Professor’s portrait: The path towards a better world – one solution at a time
Henrik Barth is solution-oriented – to the extent that he has devoted his entire research career to tackling some of society’s most complex challenges. As a new Professor of Innovation Science at Halmstad University, with a heart that beats a little faster for passionate change-makers, integration, and the transition to a sustainable society, he is driven by a deep desire to create real change.
“Complex solutions can always be developed, but simple and sustainable ones are harder to achieve – they require creativity, innovation and collaboration.”
Henrik Barth, Professor of Innovation Science
Image: AI-generated by Halmstad University
For Henrik Barth, pursuing a career in research was not a given. His initial plan was to enter the business sector, but towards the end of his Master’s studies in Innovation Management, something began to shift. He became increasingly interested in the interface between academia and industry.
“When I realised how much potential there was for development in the collaboration between academia and the business sector, I understood that I could make the greatest impact through research. I wanted to make a real difference and help companies become more innovative”, says Henrik Barth.
20 years of innovation
For over two decades, Henrik Barth has researched innovative processes, focusing on societal challenges such as sustainability, digitalisation and inclusion.
“I work on finding smart and sustainable solutions to societal problems. The goal is to make the world a little better, one solution at a time.”
Henrik Barth, Professor of Innovation Science.
A central part of Henrik Barth’s research is about creating arenas where companies, academia and society can come together to find practical solutions to real problems. A clear example is Fab Lab in Halmstad, which he helped establish nearly ten years ago.
“We started Fab Lab to develop innovative solutions directly in collaboration with businesses and society. One of our first projects was 3DLife, where we used 3D technology to develop individually adapted assistive devices for people with disabilities. It’s amazing to see how a single project can make such a big difference for people.”
Today, Fab Lab has grown into a hub for research projects focused on sustainable and digital manufacturing methods. Henrik Barth’s next major goal is to establish a materials academy in Halland.
“The materials academy is an opportunity to offer concrete support to regional businesses as they transition towards circular and sustainable business models. We need these practical platforms to accelerate change and help companies become more sustainable.”
Volunteering lit a spark
Alongside his research, Henrik Barth is deeply engaged in social issues. During the refugee crisis in 2015, he began volunteering.
“I became a volunteer mainly out of frustration that we couldn’t take care of the refugees arriving in Sweden. If a similar crisis were to happen in Sweden today, civil society would need to take greater responsibility for things to work. That has been an important lesson for me.”
His experience of volunteering became the starting point for several research projects, centred around integration, entrepreneurship and innovation.
“I have met many like-minded people with a clear drive to make a difference. One of my first integration projects made it very clear how vital that mindset is”, says Henrik Barth, and continues:
“I remember that I had prepared a presentation about the support available for entrepreneurs to hire newly arrived immigrants. But when we met with the farmers, we were met with silence – it turned out they weren’t interested in the support schemes at all. Eventually, one of the farmers said, ‘Henrik, we’re here to help – what can we do?’ So, we scrapped the financial presentation and started matching newly arrived immigrants straight away.”
What started as meetings with passionate individuals has grown into international collaborative projects aimed at giving newly arrived immigrants the tools they need to realise their goals – whether that means starting a business or creating a sense of stability in everyday life.
The final exam in the PLOUTOS project course on entrepreneurship and economics, taken by 40 participants, was celebrated with cake. Pictured are Mohamed Barhamje, Ghazal Zalkat and Henrik Barth.
Henrik Barth has carried the lessons from these projects into his work with Ukrainian refugees and hands-on efforts in Ukraine, where local solutions are being developed under difficult conditions. One such project, CRAFT, focuses in part on supporting Ukrainian farmers in the shadow of war.
“We develop solutions that help farmers manage everyday life under the war’s difficult conditions. It’s an example of how local knowledge and research can gain global significance, while simultaneously providing important lessons for Sweden’s own preparedness.”
Innovation that makes a difference
Being a professor is not just about research for Henrik Barth, but also about translating knowledge into action. Creating innovation arenas where theory meets practice is key to meaningful change. By supporting and stimulating such spaces for collaboration, he wants to contribute to solutions that don't just remain on paper but also have a tangible impact on businesses, organisations and society.
For Henrik Barth, sharing his knowledge and supporting the next generation of researchers is a vital part of his role. He regards teaching and mentorship as natural elements of being a professor.
“It’s about creating innovative environments where research meets real-world challenges, and also about encouraging and guiding students and early-career researchers.”
When he looks ahead, he sees great opportunities to drive real change. He believes in the power of people’s commitment and in the idea that the best solutions are often the simplest.
“Complex solutions can always be developed, but simple and sustainable ones are harder to achieve – they require creativity, innovation and collaboration. That’s what makes this work so meaningful: finding viable ways forward, together with others, that truly work – both locally and globally”, says Henrik Barth.
Text: Lovisa Essunger
Photo: Dan Bergmark, PLOUTOS Project
About Henrik Barth
Henrik Barth completed his undergraduate studies in innovation engineering at Mälardalen University and Blekinge Institute of Technology, and later earned a Master’s degree in Innovation Management from Halmstad University. After graduating, he started working in a research project, Innonet, in collaboration with colleagues at what was then the Centre for Work Life Development – an initiative that laid the foundation for his research interest in innovative solutions in close cooperation with businesses.
During his doctoral studies, he spent a year at the University of Limerick in Ireland, where he studied growth-oriented firms and conducted comparative analyses of organisational challenges in Swedish and Irish companies. In 2004, he earned his PhD at Luleå University of Technology with the thesis Barriers to Growth and Development in Small Firms.
After completing his PhD, he returned to Halmstad University, where he held several management positions over the years, including Head of Department and Dean. In 2016, he spent a research period at Queensland University of Technology in Australia, which he combined with volunteer work on farms in New Zealand together with his family.
In 2019, Henrik Barth became Docent at Halmstad University, and in 2025 he was appointed Professor of Innovation Science.
