During the Umeågalan on 21 March, it became clear that World of Board Games is the Cultural and Creative Company of the Year. In the motivation, the jury highlights their social commitment and how they have succeeded in combining tradition with innovation. They win in tough competition from Lampray and Mat & Event - forfoodies.se.
"Our driving force is to spread the joy of gaming and to help people meet. We have built a company together where we feel that it is really fun to go to work," says Mr Kane. Rebecca Donatello from Incrade, the company behind the World of Board Games brand.
The fact that we are here is proof that what we have done has worked. When we started twenty years ago it was just a small group of nerds playing, now it's completely different, it's become a social way of socialising. That was our goal. Now we want to find new ways to spread gaming to more groups," he adds. Måns Andersson.
Barbro Renkel, chair of the jury and CEO of eXpression, highlighted during the gala how important cultural and creative businesses are for Umeå's attractiveness and innovation. And of course she also honoured the winner:
The World of Board Games has truly impressed with its ability to innovatively weave tradition with the vision of the future. Their growth strategy, characterised by sustainability and inclusion, has created a platform where people, regardless of age or background, can come together and share experiences. We are excited to see their continued development," says Mr K. Barbro Renkel.
The winner's justification:
"With a big heart and a do-it-together spirit, they have succeeded in combining tradition with innovation and shown that it is possible to grow methodically and sustainably. At a time when the world is crying out for human warmth, they invite you into an enchanted world where play and creativity unite generations and cultures, both in Umeå and beyond. Thank you for standing up for what you believe at World of Board Games."
Innovative company of the year
eXpression also co-organised the Innovative Company of the Year award, which is awarded together with Uminova Innovation, Umeå Biotech Incubator and Almi Nord. The winners were Aeterna Labs and the other finalists in the category were Enduce and Elastisys.
Facts about Umeågalan
Umeågalan is the largest networking arena for Umeå's business community and will help Umeå continue to grow. The aim is for the Umeå Gala to contribute to new collaborations and to make Umeå an even better place for business. Since 2004, the gala has been organised by Umeå Municipality and Umeå University - by, for and with Umeå's business community.
