We were both right and wrong in our projections—right about the direction of change, but far off in our timelines.
When I launched the first ARCTECH Summit in 2025, none of us could have predicted how quickly the Arctic would transform. As a technologist, I saw incredible potential for innovation to address Arctic challenges.
But I also recognized that technology alone couldn't navigate the complex interplay of environmental change, human needs, and geopolitical realities. We needed a forum where diverse perspectives could shape our technological future together.
The past twenty years have brought remarkable progress. Technologies once considered experimental have matured into practical solutions. But most encouraging has been the evolution of our dialogue.
In our early summits, conversations sometimes felt siloed: engineers spoke to engineers, policymakers to policymakers. Today, our sessions blend! The boundaries between disciplines have softened as we've recognized that the most powerful solutions emerge from collaboration.
Of course, challenges remain. The high North of today faces pressures that would have been difficult to imagine twenty years ago. But I remain convinced that by bringing together the world's brightest minds and most diverse perspectives, we can develop technologies that serve both human needs and environmental sustainability.
The North has always been a place of pioneering spirit. At ARCTECH45, we continue that tradition by pioneering not just new technologies, but new ways of developing technology—responsibly, inclusively, and with an eye toward a future where innovation serves all.
I look forward to welcoming you to Stavanger as we write the next chapter in the Arctic's remarkable story.
Sigrid Jørgensen