Great investors are almost like the rock stars of the startup world. Who does not want to get a meeting with Tim Draper or Gil Penchina regarding the next funding round? Well, sometimes your dream investor is only one phone call away. In the Nordics we have plenty of local superstar investors that can help you to bring your business to the next level.
Nordic Startup Awards listed top 5 individuals or investment companies that have displayed the best investment acumen in a given Nordic country. The list is based on an exit, early investment of a notable startup, or realization of an earlier investment they have done over the last year. Check out the list of nominees for the Best Investor in the Nordics and vote for your top one here.
Iceland
Linda Björk Ólafsdóttir, investor from Tennin, Icelandic angel investment company founded in 2015.
Guðbjörg Edda Eggertsdóttir, a private investor. Her previous positions include President & EVP Strategic Projects of Actavis Plc in Iceland, a global integrated specialty pharmaceutical company; Deputy CEO and EVP Third Party Sales at Actavis Group hf.; Deputy CEO, Head of R&D, Assistant Managing Director, Development Manager, Regulatory Manager and Marketing Manager at Delta hf.; and Medical Representative at Pharmaco hf. President of the European Generic Medicines Association (now Medicines for Europe) from 2011-2013.
Bala Kamallakharan, a private investor, entrepreneur, mentor, startup coach, startup community hacker, speaker and founder of Startup Iceland.
Frumtak Ventures II, Reykjavik-based company investing in creative teams and ideas that solve real-world problems and reinforce Iceland’s reputation for profitable innovation.
Eyrir Invest, an international investment company that focuses on investments in industrial companies that have the potential to become true global leaders. Eyrir’s investment strategy does not follow any preconceived timeframe. Its “Buy and Build” strategy has a proven track record as shareholder value has increased well above market returns since foundation.
Norway
SNÖ Ventures, a seed stage venture capital firm focused on empowering the next generation of Nordic tech superstars. They are builders and entrepreneurs themselves, with unique digital expertise, and they are extremely passionate about the various aspects that make a startup succeed.
Alliance Ventures, a leading Norwegian early-stage IT/Tech investor. The company invests in talented teams with global ambitions. Recent investments include Xeneta, Kolonial.no, Fusetools and Arundo Analytics.
Anniken Fjelberg, angel investor and mentor. Fjeldberg worked as a strategic branding, design and communication advisor for most of the biggest brands and companies throughout the Nordic region, including many international companies. In 2012, he co-founded 657 Oslo, Norway’s largest coworking space for the creative industries, housing almost 200 people from 90 different companies. He also co-founded the communications agency Superblaise within 657 Oslo in 2013, which currently boasts 20 employees.
CoFounder, investment company with the team of experienced entrepreneurs and business developers that offer management resources and pre-seed capital. They work with spin-offs both from research and industrial institutions as well as independent entrepreneurs.
Sprettert, Stavanger-based group of investors focused on early stage investments in Norway. The members of the group came together after attending Angel Challenge Stavanger, all with the common goal of investing in local startups with great ideas and solid teams.
Denmark
Accelerace, one of the world’s top 10 seed accelerators. Since 2008 Accelerace has spotted, trained and invested in more than 400 of the most promising Danish and international startups and growth companies. 88% of the companies are still on the market today. As part of the national Scale-up Denmark initiative Accelerace is scaling up startups within tech, foodtech, cleantech, life sciences and welfare technologies through guidance and mentoring from skilled serial entrepreneurs, camps and network. Accelerace has invested in more than 69 promising startups, who have been through the Accelerace program and have started partnerships with Maersk, Novo Nordisk Foundation. Arla, Foss, NRGI, Business Lolland-Falster, Bang & Olufsen, SE, Endesa & Enel.
Northcap, Copenhagen-based team of experienced professionals with operational backgrounds building tech companies and comprehensive venture capital experience. The company invests in ICT B2B and B2B2C start-ups in Northern Europe.
Syddansk Innovation, a pre-seed venture capital investor in Denmark. They are one of the four approved innovation incubators, which invests on behalf of the Danish state. SDI invests in approximately 20 innovative business ideas a year, and we help and assist entrepreneurs in an early stage of their projects, with the purpose to commercialize their business idea, and to attract new investors. They invest in a broad range of technologies which includes ICT & Big Data, Industry & Cleantech, Life Science & Wellfaretech.
