IVA awards its Gold Medals 2026 to Staffan Truvé, Carolina Dybeck Happe, Joakim Lundeberg and Astrid Söderbergh Widding

"This year's gold medallists have made decisive contributions in advanced digital technology, business development, cancer diagnostics and free research. They remind us that much of Sweden's competitiveness rests on free and curiosity-driven research and on a strong industrial base," says Professor Sylvia Schwaag Serger, President of IVA.

Citations for IVA's Gold Medals 2026

Dr Staffan Truvé is awarded IVA's Great Gold Medal for exceptionally distinguished contributions to taking advanced digital technology and artificial intelligence from research to applications of relevance to society. Through ground-breaking entrepreneurship and determined, long-term technical leadership, he has established AI-based analysis for societal and security purposes in internationally successful companies, and has built strong bridges between academia, industry and society.

Carolina Dybeck Happe, MSc in Business and Economics, is awarded IVA's Gold Medal for her contributions to business and industry through bold, long-term leadership in international and complex industrial companies. She has led major restructurings that have strengthened competitiveness, profitability and shareholder value, with investment in sustainability, digitalisation and growth as central elements. By combining financial discipline with strategic renewal, she has created sustained profitability in times of rapid transformation.

Professor Joakim Lundeberg is awarded IVA's Gold Medal for ground-breaking contributions to molecular biotechnology and genomics, in particular the development of spatial transcriptomics. The method makes it possible to map gene expression directly in the spatial context of tissues, providing new insights into biological systems and disease processes, not least in cancer research. Lundeberg's work has also had a major industrial impact through successful commercialisation and global use.

Professor Astrid Söderbergh Widding is awarded IVA's Gold Medal for her tireless defence of the freedom of research and the independence of universities, and for her clear support for research and knowledge production that cross boundaries at a time of far-reaching societal change. Her collegial leadership, strong integrity and deep knowledge have been, and remain, a model and an inspiration for academic leaders in Sweden and internationally.

Films and further information about this year's gold medallists

Facts and presentation of the medals

Media are welcome to contact Per Andersson, Press Officer at IVA, on +46 72 071 39 73 to arrange interviews with the medallists.

IVA's Gold Medals will be presented at IVA's Annual Meeting on 23 October.