Sally Sow and Turn UP: Winners of the Flemingsberg Science Award IDEA 2024

The music world can be a challenging place, both for organizers trying to reach their audience and for music lovers searching for events that suit their taste. Sally Sow, the winner of the Flemingsberg Science Award IDEA 2024, has developed Turn Up, a platform that simplifies organizing, discovering, and participating in local music events. With a focus on inclusion and accessibility, she aims to create a music scene where everyone feels welcome.

“In general, it sounds great to strive for inclusivity, but I will work very hard for it because I’m genuinely passionate about it and have spent many years working as a personal assistant. I have friends who are deaf, and as a good friend, I’ve learned sign language, for example. Inclusion is incredibly important to me, and I believe Turn Up can become a platform where people feel, ‘this represents me.”

Back in 2015, Sally started a non-profit Facebook group to help Stockholm’s music events reach a broader audience. The group became a success, quickly growing to over 2,500 members. This is where Sally recognized the potential for a larger platform to meet the need for a central hub for music events. During the pandemic, she took the step to further develop her idea with technical expertise and business advice, which marked the beginning of Turn Up.

Turn Up is a digital service that simplifies the promotion of music events. The platform serves as a meeting place where music lovers, organizers, and DJs can come together to share and experience everything from small club gigs to major festivals. With a focus on diversity and inclusion, Turn Up highlights events that represent the entire music scene, including underrepresented groups such as the LGBTQIA+ community and individuals with disabilities. The service makes it easy for users to find and participate in local music events while providing organizers with a powerful tool to reach a wider audience without intermediaries.

“We believe thatTurn Upcan put Flemingsberg on the map as a leading hub for innovative and inclusive music events while also becoming a highly appreciated platform for its users. With its scalable model,Turn Upalso has the potential to expand to more locations, helping more users discover and experience music. By connecting these aspects to Flemingsberg’s development and future plans, we can clearly justify whyTurn Upand Sally Sow are well-deserving winners of this year’s Flemingsberg Science Award IDEA.”–Johnny Högberg, CEO of Flemingsberg Science.

Se the full video interview with Sally.

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