Nordicmade.org showcases the Nordic startup ecosystem
NordicMade.org brings together the disparate grassroots movements in the Nordic startup community. Hashtag communities such as this have sprung up over the past few years to help promote entrepreneurship ecosystems.
The purpose of Nordic Made (#Nordicmade) is to showcase the Nordic startup environment. Although the Nordic countries represent less than 4% of the total European population, they account for 26% of all exit businesses over the past five years, and have the highest per capita number of billion dollar-valued companies, surpassed only by Silicon Valley.
#NordicMade – a strong startup community
What is it that makes the Nordic startup scene special? There is a strong bond between the Nordic countries, and within the startup community, strong networks exist between the countries to provide mentorship, capital, talent, and support.
Among the Nordic success stories are Skype, Spotify, Zendesk, and Candy Crush Saga. The strong brands and businesses that are being created in the Nordic countries show young people following the entrepreneurial dream, and inspiring others.
NordicMade, driven by Nordic Innovation, is a collection of Nordic startup stories from #Helyes (Helsinki), #Silconfjord (Norway), #Cphftw (Copenhagen), #sthlmtech (Stockholm) and #startupIceland (Iceland). These are Nordic hashtag communities that have grown up over the last few years, and which work to strengthen Nordic startup eco–system.
A common startup environment is intended to create the framework and a platform where people can learn about and help each other. In addition, it is also a place where a common agenda can be formed, that helps promote the community to the outside world – especially for attracting investors.
Although the Nordic countries cannot compete with the United States in terms of population and thus potential market size, this is not necessarily a disadvantage. Nordic countries have a tech-savvy population, and are early adopters of new technologies. This makes them a great market to test a new product. And the interest from international investors in the region, and international exits from Nordic companies, shows that starting up a business in a smaller market can still lead to great success.
One of Europe’s largest startup and investor events, Slush, occurred on the 11th and 12th of November 2015. The event is based in Helsinki, and thus there is a strong focus on Nordic collaboration in entrepreneurship.
This year, Slush presented a wide range of inspirational speakers who offered their view on the future of entrepreneurship. The group of speakers includes among others the founder of Skype and Atomico, Niklas Zennström, who spoke about what it means to be a European company.
Nordicmade promoted their initiative at a NASDAQ opening bell ceremony on the morning of the second day. The hope is to continue to build momentum within the Nordic startup ecosystem, and to further generate international interest in Nordic companies.
In addition to speakers, the event is also a place for networking, and it is expected that Slush 2016 will once again draw 15,000 participats to Helsinki next year. Find out more here.
