ad material.

Workshop manual

This co-creative workshop has been designed for embassies and consulates to connect with decision-makers from government and business that have an interest in collaboration or trade with Sweden. The workshop creates a space to explore new and unexpected opportunities for trade / partnership / investment between the local actors and Swedish ones.

Powerpoint presentations

PPT: Join Sweden – Why Sweden
This Power Point presentation gives an in-depth information on Sweden as an investment nation. It contains a general backgound chapter and one chapter each for every one of Business Sweden’s eco system.

In the speaker notes you will also find useful information for when presenting Sweden from an investment perspective.

PPT: Pioneer the possible

This powerpoint presentation including a speakers script can be used when opening an event or when speaking at a summit or meeting about Sweden as a business nation in broader terms.

Cases that are relevant to specific target groups and/or local contexts can be added using material in our case bank (see link below)

Case bank (updated in August)

Stories and links to Swedish business cases that can be used to create additional content adjusted to local conditions and/or highlighted in events.

Case bank (Excel sheet)

Key visuals and images

There are three different key visuals that should be used when creating communication material. The key visuals present the green transition in extreme closeup.

Manual and information about the key visuals

If you’re looking for photos to  use in connection to Pioneer the possible communication we recomend that you search for ‘ptp’ on Imagebank Sweden to get see the images best suited to fit the concept.

Social media posts

Overview of social media posts

Theme #1: Texts for social media posts (Making it happen)

Images for Theme 1:

Theme #2: Texts for social media posts (celebrating co–creation)

Theme #3: Texts for social media posts (Highlighting the pioneers)

Images for Theme #3:

Swedish innovation quiz

The Swedish innovation quiz. By highlighting interesting new discoveries, inventions, and creative partnerships born in Sweden, this quiz strives to spark interest in Sweden as an innovative, co-creative and environmentally conscious trade partner.

Pioneer the possible films

There are three short films available for Pioneer the possible activities and marketing. All are available in three lengths; long, short and social media stories.

Additional video for social media:

The Journey to a Fossil Free Sweden

This 10 minute lecture by Svante Axelsson of Fossil Free Sweden explains Sweden’s journey  to becoming the world’s  first fossile free OECD country.

Business Sweden’s Join Sweden films

Six films produced by Business Sweden presenting the strenghts of Swedish business in differens industries.

Join Sweden films

Exhibition

This exhibition on Sweden’s climate strategy with examples of innovative companies driving the change has been developed in cooperation with Fossil Free Sweden, Environmental Protection Agency and Business Sweden and is based on the exhibition modules.

Exhibition folder

The full exhibition as a brochure available for local printing.

Presentations

Sweden’s Climate Policy Framework 
A comunications material about Swedens climate policy framework.

Financing guide for Sustainable Partnerships with Sweden
An introduction to Swedish organisations and financing opportunities for  business actors that wish to partner with Sweden to realize sustainable projects.

Instructions

Manual for planning events

Financial support

Applications for projects in April to December 2023

Due to the extraordinarily high number of toolkit applications, and a limited budget, we are unable to grant any further financial support for toolkits in 2023 with the exception of toolkit applications with following purposes:

– Higher education promotion
– Sweden alumni relations
– Sweden 500 celebrations (maximum of 5 000 SEK)
– The Nobel Prize (a limited numer of applications)
You can of course also use all material on sharingsweden.se but without funding from us.

Swedish embassies and consulates may apply for financial support of maximum SEK 40,000 for promotion of social media campaigns, language translation and travel costs and remuneration for Swedish guest speaker(s). Part of the sum applied for should be used for inviting Swedish guest speaker(s).

Swedish embassies and consulates may apply for financial support of maximum 40,000 SEK for translation of the film(s) and inviting Swedish guest speakers (travel costs and remuneration).

For projects aiming to strengthen cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region the level of financial support is limited to a maximum of SEK 100,000. Up to 30 per cent of the granted sum may be used for external project management.

How to apply

To apply, please fill out the application form.

If you wish to use the Pioneer the Possible concept for larger events in 2023 (events in the size of COP27 or if Sweden is an honorary nation at a large fair), please specify that in your application for further discussions.

By filling out the application form you agree to respect the copyright agreement for the images and films.

The application must be sent in at least two months before the event. Resources are limited and financial support may not be available at the end of the year. Limits may apply.

Application for other organisations

If you are not a Swedish foreign mission and would like to use the Pioneer the Possible concept or related material in your communication, kindly fill out the form in the application form for other orgationsation and we will get back to you to make sure that the Pioneer the Possible brand will be applied to your event in a way that will strengthen your event and be in line with the concept guidelines.

How to report

After a completed event, fill out the project report for toolkits.

Repayments
If more than 10 per cent of the total grant has not been used, then the full amount of unused funds must be repaid to SI. Repayment shall be via UD EKO. When repaying, enter the project’s registration number (available in the agreement) and the name of your organisation in the notification field and notify the project manager in question.

Contact at the Swedish Institute

For more information, contact Karin Kärr or Sylvia Augustinsson.