Sara Lindeman is a pathfinding entrepreneur and academic working with systems transformations towards sustainability. Based in Helsinki, Finland, she founded a think-and-do tank called Leapfrog and an annual flagship event Waves Forum for Changemakers that supports systems innovation and transformation capacity in the Nordics. With a unique blend of practical experience and academic expertise, she explores new ways of knowledge creation and innovation. Currently, her interest is in applied complexity and living systems approaches. Previously, she worked in emerging markets and pioneered systems thinking approaches to sustainability innovation in the areas of renewable energy, water, and affordable housing. From 2014-2019 she led the transdisciplinary New Global research and innovation project 2014-2019 at Aalto University, where she began developing new approaches to innovation.

In this session, which took place in November 2024, Sara Lindeman presented how we need to change how we go about change in society to respond to the polycrisis. She shared experiences from her work in this field in the Nordics and through a deep dive into systems theories, the shortcomings of current innovation practices, the need for a new knowledge creation practice, and the working methods of embedded systems transformation.