On Friday, April 14, 2023, Lisa Blix Germundsson has successfully defended her doctoral thesis: Knowledge and innovation systems in Swedish horticulture - A study of multi-actor collaboration for impact. Her doctoral thesis focused on understanding how the knowledge and innovation system within Swedish horticulture can be strengthened to meet current and future challenges. The thesis consists of an insightful framing paper and six papers, three of which have already been published and the other three have been submitted to international journals. The results highlight how despite the importance of structures and functions in the knowledge and innovation system, everyday practices and changing procedures are key factors in system level change. In addition, while funding, of course, plays a role in advancing knowledge systems, there are several other paramount issues to address: (1) Creating conditions and opportunities for people to connect and get to know each other; (2) facilitating genuine dialogue among relevant actors; and (3) including many different relevant actors, at the right times, to ensure focus on practical and societal impacts simultaneously with excellent research.