Swedish digital sector kicks international butt

I started the Social Media Nordic blog for one reason: I believe there is a lot of great digital and social innovation going on in the Nordics, and not enough focus on it in a language the rest of the world can understand.

Sweden should be known for so much more than muppet chefs. (Photo from Flickr/Brian-m under CC/BY/2.0)

So I just have to share this great Global Post story with you; how the Swedish digital sector is having something of an ABBA moment and getting ready to change the digital world.

You really need to read the entire article. But just for a few highlights – there is more than Skype and Spotify to look forward to from our Swedish friends:

• Klarna – the website for more secure online payments
• Planeto – a social network for following subjects, not people
• 13th Lab – the company behind the innovative iPad app Ball Invation aim to become the platform for a new set of augmented reality games and apps, drawing on its 3D tracking expertise
• Wrapp – combines the joy of discount coupons and gift cards with social networking
• Soundcloud – a “YouTube for sound recordings” loved by musicians, reporters and other smartphone using audio addicts around the globe

Watch out for the Swedish digital revolution, and wait for more to follow from Scandinavia – I am certainly hoping to write a similar report on Norwegian tech startups in a not-so-distant future.

(Thanks to Bente Kalsnes for sharing the article on Twitter!)