Tommy Andersen, serial tech entrepreneur and business angel focused on syndicated investments primarily in the Nordics and USA. Co-founder and CEO of Libratone, Embedit & TechPeople and today manages a portfolio of early-stage startups targeting solutions within Software/SaaS, IoT, Consumer Electronics and Green/Sustainable businesses. He is a Founding Partner of Nordic Makers, an investment collective of Nordic tech entrepreneurs leveraging their joint expertise and network to help entrepreneurs build great and enduring companies.
Jesper Buch, award winning Danish investor. Jesper Buch was awarded the “Pioneer Award 2014″ for his work with internet companies in Denmark, and “Investor Of the Year 2014″ in Denmark and Investor of the year, peoples choice 2014″ in Scandinavia @ Nordic Startup Awards. Jesper and his portfolio have been directly or indirectly involved in 7 Series A fundings, 2 series B funding and one Series C funding (2014). In 2000 he founded one of the world’s biggest E-commerce successes which is known today as just-eat.com (Group). Just-Eat went on London Stock Exchange and the valuation around 5B USD.
Sweden
EQT Ventures, European VC fund with commitments of just over €566 million and offices in Stockholm, Amsterdam, London and Luxembourg. Fuelled by some of Europe’s most experienced company builders, EQT Ventures help the next generation of entrepreneurs with capital and hands on support. EQT Ventures is part of EQT, a leading alternative investments firm with approximately EUR 35 billion in raised capital across 22 funds. EQT funds have portfolio companies in Europe, Asia and the US with total sales of more than EUR 17 billion and approximately 100,000 employees.
Hampus Jakobsson, angel investors with over 65 investments. He likes deep tech built by agile minds. Originally computer science engineer who founded two startups.
Erik Byrenius, angel investor, co-founder and former CEO of the OnlinePizza group, doing online food ordering in Europe. Took the company to profitability with 100+ employees in 4 countries (market leader in all of them) and almost one million delivered meals per month. Exited to Delivery Hero in 2012. He is now a Stockholm-based angel investor, focusing on investments in early-stage tech companies. Erik is also a partner of Nordic Makers, a group of ten top Nordic angels working tightly together to be the best angel/early seed investor in the Nordics.
Moor Capital, a private investment company funded by a highly successful serial entrepreneur. Moor’s investment approach is opportunistic in terms of size, stage and geography. They are passionate in supporting our portfolio companies and make a real personal commitment to each one.
Niklas Adalberth, co-founder and board member of Klarna. In 2016 he founded Norrsken Foundation, with the intention to incubate, develop and invest in intitiaves that make the world a better place. Adalberth, through Norrsken Foundation, is also behind the building of Norrsken House, which he intends to make Europe’s biggest hub for a better world – 2,400 square meters in central Stockholm, intented to accomodate 300 social entrepreneurs.
Finland
Juha Ruohonen, private investor and founder of Superhero Capital, currently helping Nordic tech companies to enter the global markets. Before Superhero he has been involved with several high-growth, VC -funded startups aiming for global markets. Companies include Supponor, Eniram, HyperIn, Upstream Engineering and Epicrystals. Total capitalization of the companies exceeds 20 M€.
Wave Ventures, the first student-run VC fund in the Nordics (and the biggest in Europe). The fund invest in the pre-seed phase in teams with the boldest global ambitions.
Lifeline Ventures, company investing in health, games, web and tech. They invested in companies like Ambrontie, Better Doctor, Digital Workforce, Enevo, Iceye and much more. Lifeline Ventures mostly invests in early-stage companies.
Timo Tirkkonen, partner at InVenture, a venture capital firm actively developing Nordic early stage technology companies. Inventure manages funds with over EUR 100 million in total capital base. Inventure is owned by the management team. Inventure has offices in Finland and in China.
Ilkka Kivimaki, investor at InVenture, Chairman at Slush, AIMotive, Wolt, Umbra&Kasvuryhmä, and a Member TeamFinland and TIN.
