The Nordic hardtech community
For everyone building hard things in the Nordics.
Hardtech is innovative, complex and physical. Nordic Hardtech exists so the people who build it, fund it and enable it can find each other.
The funding map
ALL 174 INVESTORS →Every Nordic investor with documented hardtech investments, plus the grants and public instruments that fund the other half of the journey from lab to factory.
Centripetal
Invests in early-stage climate tech startups that aim to accelerate decarbonization through scalable innovation.
Kichi Invest
Kichi Invest is a Stockholm private investment firm founded in 2016 by Oscar Ingdahl and Paradox Interactive founder Fredrik Wester, backing Nordic growth stage companies with a broad mandate spanning SaaS, consumer brands and fintech. Its clearest hardtech bet is electric motorcycle maker Stark Future, alongside stakes in Epidemic Sound, Marshall Group, Estrid and Lunar.
SuperHero Capital
Helsinki-based early-stage VC investing in bold founders from Finland and the Baltics, especially in SaaS and deep tech.
Verdane
Verdane is an independent European growth equity investor that partners with tech-enabled and sustainable businesses to accelerate international growth, with offices in Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Helsinki, London, Berlin and Munich. Founded in 2003, the firm has made more than 200 investments across digitalisation and decarbonization themes, spanning growth to buyout stages.
Pre-Seed Ventures
PSV (formerly PreSeed Ventures) is a Copenhagen based venture house rooted at DTU, running three units, the evergreen PSV Foundry, the pre-seed software fund PSV Tech, and PSV Hafnium, a dedicated Nordic deep tech fund backed by EIF and EIFO that has already invested in nine plus deep tech startups across clean energy, semiconductors, photonics and industrial technology.
KTH Ventures
Investment company affiliated with KTH Royal Institute of Technology, supporting commercialization of research and innovation. Formerly KTH Holding. Formerly KTH Ventures.
Kick Kapital
Kick Capital is a Swedish business angel investment vehicle backed by 35 regional business angels and the state venture capital firm Saminvest, run jointly by Blekinge Business Incubator, Kalmar Science Park and Företagsfabriken i Kronoberg. It invests 300,000 to 500,000 SEK via convertible loans exclusively in startups admitted to these three incubator programs in southeastern Sweden.
Curitas Ventures
Curitas Ventures is a Stockholm-based venture capital firm founded in 2020 by Mikael Ahlström and Gerda Larsson that invests in early-stage Nordic entrepreneurs across Disruptive Technology, Life Science and Sustainability; in 2025 its venture portfolio was acquired by Nordic Asia Investment Group 1987 AB, which now operates under the name Collaxio for its unlisted-investments strategy.
Unconventional Ventures
Unconventional Ventures is a Copenhagen-based venture capital firm founded in 2018 that invests in pre-seed and seed stage startups led by underrepresented founders across the Nordics and Europe. The firm targets companies delivering measurable social and environmental impact and is closing an EUR 80 million Fund II.
Grenspecialisten
Grenspecialisten is a Malmö-based investment company owned by Martin Gren, co-founder of Axis Communications, that primarily takes long-term ownership stakes (typically 10%+) in small and mid-cap listed Swedish companies, complemented by a handful of private holdings and fund commitments, including a 2025 role in the Swedish consortium that reacquired MEMS foundry Silex Microsystems.
InnoEnergy (EIT InnoEnergy)
InnoEnergy is the EU-backed clean tech investor founded in 2010 by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, headquartered in Eindhoven with a Swedish entity, KIC IE AB, in Stockholm. It holds equity stakes in 160+ active companies and has backed Nordic hardtech names including Minesto, CorPower Ocean and Northvolt, alongside battery, hydrogen and materials plays across Europe.
EUDIS BAMM
EUDIS BAMM (Business Accelerator) is a public, non-dilutive funding and coaching instrument of the EU Defence Innovation Scheme, run by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space together with a Starburst-led consortium. It selects cohorts of 20 European (EU + Norway) defence-tech start-ups and scale-ups twice a year, giving each a €120,000 seed-financing voucher plus coaching, bootcamps and investor/end-user matchmaking.
