NEW DELHI: Ericsson, Telia and a consortium of Swedish industry and research partners have announced the launch of Digital Arena Sweden, a national test center designed to accelerate the development of next-generation connectivity and artificial intelligence technologies.

Backed by an investment exceeding SEK 300 million, the initiative aims to provide Swedish industries with early access to advanced digital solutions in 5G, 6G and AI, helping to strengthen the country's global competitiveness and shorten the journey from innovation to market-ready applications.

Supported by Sweden’s innovation agency Vinnova through the Avancerad Digitalisering innovation program, the collaboration brings together Ericsson, Telia, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, AstaZero, Future by Lund, Lund University, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and other partners.

As part of the initiative, Ericsson will lead the establishment of one of the world’s first pre-commercial 6G test environments, enabling companies, researchers and innovators to explore future use cases years before the technology reaches commercial deployment.

Ericsson Chief Technology Officer Erik Ekudden said the project would ensure Sweden remains at the forefront of technological leadership by creating a platform where AI agents, robotics and autonomous systems can be developed, tested and validated in real-world environments.

Telia Sweden CEO Anders Olsson said the test center would provide businesses with access to the latest 5G and AI capabilities while meeting high standards of security and digital sovereignty. He noted that the initiative would help strengthen Sweden’s digital security, productivity and international competitiveness.

The Digital Arena Sweden platform will support a wide range of sectors, including mining, transport, defense and healthcare technology, allowing enterprises to test and scale innovative applications powered by advanced connectivity and artificial intelligence.

The initiative also builds on the existing Telia-Ericsson NorthStar innovation program and is expected to contribute valuable insights to the global 6G standardization process.

The announcement coincides with the start of Almedalen 2026, Sweden’s premier political and business forum, where industry leaders are discussing the role of digital infrastructure and connectivity in shaping the country’s future economic growth.