Interview with Goran Cvetanovski

The founder behind the Data Innovation Summit

Introduction

Goran Cvetanovski is the Founder and CEO of Hyperight AB, the visionary organization behind the Data Innovation Summit. With over a decade at the helm as a Founder and Editorial Director, Goran has played a pivotal role in curating, shaping, and scaling the summit into one of the world’s foremost platforms for data, analytics, and AI professionals. Under his leadership, the event has evolved from a regional gathering into a truly global movement, with editions now hosted in Stockholm, Dubai, Singapore, and Melbourne. The Stockholm edition—award-nominated and the flagship event—is not only the largest gathering among all regional editions but is also widely recognized as one of the most influential events globally in the field of data and AI. Today, the Data Innovation Summit serves as a vital nexus for cross-industry collaboration, connecting thought leaders, practitioners, and innovators from every corner of the world.

Background and Experience

Can you tell us a bit about your event and what led you to choose Kistamässan as the venue?

Our decision to move the Data Innovation Summit to Kistamässan in 2018 was a strategic milestone, driven by the rapid growth of the event and our transition from a traditional conference format to a more dynamic Confex (conference + expo) model. We needed a venue that could match our vision—modular and flexible enough to support a multi-track, multi-featured setup, while also accommodating the increasing scale of the Summit and our long-term growth ambitions.

Kistamässan stood out as the ideal choice—not only for its capacity and layout, but also for its accessibility, located conveniently close to central Stockholm with excellent public transportation links. Just as importantly, it offered a cost structure that was both transparent and sustainable, aligning with our commitment to delivering high-value experiences without compromising on quality. It’s been a strong partnership that has supported the continued evolution of the event.

What were the key criteria for selecting an event venue, and how did Kistamässan meet these requirements?

When selecting a venue for the Data Innovation Summit, our criteria extended beyond just shape, size, location, and cost—we were searching for a long-term home that could evolve with the event. Kistamässan not only met these requirements, but exceeded them on multiple fronts.

Its modular design, featuring open exhibition areas and pre-furnished conference rooms, allowed us to scale the event seamlessly. We’ve been able to expand into a full Confex experience—hosting multiple exhibition zones, parallel conference stages, workshops, lounges, roundtables, and interactive formats—all under one roof. Today, the Summit welcomes over 100 global and regional exhibitors, more than 3,500 paying participants, and features over 250 speakers across 9 stages and 7 workshop rooms.
Location-wise, Kistamässan is a perfect fit. Situated in Kista—the tech hub of Stockholm—it offers immediate relevance for our audience, many of whom are based in the area. Its close proximity to the city center, with excellent public transport links, ensures accessibility without compromising on scale or innovation. It’s a venue that truly supports our ambition.

Experience and Collaboration with Kistamässan

How has your experience been working with the Kistamässan team before and during the event?

One of the standout aspects of our partnership with Kistamässan has been the exceptional collaboration and open communication with both the venue team and their extended network of suppliers. From the very beginning, our project managers at Kistamässan have felt like a natural extension of our own team—fully invested in the success of the event.

In particular, I want to acknowledge the individuals who have been instrumental to our execution year after year: Nathalie from Kistamässan, Roy from KM Restaurants, Marcus from Workman and Per from Scen Teknik. Their professionalism, responsiveness, and dedication have been critical to delivering a seamless experience for our participants, partners, and speakers.

Equally important is the leadership behind the scenes. The management team at Kistamässan deserves recognition for fostering a culture of transparency, flexibility, and trust—qualities that are invaluable in large-scale event production. It’s this spirit of true partnership that has made our collaboration both effective and enjoyable.

Which facilities and services at Kistamässan have been the most valuable for your event?

Given the scale and complexity of the Data Innovation Summit, we now utilize 100% of Kistamässan’s space and facilities—making it difficult to single out just one standout feature. However, in the earlier stages of our growth, the modular stages in Hall A were particularly valuable. Their flexibility allowed us to deliver high-quality, visually compelling productions within a dynamic, multi-track format—an essential capability for us, especially as early adopters of hybrid event models dating back to 2016.

Our event is both vibrant and demanding in terms of production and logistics, especially as a paid-to-attend experience. We provide a full-service delegate journey, including wardrobe services, food, and refreshments. Over the years, through close collaboration with Nathalie from Kistamässan and Roy from KM Restaurants, we’ve been able to refine every aspect of the onsite experience—creating a seamless, queue-free, and memorable environment for our attendees. Their support has been instrumental in delivering the high standards our audience expects.

How did you experience the logistics and accessibility for your attendees and exhibitors?