The ecosystem
ALL 1161 COMPANIES →Who builds, supplies and enables hardtech across the Nordics, from garage startups to industrial giants. Browse by role, phase and vertical.
Rebaba
Rebaba provides industrial battery storage solutions, offering scalable energy storage systems for commercial applications.
Rosenqvist Rail
Rosenqvist Rail designs and manufactures advanced machinery for efficient and safe railway maintenance worldwide, including fastening machines, sleeper changers and rail equipment.
Manico Funtable
Develops interactive touch tables for educational and recreational purposes, enhancing user engagement through innovative design.
Piteå Science Park
Piteå Science Park is a hub for innovation and development, supporting businesses and projects in creative and technology sectors.
Perimed
By delivering accurate and easy measurement we provide clinicians and researchers with critical insights into microcirculation and peripheral perfusion.
Amphi-tech
Amphi-tech is a Swedish company specializing in inspection, cleaning, and maintenance of drinking water reservoirs using proprietary underwater robotics.
POC (POC Sports)
POC is a Swedish protection brand and manufacturer of helmets, eyewear, body armor and apparel for snow sports and cycling, with a mission to protect lives and reduce the consequences of accidents.
CathVision
CathVision is a medical technology company developing advanced electrophysiology solutions, including the innovative ECGenius System and its AI-driven platform, CARDIALYTICS.
Stilride
Designs and manufactures electric scooters using the STILFOLD technology, focusing on sustainable and innovative mobility solutions.
Kilter
Kilter develops autonomous precision weeding and spraying robots for row and high-value crops, using machine vision and patented droplet technology to target weeds without harming crops.
CTEK
CTEK designs, develops and sells products that resolve a battery's need when it comes to recovery, maintenance and charging, including 12V/24V battery chargers and EV charging solutions.
Studsvik
Studsvik provides advanced technical services to the global nuclear power industry, with a focus on fuel and materials technology, reactor analysis software and radioactive waste management, and is now expanding into new nuclear power plant development including SMR projects.
One sharp email, every two weeks.
Hardtech news from the Nordics and beyond, new raises, events worth travelling for, and the deadlines you should not miss.
Open raises
SEE WHO IS RAISING →Raising for something innovative, complex and physical? Apply in five minutes. We curate, and your round reaches the readers of the newsletter, including the investors on the map. The list is open for the first entries.
The podcast
ALL 37 EPISODES →Conversations with the founders and funders of Nordic hardtech.
EP 19 Jonas Genchel och Zparq: Poddmotorn från KTH som ska driva nästa marina skifte [SWE]
#19. Poddmotorn från KTH som ska driva nästa marina skifte Jonas Genchel , vd och medgrundare av Zparq , gästar podden och berättar hur bolaget utvecklar elektriska poddmotorer från grunden – med egenutvecklad drivlina, styrsystem och batteriteknik. Ambitionen är att göra båtbranschen tystare, grönare och smartare. Zparq föddes ur forskning på KTH och har sedan starten 2020 byggt ett team, säkrat
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EP 4 James Campion och TERASi: In i hjärtat av svensk deeptech
#4. In i hjärtat av svensk deeptech James Campion , grundare av TERASi, gästar podden och berättar hur det är att bygga ett deeptech-bolag i Sverige – med rötterna i forskning, blicken mot 6G och finansieringsgapet ständigt närvarande. Vi pratar om teknik, produkt, kapital och politik. Om att utveckla kommunikationssystem för nästa generations nätverk, och varför det ibland känns som att förklara
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EP 14 Ramtin Massoumzadeh och Quandify: IoT som rinner rakt in [SWE]
#14. IoT som rinner rakt in Ramtin Massoumzadeh , vd och medgrundare av Quandify , gästar podden och berättar hur de byggt en patentskyddad, icke-invasiv vattenmätare – och tagit sig från KTH-labb till lönsam IoT-skala. Quandify utvecklar smart vattenmonitorering utan att riva rör. På några år har de växt till ett team på 20 personer, över 40 MSEK i omsättning och en teknik redo för internationell
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EP 3 Ulrika Tornerefelt och Stella Futura: Från grön vision till laddad expansion [SWE]
