Connect 2026: What Two Days Inside the InnoEnergy Ecosystem Actually Taught Me

That line, shared by Sebastian Clerc, CEO of InnoEnergy, during one of the opening talks, stayed with me longer than I expected.

Connect is the annual flagship event of InnoEnergy Masters+, bringing together all first-year students from across the five programmes and multiple European universities in one place for two days. It is part of the Careers+ pillar and is designed to connect students directly with the energy industry — through structured one-to-one meetings with companies, reverse pitching sessions where employers present their challenges to students, and the final of the Green Seed Journey, InnoEnergy’s entrepreneurship competition for students and alumni.

Students also have the opportunity to meet and connect with alumni — graduates who have been through the same journey and are now working across the European energy sector. These interactions range from informal conversations to structured mentoring, giving students a real and honest picture of what life looks like after Masters+. For a closer look at one alumni’s journey, from Masters+ student to sustainability specialist at one of the world’s largest companies, read From Mechanical Engineer to Sustainability Specialist: Asfand’s Journey Through InnoEnergy Masters+.

Connect 2026 took place in Stockholm, hosted at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and brought together 160 first-year students alongside alumni, industry partners, and InnoEnergy leadership.

I came to Connect 2026 thinking I already understood what InnoEnergy was. As Events Manager of CommUnity+, I had seen the ecosystem from the inside. I knew the structure, the people behind it, the ambition. But over those two days, something shifted. I didn’t just see it — I experienced it differently.

Connect is, by definition, about connection. But what surprised me was how many layers that word actually has.

The most obvious layer was the people. Meeting all 160 first-year students in one place felt like suddenly putting faces, voices, and energy behind what had previously just been names on a screen. You realise quickly that you are surrounded by people who are just as driven, curious, and slightly unsure as you are. Not people who think the same, but people who want to grow together. And that changes the dynamic completely.

Another layer was the connection to industry. During my one-to-one interviews with Schneider Electric, Enline, and PercyROC AB, I realised how different it feels to move from learning to being evaluated. It is one thing to study the energy transition in lectures. It is another to sit across from someone and be asked how you fit into it. Those conversations were not just about opportunities — they were about clarity.

One moment that captured this shift in a completely different way was the Green Seed Journey final. Watching students step on stage to pitch their ideas was both impressive and slightly uncomfortable, because you could feel how much was on the line for them. They were not just presenting concepts — they were putting themselves out there.

What stood out to me was not perfection. It was conviction. You could see how much they believed in what they were building. That kind of passion is rare, and honestly, it is contagious. Sitting there, I caught myself thinking that next year, I do not want to just watch. I want to be up there as well.

But the most unexpected connection was probably the one with myself.

The workshop with David Young stood out — not because it was motivational, but because it was uncomfortable in a very precise way. Instead of focusing on what we should become, it forced us to look at what we already are. Questions like “what are you naturally good at?” sound simple, but they are surprisingly difficult to answer honestly. His idea of turning strengths into “super strengths” and taking small, imperfect steps instead of waiting for the perfect moment stayed with me.

One point in particular kept coming back to me afterwards — the idea of “banking your successes”. It made me realise how often we focus on what we lack instead of what we have already built. In an environment like InnoEnergy, where everyone is ambitious, it is easy to constantly compare yourself and forget your own trajectory.

Because Connect is not just about meeting companies, or listening to speakers, or expanding your network. It is about positioning yourself within something bigger. It is about being surrounded by people who are hungry to learn and letting that environment shape you.

Before the event, I already felt like I was part of something special. But during those days, I saw others start to feel it too. And that, more than any talk or workshop, was probably the most meaningful part for me.

If there is one thing I am taking away from Connect 2026, it is that connection is not a one-time moment. It is something you build continuously — with others, with the industry, and with yourself.