“0.5% of the population knows how to code – We’re building a tool for the other 99.5%”

    Weld, a Swedish startup, launches a tool that allows non-techies to create both websites and prototypes – and later this year they’ll also launch a platform for creating mobile apps.

    The co-founder and CEO of Weld, Tom Söderlund, says their idea is to bring a creative software available for anyone: “First we all got the opportunity to create content such as music, movies and pictures – And now we want to do the same for creating interactive applications by providing a powerful and easy to use tool for building websites and mobile apps.”

    “0.5% of the population knows how to code – We’re building a tool for the other 99.5%,” says Söderlund.

    Söderlund describes that there’s two ways to create interactivity through Weld websites: with a drag and drop tool or through advanced widget API.

    In comparison to other easy to use website platforms ‘somewhere in between real coding’ such as Squarespace, Weld doesn’t want to lock in the users to a template. That’s why Söderlund describes their product as “the middle road tool” that enables being creative in an easy to use platform.

    Alongside designers who want creative freedom, Söderlund sees the future user base of Weld also among consumers and hobbyists who want to get started with building up their own web services. He also describes that it’s a perfect tool for an entrepreneur creating a company landing page for instance.

    “There’s a lot of people who have a dream of app or web project – but no previous experience and no self esteem to start one. That’s why we have for instance founded a community in Sweden called “I have an app/website idea, but I need help with getting started” to support people with great ideas who need help with proceeding with their projects,” Söderlund tells.

    Community is all in all in the heart of Weld as everything that is created with their tools will be sharable with all other users.

    “Sure, we’re building a business, but it’s also a matter of democracy in a world that is becoming entirely digital,” says Söderlund.

    Weld was founded in 2014 by Söderlund, a games entrepreneur who recently left 3D startup Goo Technologies, and Henric Malmberg, an experienced developer from the groundbreaking online TV service Magine TV.

    After going live in 2015, the company will focus on growing and building additional interactive features.

    Weld is funded by Swedish business angels including Tommy Palm and Alexander Ekvall, the co-creators of Candy Crush Saga, as well as Swedish governmental agencies Vinnova and Almi Företagspartner.