#3. Från grön vision till laddad expansion Ulrika Tornerefelt , grundare av Stella Futura , gästar podden och berättar om resan från hållbarhetsrådgivning till att bygga ett snabbväxande energibolag. Från Västafrika till svenska stödtjänstmarknaden, och från idé till skalbar affärsmodell inom “battery as a service”. Vi pratar om lönsam expansion, affärsmodellering, finansieringsstrategier och hur
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EP 20 Ted Elvhage: Rymdkapital & Expansion Ventures – The Nordic Case for Space [ENG]
Episode 20 – The Nordic Case for Space Ted Elvhage , founder of Rymdkapital and Expansion Ventures , joins us to talk spacetech, hardtech investing, and why Europe needs to catch up. From early bets like Pythom Space to advice for angel investors—this is a fast, sharp dive into one of hardtech’s most complex frontiers. Rymdkapital is a Sweden-based investment firm focused on early-stage spacetech
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EP 12 Dora Palfi and imagi: From Neuroscience to Neon Pixels
Episode #12: From Neuroscience to Neon Pixels with imagi Dora Palfi , co-founder and CEO of edtech company imagi , joins the podcast to talk about building tools that make tech education more accessible, playful — and empowering, especially for girls. With a background in both neuroscience and computer science, Dora shares her journey from research to entrepreneurship, and how imagi is redefining
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EP 23 Linda Krondahl från Things: Från hype till handling – hur deeptech blir business [SWE]
Avsnitt 23. Från hype till handling – hur deeptech blir business Linda Krondahl , vd på Things och medgrundare till Ignite Sweden , gästar podden och berättar om sin resa från solenergiprojekt i Indien till att bygga ett nav för deeptech i Sverige. Det här är ett avsnitt om hur affärer slår visioner – och varför svenska storbolag måste vakna. Vi pratar om hur Things blev en katalysator för hardtec
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EP 13 Giovanni Fili från Exeger: att bygga ett imperium cell för cell [SWE]
#25. Att bygga ett imperium cell för cell Giovanni Fili , grundare och vd för Exeger , gästar podden och berättar hur bolaget tagit fram en helt ny typ av solcell – och byggt en fabrik runt visionen. Det här är berättelsen om hur svensk deeptech trotsar oddsen: från egenutvecklade nanopartiklar och patenterade elektroder till en fullt automatiserad fabrik mitt i Stockholm. Powerfoyle, Exegers ljus
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EP 30 Per Brickstad – Transparent & the Quest for Timeless Tech
#30. The Quest for Timeless Tech Per Brickstad , founder and chief designer at Transparent , joins us in our 30th episode – a milestone worth noting. Transparent is on a mission to become the world’s first circular tech brand, building modular and upgradable audio gear that challenges consumer electronics’ throwaway logic. From a Stockholm design studio to a global hardware company, this is the st
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EP 8 Helene Winberg och Frontside: När fabriken växer av sig själv [SWE]
#8. När fabriken växer av sig själv Helene Winberg , vd och delägare av Frontside , intervjuas live på Evertiq Expo i Göteborg. Vi pratar om hur man skalar svensk kontraktstillverkning utan PR-maskin och hype, men med djupt fokus på kvalitet och kompetens. Frontside har producerat elektronik i Mölnlycke sedan 1990. Under ett tioårigt generationsskifte tog Helene över ledarskapet i familjeföretaget
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EP 7 Claes Kjölhede och Airolit: Svensk hardtech ur ett drönarperspektiv
#7 Svensk hardtech ur ett drönarperspektiv Claes Kjölhede , vd på drönarbolaget Airolit , intervjuas live på Evertiq Expo i Göteborg. Vi pratar om hur man bygger avancerade drönarsystem i Sverige – och vad som krävs för att leverera till både totalförsvar och forskningsvärld. Airolit grundades 2017 för att utveckla UAV/UAS-lösningar för krävande industriella användare. Med fabrik i Mölndal, partne
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EP 24 Henrik Jonsson och agood company: Cirkulärt varvet runt – mobilskalet som vill rädda planeten [SWE]
#24.Cirkulärt varvet runt – mobilskalet som vill rädda planeten Henrik Jonsson , vd på agood Company , gästar podden och berättar hur bolaget bygger cirkulära konsumentprodukter i stor skala – med lokal produktion som vapen mot klimatkrisen. Från en idé om att sälja direkt till konsument till att i dag samarbeta med jättar som Deutsche Telekom – här är berättelsen om hur hållbarhet blev affär. Ago
LISTEN →Insights
ALL INSIGHTS →What we have learned about building, scaling and funding hard things in the Nordics.
