Can creativity drive sustainability and quality of life? The Metaverse and the future of technology are some of the hottest topics right now on a global scale. But what is the Nordic perspective?
A human-centric approach is key to the Danish creative DNA. It’s about creating solutions that work seamlessly, make sense, and work well for the user on their terms. This approach applies to Danish tech and digital solutions as well. At this year’s South by Southwest (SXSW), The Confederation of Danish Industries, The Trade Council in New York and Houston, Healthcare Denmark, Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies, and Creative Denmark play a key role in showcasing the Danish creative agenda, as we invite global professionals to House of Creative Denmark during SXSW in Austin, Texas. As the world’s biggest creative festival, SXSW is an epicentre for the most forward-thinking solutions and practises, and we’re excited to showcase some of the most innovative Danish tech inventions and ground-breaking creative ideas that all put people at the centre of the solution.
Embracing the Metaverse means embracing long-term thinking, because the Metaverse will take a long time to unfold. In this process we must remember not to get caught up in short-term expectations and hype. Instead we need to take it seriously and remain conscious of the need to create a responsible Metaverse fit for a brighter future — not a dystopian future that resembles the darker sci-fi novels.
Making the Metaverse meaningful
Since technology and the use of the Internet are so prominent in our everyday lives, it’s relevant to ask: what will the next developmental step for the Internet be?
There is a lot of talk about concepts like spatial web, web 3.0 and the metaverse having the potential to be a major paradigm shift, that merges our physical and digital lives, creating a living network with key features such as digital twins, virtual worlds, artificial intelligence, machine learning, decentralisation, ownership control and much more.
But what does it all mean and how do we make it in a meaningful way?
With its potential to generate up to $5 trillion in value by 2030*, the Metaverse is too big for companies to ignore. But entering the new virtual sphere comes with a lot of questions about its effect on us as humans and the planet. How do we ensure that we enter the Metaverse in a desirable way?
According to the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking, Denmark was the most digitally competitive economy in the world in 2022 and have become a sought-after place for Metaverse projects, punching well above its weight. Denmark is also a highly innovative country, so really, it’s no wonder that new technology like the Metaverse is being explored and developing rapidly.
Regardless of the tempo, Danish digital frontrunners still put people and the planet at the centre of technological development. This means that they take great measures to ensure that we enter the metaverse in a way that considers how the new virtual sphere affects us as humans and affects sustainability, with long-term user welfare and well-being as essential elements.
For instance, leading Scandinavian virtual reality and augmented reality production studios create cutting edge content to improve people’s mental health, optimise large cooperation workflows, create radically new ways of telling stories and much more.
A special SXSW edition of the largest Northern-European Metaverse summit – Nordic Metaverse Summit – is taking place at SXSW 2023, providing a glimpse of how the Metaverse and its vast possibilities is viewed from a Nordic perspective. Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies will together with a range of leading experts take a tour of the Metaverse and all its possibilities and discuss topics like what will the future of art, music, and expression in the Metaverse look like? How can we use the Metaverse to create a better future, and what are the key challenges and opportunities? And how we can leverage technology to build more inclusive and accessible digital environments.
Some of the most interesting Scandinavian Startup frontrunners which use smart tech solutions are not only sustainable and innovative businesses but also lean into a larger community ethos of solutions designed for the greater good and with the user as the focal point.
Enhancing quality of life with tech
In Denmark, a strong spirit of democratisation with a human-centred focus is key to how we think creatively. This spirit also runs through our technical solutions that empower people and improve their lives. With the right creative approach, technology becomes a meaningful helper for people that create value and quality of life.
The Danish delegation at SXSW 2023 consists of a varied group of companies with the common denominator that creativity is part of their solutions or even drives their solutions. SXSW House of Creative Denmark provides an opportunity to showcase the Danish creative approach to meaningful, human-centred technology, whether it being how to discover in which ways technology is revolutionizing storytelling in Scandinavia, what it actually is that makes the tech solutions coming out of the Nordic creative industries so special, how creative solutions can create cultural impact and help to shape a better future, how health tech can improve women’s health and reproduction, or how to hyper-personalize content using generative AI.
The companies joining SXSW House of Creative Denmark 2023 are:
· Andel
· 1508
· Khora
· PDC
· Mu.St.
· Mano
· EVRYONE
· Metaweb
This human-centric approach ensures an ethical and sustainable future for tech that enriches quality of life. A future where we can safely allow children to learn and explore in the Metaverse, preserve our cultural heritage in a meaningful digital way, or where we can experience new forms of art, music, and expression.
House of Creative Denmark is facilitated by: The Confederation of Danish Industries, The Trade Council in New York and Houston, Healthcare Denmark, Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies, and Creative Denmark.
