Secure innovation – the key to strong total defense

Against the backdrop of experiences from the two world wars, the idea that the whole of society should be mobilised in the event of war developed in Sweden during the second half of the 20th century. Shelters were built and supplies were stockpiled, while the civilian population was trained to respond to air raids and nuclear threats.

During the 1990s, the threat to Sweden changed, prompting the dismantling of total defence, a move that was subsequently heavily criticised. Since 2014, a reconstruction process has been underway, but, as the County Administrative Boards note in Introduction to Total Defence, it is not possible to simply reinstate the old system.

– The development of a modern total defence system is based on different fundamental conditions to those that applied in the past, simply because society looks different today. For example, we now live in a digital society where much of the innovation and development occurs between organisations and businesses rather than within them, says Carl Heath, senior researcher and focus leader for digital resilience at RISE.

Great need for places for new forms of cooperation

When the concept of total defence was first established, the state and municipalities owned the majority of Sweden's important social activities. Today, however, a significant proportion is privately owned. In other words, if the state is to rebuild a functioning total defence system, it must cooperate with the business community.

– For the public and private sectors to successfully address total defence challenges together, they must be able to do so securely. While we have extensive experience in creating secure conditions for innovation within an organisation, we lack the same experience and expertise in establishing this in the space between, says Carl Heath.

– Innovation often comes at the expense of safety, and vice versa – high safety standards can inhibit innovation, adds Melinda From, Head of RISE's Inclusive Systems Innovation unit.

A place for meetings and creative working methods.

In 2025, Carl Heath and Melinda From are conducting a preliminary study to map the conditions and obstacles to creating a secure innovation environment in Karlstad municipality. A great deal of knowledge exists about what constitutes a secure environment, drawn from current security legislation and collective experience. Similarly, it is clear what an innovation environment needs to consist of. However, combining the two is tricky, says Carl Heath.

– We want a place where we can meet and work creatively, both physically and digitally.' In modern innovation offices, organisations often share ideas with each other, leading to new insights. If these insights contain sensitive information, protecting it becomes particularly important, he says.

At the location envisaged by Carl Heath, there are people who know how to drive and facilitate innovation safely. This knowledge should not remain confined to one place, but should be shared with organisations so that more safe spaces for innovation can emerge naturally.

RISE acts as a facilitator, helping organisations to establish collaborations.

There are many experts at RISE who specialise in transformation, innovation management and renewal. We have experts who excel at facilitating complex contexts, and RISE already operates a variety of test and demonstration facilities. However, we can't do this alone. We really need the involvement of other stakeholders to create a common platform for secure innovation, says Melinda From.

Sweden's total defence interests lie with NATO.

Carl Heath discusses NATO and the EU's interest in Sweden's comprehensive defence strategy, in which the contribution of everyone from the Armed Forces to businesses, authorities and citizens is vital to the country's resilience. In contrast, many NATO countries have a stronger focus on the military and less on societal mobilisation.

– The expertise in systems that the public and private sectors can develop together through joint projects is important not only in Sweden, but also in the context of the EU and NATO, says Carl Heath.