We’ve had a very positive experience in terms of logistics and accessibility. Working closely with our dedicated project team at Kistamässan, we’ve implemented streamlined protocols and well-orchestrated processes that are both intuitive and clearly communicated to all delegates. By integrating those with our seamless self-check-in and real-time communication solution Agorify, we’ve elevated the overall experience for our exhibitors, speakers, and attendees—ensuring efficiency, clarity, and ease from arrival to departure.

Results and Feedback

Which aspects of Kistamässan do you think contributed the most to the success of the event?

While the venue’s layout and capacity naturally support the scale of our event, what truly stands out is the exceptional collaboration with Easyfairs management, the project team at Kistamässan, and their trusted suppliers.

This strong, solution-oriented communication has been instrumental—not only in ensuring flawless operational execution, but also in enabling strategic, long-term planning and continuous event evolution. It’s this level of partnership that plays a key role in delivering the high standard our attendees and partners expect.

Have you received any feedback from attendees or exhibitors regarding the venue or the overall event?

The Data Innovation Summit is, at its core, a community-driven event—created by the community, for the community. Feedback has always been an integral part of our development process. Each year, we conduct in-depth delegate surveys and product evaluations, and this insight directly informs our event strategy and continuous improvement efforts.

Equally important is the transparent collaboration we maintain with our project manager at Kistamässan and key suppliers, where we share and act on this feedback. It’s a straightforward yet highly effective approach that has led to consistently positive praise from both attendees and exhibitors.

Are there any specific memories or highlights from the event that you would like to share?

There are a lot of great memories. I often reflect on our first edition at Kistamässan in 2018—it laid the foundation for what would become the leading data and AI event in the Nordics.

A particularly powerful moment was in 2019, when we expanded into the full capacity of the venue and walked into a buzzing hall filled with world-class exhibitors and thousands of engaged attendees—it truly brought our vision to life. Returning to Kistamässan in 2021 after the pandemic was another defining moment. We were proud to host the first post-COVID onsite expo in the Nordics, which carried immense symbolic value for both our team and the community. Then in 2022, we introduced a circular stage at the heart of the expo floor—designed to foster intimacy, interaction, and a sense of shared innovation.

In 2023, having Marcus Wallenberg officially open the summit was a major honor and affirmation of the event’s growing influence. And most recently, the 2024 edition brought a high-energy, festival-like atmosphere—with immersive stage designs, a strong lineup of global speakers, standout exhibitors, and even a techno-concert vibe that added an unforgettable creative layer to the experience.

Every year builds on the last, and it’s that continuous reinvention and community spirit that makes each edition truly special.

Future and Recommendations

Would you recommend Kistamässan to others planning similar events?

Absolutely. Kistamässan stands out as one of the few venues in Sweden that combines scale, functionality, and adaptability—making it an ideal platform for companies looking to elevate and expand their event concepts.

I firmly believe that Sweden has the potential to be a global hub for world-class conferences and expos. To achieve this, we need venues like Kistamässan that support not just logistics, but creativity, innovation, and international appeal. It’s a strategic venue for those who are serious about delivering high-impact, future-ready events.

Conclusion

At Hyperight, we believe that impactful events are built on strong partnerships, bold ideas, and an unwavering focus on community.
The Data Innovation Summit is more than a conference—it’s a global movement that brings together the brightest minds in data and AI to ignite innovation, challenge the status quo, and shape the future.

This year, we are proud to celebrate a major milestone: the 10th anniversary edition of the Data Innovation Summit, taking place on May 7–8 at Kistamässan. It will be our biggest, most insightful, and most entertaining event yet—featuring guests and dignitaries from over 50 countries, all coming together to celebrate progress, share breakthroughs, and spotlight real-world impact in data and AI. For those already working in the field—and for anyone looking to better understand how to practically implement these technologies—I warmly invite you to join us. It’s an unparalleled opportunity to connect, learn, and be inspired.

We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built alongside Kistamässan and even more excited about what lies ahead. As we continue to grow and evolve, our mission remains clear: to create platforms that inspire, connect, and drive meaningful change—locally and globally.

Thank you once again for the opportunity to share our journey, I hope to see you in May at Kistamässan – it’s going to be an amazing event! / Goran Cvetanovski, Founder of the Data Innovation Summit.

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Interview

Interview with the founder behind the Data Innovation Summit

Goran Cvetanovski is the Founder and CEO of Hyperight AB, the visionary organization behind the Data Innovation Summit. With over a decade at the helm as a Founder and Editorial Director, Goran has played a pivotal role in curating, shaping, and scaling the summit into one of the world’s foremost platforms for data, analytics, and AI professionals. Under his leadership, the event has evolved from a regional gathering into a truly global movement, with editions now hosted in Stockholm, Dubai, Singapore, and Melbourne.

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