It has now been decided which innovators will represent Värmland at the national SKAPA Award ceremony in Stockholm in November. Birgitta Persdotter, a researcher in social work and creator of Vaves®, has been named the winner of the 2026 SKAPA Award Värmland. Amal Nammouchi, a former doctoral student at Karlstad University and founder of Wattzo, has been awarded the 2026 SKAPA Talent Award Värmland.
The SKAPA Award is Sweden’s largest innovation award and recognizes innovators who develop new solutions with the potential to create societal benefits, promote sustainable development and drive future growth.
Vaves® is a research-based method and digital platform that strengthens social services’ ability to carry out systematic follow-up, analysis and knowledge development through collaboration between municipalities and academia. For Birgitta Persdotter, the award is an important recognition of her continued work:
“It feels both truly honorable and inspiring. It gives me the energy to continue moving this work forward and, above all, shows that Vaves® addresses the need to create sustainable models for collaboration between academia and practice.”
Amal Nammouchi’s innovation, which forms the basis of the company Wattzo, uses AI to help organizations analyze and optimize their energy consumption.
“Winning the regional SKAPA Talent Award means so much to me and the entire Wattzo team. We are driven by the conviction that energy intelligence can truly improve people’s lives, and this recognition strengthens our commitment to building technology that genuinely makes a difference,” she says.
Demonstrating the breadth of Värmland’s innovation
This year’s jury particularly highlights the winners’ high level of innovation, clear societal benefits and long-term potential.
“It is wonderful to see Birgitta Persdotter and Amal Nammouchi recognized with the SKAPA Award in Värmland. At the same time, Vaves® and Wattzo demonstrate the breadth of the innovation emerging from knowledge developed at Karlstad University. For us, it is important that knowledge developed at the university has the opportunity to be put to use and create value in society. These two examples clearly show how ideas and knowledge can be translated into tangible benefits,” says Margareta Friman, Pro Vice-Chancellor at Karlstad University.
“This year’s winners demonstrate the breadth of innovation in Värmland. One innovation strengthens the welfare systems of the future, while the other contributes to the energy transition. What they have in common is a high level of expertise, strong innovation potential and clear societal benefits,” says Fredrik Östlin, a member of the SKAPA jury in Värmland and an Innovation Advisor at the Grants and Innovation Office.
The next step is the national assessment and award ceremony in Stockholm in November, where Värmland will be represented by two innovations with great potential to contribute to both the welfare of the future and the green transition.
