Cross Con 2026

Manager of Pedagogy and Training at Cirkus Cirkör, where she develops learning formats that use contemporary circus as a tool for collaboration, resilience and creative risk-taking. With a background as a project leader at Cirkör and extensive experience as a freelance performer, Clara bridges artistic practice and organisational learning.

Elin Frost is an expert in social innovation, creative facilitation, and cultural production. She has an academic background in artistic design as well as in organization and leadership. Frost is particularly engaged in promoting interdisciplinary collaborations to create sustainable and innovative solutions with art and culture as the driving force.

Philosophical practitioner and researcher working at the intersection of arts, culture and critical inquiry. Designs facilitated dialogues that challenge assumptions, deepen reflection and sharpen collective thinking. Her work creates structured spaces for slow, rigorous conversation; helping individuals and organisations navigate complexity, clarify values and make more conscious decisions together.

Co-founder of the Centre for Organisational Creativity in Sweden, where he helps organisations turn creativity into a practical capability for innovation. He has worked with public sector leaders, businesses, and civil society across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. A strong advocate of cross-sector and cross-regional collaboration, Geert supports public administrations in building partnerships that strengthen the CCIs. He serves as an advisor to the Board of the Global Districts of Creativity Network and is co-author of the Global Innovation Science Handbook (second edition).

Designer with a focus on participatory research processes, co-creation, and systemic design. In her work, she has a focused interest in relationships between human culture and nature. She is co-founder of Feral Malmö, a studio for urban-ecological practice and culture.

Works for Region Skåne, focusing on cultural and creative entrepreneurship and innovation. With extensive experience in leading European collaboration projects, she promotes cross-industry partnerships in the creative sector to foster growth and sustainable development opportunities.

Leader of innovation departments at Tetra Pak, Sony/Ericsson and within the UN system, where he has built structures for systematic innovation in global and complex organisations. Johan has also been involved in the work on ISO 56001 – the international standard for innovation – and moves seamlessly between technology, sustainability and strategic leadership.

Consultant at Kairos Future working in the intersection of collaborative foresight and democratic innovations. Special interests and competences include using artistic practices in foresight and methods for involvement of non-experienced groups. Active artist with a background in punk music.

John is a writer and designer. His work is centred around the impact of design on mass extinction and biodiversity loss. His writing on ecological design and nature in media has appeared in Core77, Icarus Complex Magazine, The Baffler, and AIGA Eye On Design.

PhD student at Uppsala University in Human-Computer Interaction. She focuses her research on playful value-driven co-design together with the cultural and creative sector. Karin also has a background as a museum professional, game designer and educator.

Klas Nevrin is a musician, composer, and artistic researcher at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. He leads the research project AMIS (Knowledge Foundation), developing artistic methods for innovation and sustainability in collaboration with RISE and industry partners. His work centres on collective improvisation, listening, and neurodiversity as drivers for co-creation.

Built doors into new concepts and spaces in which to think and communicate beyond disciplines. She is an artist, artistic researcher and information experience designer, transforming scientific concepts, phenomena and experiments into tangible artistic experiences, sculptures and installations.

Senior researcher at the Research Institute of Sweden (RISE). Research focuses on entrepreneurship, cross-innovation and ecosystems within the cultural and creative sector and industry. Marlene is the RISE coordinator for EIT KIC Culture & Creativity and New European Bauhaus.

Contemporary composer, certified business coach and founder of Cross Con. Since 2018, he has led Katapult, Subtopia’s creative incubator, where he works at the intersection of art, entrepreneurship and cross-sector innovation. President of creARTive, Sweden’s national network for creative incubators. Focuses on building ecosystems where artistic methods strengthen leadership, collaboration and societal transformation across industries.

Nina Bozic Yams

Nina is a senior researcher at RISE-Research Institutes of Sweden where she researches in the fields of innovation management, systemic transformation, sustainable future of work, experiential futuring, self-leadership, collective leadership and art-based methods in participatory action research. Over the last 22 years, she has worked with co-creation processes between many different partners from across public, business and civil sectors to increase their capacity for co-creation, cross innovation and systemic transformation.

Senior Ecosystem & Business Development Manager at EIT Culture & Creativity North, focused on building bridges between gaming, creative industries, innovation and policy across Europe. He works with startups, studios, investors, universities and public actors to create stronger partnerships, support new ventures and unlock cross-sector innovation.

Works at the intersection of public leadership, business and local development. With a background in marketing and finance, she brings a cross-sector perspective to regional collaboration and innovation. She has been a full-time politician for eight years and has served as Chair of the Municipal Council in Botkyrka since 2023.

Adjunct professor in entrepreneurship at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. Thomas researches and teaches Artistic Entrepreneurship and Sustainability. Thomas works in an Interdisciplinary research group on Artistic co-creation methods for innovation and sustainability.

Host of Cross Con 2026, Rut Semere designs and leads high-energy spaces where dialogue turns into action. With a background in business development and international media, she brings clarity, rhythm and presence to complex conversations, guiding participants across sectors through the Cross Con ecosystem and making unexpected connections happen in real time.

Ulrika Andersson is a journalist and producer at Långsjö Teater. Combining experience from media and performing arts, she works with storytelling, participation and theatre as tools for dialogue, learning and community engagement.