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Magnus Oberg, Chief Technical Officer, Transmode Systems AB
 1) Briefly tell us what it is about your company/project that makes it so special?
Transmode’s is a rapidly growing pioneer of Optical Networking solutions. Our success is ultimately driven by the demand of our products in what is a very competitive market place. Our solutions are flexible, modular and scalable with very attractive economics but they also address the “easy of use” factor that is often overlooked in Telecoms products. We have developed sophisticated features that allow users with very little experience in optical telecommunications products to install and manage their networks very simply, which brings this technology to a whole new group of users. We have generated a culture within Transmode which is focused on delivering the right technology to our customers at the right price with the lowest level of complexity possible. Obviously most companies wish to have this focus in their staff and product design, the true test of course is customer acceptance and sales. We believe we have the balance right and our customers seem to agree allowing us to more than double revenues last year.
2) What country best facilitates starting a tech company? What single thing can a government do to encourage Technology Pioneers?
My experience is primarily here in Sweden where we founded the company 5 years ago. Economies such as Sweden, need to create an environment where innovation is encouraged in order to counter the growing globalization of manufacturing and the quicker and quicker drive to commoditization of existing technologies. Sweden, like most of Western Europe, has a highly skilled and educated workforce which is a key starting point. Existing local success stories are also important to motivate people to take that first step and we have a number of these here in Sweden. However, governments need to create a taxation regime that encourages entrepreneurs and Technology Pioneers to take this risk and take that great idea all the way to a product or service.
3) What makes an innovator?
An innovator has curiosity, strives to improve and has a good memory. An invention is most often a combination of things already done in other applications.
4) How does your company directly contribute to improving the state of the world?
Lack of communication if often a source of conflicts – at Transmode we lower the cost of communication between people. In addition, one of our patents will minimize the requirement for amplifiers in optical networks and thereby reduce the power consumption of the telecoms network. This is of course beneficial for the environment.
5) What value do you hope to gain from being a Technology Pioneer?
Recognition as a Technology Pioneer is important for Transmode as it is further recognition of the entrepreneurial environment and solution focus that we strive to achieve. It is important to our employees who can take pride in this award and it is also important to Sweden as a further example of home grown technology leadership. This success story will help to create the innovative environment within Sweden that I referred to earlier.
6) What do you think the role of technology should be in society?
Technology has always been there to serve the wellbeing of people, or sometimes just ambitions of a few. The real challenge now is to serve the wellbeing of the planet and save the nature for our children and future generations. Technology can play a key role in advancing society whilst reducing the impact that we as a species have on the planet.
7) What is the right balance in society between scientific interest and ethical concerns?
A scientific interest for the pursuit of knowledge is never something bad, but sometimes the results of such an interest can be used naively or with bad intentions. History has shown us that great steps forward have been taken by society as a result of scientific interest and often this is seen as contentious at the time for example Darwin or Galileo. Equally there have been examples where the results of scientific interest have been used to against mankind. Society has the task of obtaining the right balance that fosters scientific advancement whilst ensuring that society is protected from naïve or misguided. Genetic engineering is an example of scientific interest were I think there is a reason to be very careful. There are numerous potential advances for mankind and also numerous pitfalls.
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