Darko Pervan receives Swedish Enterprise Medal 2025

Eight recipients were awarded this year's business medals at the Swedish Royal Patriotic Society’s annual ceremony on 21 May at the House of Knights. Among them was Darko Pervan of Välinge Innovation and the Bjelin Group, honoured ‘for transforming the flooring industry with a clever invention and building a world-leading company’. HRH Prince Daniel presented the medals, and the nominating member was Hans von Stockenström.

After working in various industrial companies, including developing the world's first laminate flooring, Darko Pervan founded Välinge Innovation in 1994 to test and realise an idea. The invention, as simple as it was ingenious, was a clickable floor that enables the installation of floors without glue or nails. 100 million bottles of glue were no longer needed every year. This technology was the first of its kind in the world and revolutionized the industry.

“What I am most proud of is that I have developed the mechanical locking system for laminate, parquet and vinyl flooring,” says the medallist. “I think I'm quite analytical, because everything you develop is new. There’s no demand, no market. So, if you only go by feelings, you’d think it won’t work because no one uses it. But if the calculations show that the product is very good, cost-effective, environmentally friendly and so on - why wouldn't it work? To be a successful entrepreneur, you have to start with the most important thing: identifying a genuine problem.”

Pervan has created a technology development company that today holds over 3,500 different patents and 300 licensees for its products worldwide. The family has recently reorganised its operations and consolidated the flooring products under the Bjelin Group, where a range of new, more environmentally friendly products are being developed. With seven factories in Sweden and Croatia and sales companies in about ten countries, the aim is now to become a world-leading producer of eco-friendly wood flooring. While the main focus remains on flooring, the company also plans to “intensify its focus on property development, hotels, restaurants, offices and retail spaces.”

This year's recipients of the Enterprise Medal

• Jan-Olof Brüer and Torbjörn Kronander, Sectra (Östergötland County)
• Karin Lundh, Källemo (Jönköping County)
• Claes Magnusson, Hestra (Jönköping County)
• Darko Pervan, Välinge Innovation (Skåne County)
• Jacob Wallenberg, Marcus Wallenberg and Peter Wallenberg Jr, Wallenbergstiftelserna (Stockholm County)

In addition, Katarina Olsson, Professor Emerita in Civil Law at Lund University, receives the Medal for Significant Contributions for her many and varied efforts concerning the Swedish foundation sector.

About the Enterprise Medal
The Royal Patriotic Society established a special award medal in 1982 to honour commendable individual contributions to Swedish enterprise. The award is given for leadership achievements on an ownership basis. The medal is awarded by decision of the Society’s administrative committee following nominations by members and previous medal recipients.