Three questions to Anne-Marie Öhlén
Scania Growth Capital is Scania’s corporate venture capital fund. It invests in companies working on the transition to a sustainable transport system and in companies with a potential to develop new technology and new business models.
Anne-Marie Öhlén, Director, Finance Processes and Innovation at Scania, and board member of AKOA, why did Scania invest in AKOA?
AKOA focuses on automation of business processes through technologies such as robotics, virtual assistants, chatbots and artificial intelligence. AKOA has established itself as a world leader in this fast-growing area. In parallel the company has created and developed a very positive corporate culture.
Through this investment Scania can, at an early stage, take part in development and innovation that is relevant to our industry, also things outside our core business. At the same time we can contribute with our perspective, as a major industrial player.
How can you, from a Scania point of view, contribute to the success of AKOA?
With my experience from IT, HR and Finance, I can contribute with a broad customer perspective from a large international industrial company. But I can also bring in views on business and service development, development of business models, to name a few.
What can Scania co-workers with entrepreneurial skills or interests learn from AKOA?
They can learn how to build an idea with a strong team spirit and focus on the customer in all situations. Also, while growing in an early stage, realize the importance of setting a methodology and approach to being able to scale up their idea as they grow.