The Nordic

The “tech startup ecosystem” Livit, which operates internationally,  focuses strongly on international talent. Why? To get the best educated employees, gain local insights on specific countries, be able to communicate fluently with international customers – and have the most dedicated employees. Livit has a combined 100 employees in 5 offices worldwide; Bandung in Indonesia, Copenhagen, Zurich, Switzerland, Ukraine and Bali.  …

The South by Southwest Festival (SXSW) is more like a festival than a traditional expo. It figures, as it has its roots as a film and music festival. SXSW consists of three main parts: Interactive, Music and Film.  My company, Vincit Oy, came for the Interactive part, as part of one of the Finnish companies coming along with the Nordic …

Earlier this month, a #nordicmade delegation of 30 Nordic startups attended the LAUNCH Festival in San Francisco.  The tour, organized by STARTNordic, was part of an initiative that promotes the Nordic startup scene by connecting it to other startup ecosystems around the globe.  Juraj Pal of Sure gives a recap of the festival. Juraj Pal is a founder of Sure, …

Couriers Track has created an infographic of their top cost-cutting tips for startups, including  digital advertising, “cloudsourcing”, and taxes. Check it out below. Infographic courtesy of CouriersTrack.

In a male dominated industry women excel in the world of investing.  Read on to learn why women make better investors than men. The world has changed a lot in the last 50 years; many industries that were once exclusively dominated by men have become more transparent and equal to both genders where applicants compete on their abilities. However as …

In the Nordics, venture capitalists (VCs) are looking for smaller investments that are more secure in comparison to Silicon Valley. There has been a staggering 30% decrease in the number of $10m+ rounds in the Nordic technology sector within the first six weeks of 2016 alone. This has helped to spur companies such as Capital on Stage, who aim to …

This year’s South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival is now in full swing.  The entire world has gathered for the massive event, which includes film and music festivals, and a technology conference where the latest trends and innovations make their world premiers.  But this year, like previous years, Denmark is practically invisible. The SXSW Festival is one of the largest festivals …

The phenomenon of innovations from the emerging world making great impact in developed markets, popularly known as “reverse innovation”,  has been keenly observed since the 80’s. Read on to learn which trends in fintech from emerging economies gaining traction in the developed world. Reverse innovation is generally a response to global MNCs falling short of fulfilling the market needs in …

Polar  Bear Pitching 2016 is a global investment event where over the course of 2 days startups from different countries introduce their projects to the whole world – from a freezing ice hole in Oulu, Finland.  We interviewed Anna Svirelkina from To Round about her experience. The event, which is held yearly, allows competing startups to communicate with investors and …

Studies in Sweden and Norway show that students who play computer games do better in school.  And in Denmark, new research shows that playing computer games helps young people improve their social skills and create more friendships. By Tobias Thomasen Computer games have been blamed for many negative things.  Most often, they are thought to encourage violent and boorish behavior …

All in all there are about 1000 #NordicMade people in Austin for SXSW, representing over 100 tech/startup companies and tens of bands and films and filmmakers.  Mobile sensai Peter Gréen blogs from the #NordicLightHouse at SXSW. Day 1 of #NordicLightHouse The Nordics are here for two main activities; the Nordic Light House program running from Saturday to Tuesday, and the …

Business schools and MBA programs will help you calculate market size. This post will not. Instead it will do the opposite. It will deconstruct market size into what really matters. Knowledge is power. Use it. Many founders go after billion dollar markets. Or so they say. They think they must. Everyone knows that is what investors want. So founders adapt …

Crowdsourcing isn’t a buzzword, neither is the sharing economy, crowdfunding, blockchain or collaborative economy—they’re already part of our lives. The cumulative disruption of these crowd-powered paradigms will have a significant influence on sectors worldwide. The question is: how will you position your company? We have heard these terms for the past couple of years, however, this year, you need to …

Singapore has unveiled a plan to become the world’s leading startup ecosystem within fintech, challenging similar initiatives in the Nordic countries. Singapore has developed a lot since becoming independent in 1965. Before, the country was a central post for major banks and finance houses, but as the country looks to the future, it has shifted it’s focus towards startups. In …

For many startups looking to raise venture capital, it looks like traditional equity is no longer enough.  More and more startups are looking at convertible notes or other debt alternatives. By Andrew Woodman Earlier this week, CB insights noted a 700% increase in the dollars raised through convertible notes – that’s basically loans that convert into equity at later rounds …

A new report by BDO and Danske Bank singles out Nordic fintech disrupters as medicine for “sick” banking industry, and emphasizes the need for both fintech startups and traditional banks to form symbiotic relationships if they want to create true positive disruption. “The Fintech Disruptors Report: Nordic Edition” analyzes current trends in the fintech industry across Europe and the Nordic …

From protein bars made of insects to exercise bikes that combine exercise with gaming and VR, to products that contribute to global biodiversity, to AI-powered products that find sustainable restaurants. These are just a few of the 30 Nordic startups that are going to participate in a #Nordicmade tour at the LAUNCH Festival in San Francisco. The delegation consists of …

Successful global growth of ICT, Medtech, green tech and consumer product innovations can be the future for the Nordic economies.  But the process from idea to market success is quite different for the Nordic countries compared to the US. By Jennifer Vessels Sustainable growth requires more than a product idea.  It demands skillful commercialization to drive customer adoption and revenue …

Known for its technologically innovative startup scene, Estonia has spawned many an international startup successes. The likes of Skype, TransferWise, Pipedrive and GrabCAD have dominated the international news until recently. Now, Greenhouse CI hopes to grow mobile apps from it’s base in Tartu. Estonia’s second largest city, Tartu, is emerging as a startup hub. The locally renowned Garage 48 Hub …

The learning curve is steep, but exciting, for 6 Danish founders participating in a US Entry Bootcamp, at Lemonsqueeze in Brooklyn, aimed at ”preparing for a successful launch in the US.” Where Silicon Valley is focused on trends like drones, blockchain and deeplinks, the New York startup scene is broader; tech is just one of several big industries, including finance, …