The situation
Svedea sought to create a distinctive kickoff experience rather than a conventional conference format. The organization aimed to strengthen community bonds, clarify goals, and foster employee pride and ownership for the year ahead among 240 staff members.
They selected Hotell Södra Berget in Sundsvall as the venue and adopted an Olympic theme, drawing inspiration from the Olympic year and company culture to celebrate individuals and build team unity.
The challenge
Generating authentic engagement across 240 people proved difficult using conventional communication tools. Email messages get buried, Teams notifications compete for attention, and fragmented information channels create confusion for both attendees and organizers.
Svedea needed:
- Mechanisms to cultivate anticipation and team spirit months in advance
- One unified platform consolidating train tickets, room assignments, activity selections, and packing information
- Capacity to deliver customized attendee details without overwhelming others
- Efficient voting and interactive processes during the event
How they used Ventla
The platform launched six months before the event, gradually consolidating all communications away from email and Teams into a single hub.
Attendees were organized into teams of ten, each representing an Olympic nation, and completed monthly challenges via the app: step challenges and Olympic-themed activities that established camaraderie before departure. A virtual hotel tour enhanced anticipation further.
All logistics (tickets, transportation schedules, room assignments, workshop preferences, activities, and packing guides) resided in one location. Attendees accessed personalized information directly without searching emails.
During the event, digital voting replaced paper ballots for Team of the Year selections, and real-time push notifications kept attendees updated throughout the programme.
The result
The kickoff achieved a 9.26 out of 10 overall satisfaction rating, among the highest in Svedea's history. Attendees characterized the experience as professional, inspiring, and educational.
The six-month engagement strategy sustained momentum throughout the two-day event, enabling organizers to prioritize experience while participants focused on connection.