INSIGHT Vi är tillbaka – snart!
Efter en framgångsrik beta-period under våren, med massor av positiv feedback, så kommer Hårdvarupodden att återlanseras under hösten. Nya avsnitt inom kort! Vill du hjälpa till?
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INSIGHT Norway Isn’t Loud. That Might Be Its Advantage.
A guest essay on why Norway's understated hardtech ecosystem in defence, robotics and energy is becoming strategically important.
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INSIGHT Building Before You Ask for Permission
Atonemo's founder explains how reduction, timing and restraint shape consumer hardware development.
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INSIGHT Quantum That Counts: 10 Nordic Quantum Pioneers to Watch
A curated look at ten Nordic companies turning quantum research into commercial hardware and software.
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INSIGHT The New Industrial Stack
Nine Nordic startups are building the software layer that lets factories be programmed like computers.
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INSIGHT The Hard Way: The Nordic Way
Nordic hardtech founders keep choosing complex, regulated, physical-world industries over easy, fast-scaling opportunities.
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INSIGHT Livepodd i Göteborg på Evertiq-mässan
Torsdag den 19 september besöker podden Evertiq-mässan i Göteborg för att intervjua två intressanta bolag live på scenen: Airolit och Frontside. Jag (Jonas) står även på mässgolvet för samtal.
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INSIGHT The EU–US Trade Deal has Landed – Why the Nordic Hardtech Ecosystem Must Act Now
A 15% tariff just hit Nordic exports to the US. Here’s why it’s a wake-up call for hardtech — and what we must do next.
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INSIGHT Snart nytt år – vem ska jag prata med?
Hårdvarupodden ångar vidare in i 2025 och stora nyheter utlovas i Q1. Samtidigt söker vi fler som vill intervjuas i podden. Vem ska jag prata med i 2025?
READ →From Cockpit to Cap Table: Inside Nordic Defense Tech
A fighter pilot turned VC explains why defense tech founders validate with the wrong people.
READ →Who Makes the Nordic Hardtech Canon?
A playful editorial ranks the inventions and companies that define Nordic hardtech's lasting industrial legacy.
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INSIGHT The Deeptech Funnel: Why European Legacy Industry Must Stop Being a Spectator
Argues European legacy industry must engage deeptech startups earlier, during the demonstration phase, instead of waiting for finished technology.
READ →Partners keep this open
The funding map, the podcast, the events and the newsletter are free for the whole ecosystem, made possible by partners who build Nordic hardtech with us.
AI-driven patent filing for tech companies. Protect what you invent, at software speed.
LIGHTBRINGER.COM ↗ SISPSwedish Incubators and Science Parks, the national infrastructure for innovation environments.
SISP.SE ↗ RECUROGrowth partner for tech and media companies, from strategy to execution.
RECURO.COM ↗Kept accurate by the community
Anyone can suggest an investor, flag an error, or submit an event, a job or a raise. Every suggestion is checked and prepared before it goes live. Nothing publishes unreviewed.
One sharp email, every two weeks.
Hardtech news from the Nordics and beyond, new raises, events worth travelling for, and the deadlines you should not miss.