Image credit: NorthStar/AstaZero

‍Press release:

The test center - Digital Arena Sweden - enables companies and public organizations to test advanced digital solutions in real-world environments at an early stage. The tests utilize the latest technical capabilities in 5G, 6G, and AI, with the goal of helping organizations adopt new technology securely by shortening the path from innovation to a finished solution that can then be implemented widely across operations.  

Digital Arena Sweden consolidates several established initiatives, which now have the financial backing to develop into a national test center and ecosystem accessible to companies of all sizes and across all sectors of society, from startups and tech companies to large industrial corporations.

Future by Lund/Lund University is the project manager for Digital Arena Sweden, which is led in collaboration with Telia, Ericsson, RISE/AstaZero. The initiative is being carried out in partnership with a range of other stakeholders from industry, academia, and the public sector, such as Chalmers University of Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Einride.  

We are proud to be helping drive the future of Swedish industry within a classic area of Swedish strength. This is a national effort where both academia and major industry players are collaborating to give the business sector a head start in the communication technology of the future. For us at Future by Lund and Lund University, it is also gratifying that part of the project will be based in Lund, which has a strong history in both communication technologies and innovation, says Anders Trana, Future by Lund and project manager for Digital Arena Sweden.

The foundation of the test center consists of digital infrastructure for advanced 5G, IoT, and AI, which Telia provides through its NorthStar innovation program and its national 5G network. In addition, it includes a unique test environment for 6G, led by Ericsson in collaboration with Lund University and KTH Royal Institute of Technology.  

The work is coordinated by the innovation platform Future by Lund, which is also responsible for developing a common digital portal. The RISE technical infrastructure AstaZero is an open, independent, and completely unique test environment for the advanced digital solutions of the future. Here, they are responsible for developing common test and measurement methods for the testbed's projects.

Quotes from stakeholders

Through this new test center, we are opening up opportunities for more companies to take advantage of the latest 5G technology and AI, where we can meet high demands for security and sovereignty. This is a prerequisite for connecting and digitizing the most critical parts of operations and products, where the value in terms of efficiency, customer value, and societal benefit is greatest. This is how we can scale up our efforts to strengthen both Sweden's digital security and competitiveness, says Anders Olsson, CEO of Telia Sweden.  

In Sweden, we have extensive experience in driving technological leadership. By creating one of the world's first test environments for the combination of 5G/6G and AI, several years before the technology becomes commercial, we ensure that Swedish industry and research remain at the absolute forefront. For Ericsson, this is an opportunity to work with our partners to define how connected societies will function, where AI agents, physical AI (robotics), and autonomous systems can be developed and validated to meet the future, says Erik Ekudden, Chief Technology Officer, Ericsson.

Advanced Digitalization aims to promote Sweden's and the industry's ability to develop and use the advanced digital solutions of the future. It is especially gratifying that an initiative like Digital Arena Sweden is now getting underway, as real-world test environments are in high demand by the industry, increase the momentum of the digital transition, and strengthen the conditions for many stakeholders in a time of rapid technological development, says Pontus de Laval, Chairman. Advanced Digitalization.

The digital transition is becoming increasingly physical. Automated vehicles, connected systems, and drones place new demands on environments where the technology of the future can be tested, verified, and developed in a safe and reproducible way. Here, RISE is uniquely positioned through our AstaZero technical infrastructure and our role as a bridge between academia, the business sector, and the public sector. Through common methods and test environments, we can shorten the path from innovation to solution while simultaneously strengthening Swedish competitiveness, says Peter Janevik, CEO of RISE technical infrastructure and subsidiary AstaZero.

Safe and efficient autonomous freight transport is built entirely on trust, which is why robust validation and verification are non-negotiable. Through Digital Arena Sweden, Einride and AstaZero are combining their expertise to design test methods tailored for advanced AI and automated transport. Shortening the path from innovation to certified, large-scale operation is exactly what Swedish industry needs to maintain its competitiveness, says Thomas Norén, General Manager Connectivity, Einride.

More information about Digital Arena Sweden

The test center consists of four parts.  

Digital infrastructure for 5G and AI – Provided through Telia's national 5G network and the NorthStar innovation program, operated with Ericsson, which gives companies access to the latest technical capabilities in areas such as advanced 5G, IoT (connected devices), and sovereign clouds and AI. One area that will be tested is distributed sovereign computing power in the 5G network (Edge) for digital solutions with high requirements for security and availability, such as AI services, industrial systems, and power grids.  

Advanced test environment for 6G – Ericsson is responsible for this part of the testbed in collaboration with Lund University, Future by Lund, and KTH Royal Institute of Technology. Here, stakeholders in a range of different industries – such as mining and forestry, transport, medical technology, and defense – will be able to test 6G several years before the technology is commercially available in mobile networks. The goal is to identify concrete areas where 6G can create value – such as AI, robotics, and autonomous systems – and what requirements this places on the technology. The experiences and lessons learned from the work in the test center will also be used in the ongoing standardization work surrounding 6G to ensure that the next generation of mobile networks meets the demands of business and society. 

Common platform for testing and evaluation – At the RISE technical infrastructure AstaZero, a common methodological framework is being developed with standardized test and measurement methods for projects within the Digital Arena. The result: faster startups, comparable results, and a clearer path from idea to impact.

A digital entry point for the entire testbed – The innovation platform Future by Lund is responsible for holding the testbed together and coordinating cooperation with the project's partners. An important part of their mission will be to develop and manage a digital portal and entry point for the entire testbed – with a complete overview of the testbed's technical capabilities, where companies and organizations that want to use the testbed can turn. Other support resources will also be available there, such as a common toolkit for test and measurement methods.