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 178 INVESTORS →Every Nordic investor with documented hardtech investments, plus the grants and public instruments that fund the other half of the road from lab to factory, with their deadlines.
Beijer Invest
Swedish investment company focusing on long-term ownership in industry, real estate, and environmental technology.
Katalysen Ventures
Stockholm-listed venture developer founded in 2016 that puts knowledge, hands-on support and capital into early-stage owner-led companies, often through its Venture Targeter turnaround framework, in exchange for equity and warrants. Core holdings span bioanalytics, diagnostics, event tech and digital asset compliance, with a wider portfolio of roughly 20 smaller stakes across the Nordics, DACH and beyond.
Eurostars
Eurostars is a public EU/Eureka funding instrument, co-funded via Horizon Europe and national bodies including Vinnova, Innovation Fund Denmark, the Research Council of Norway and Business Finland. It gives non-dilutive grants to SME-led, cross-border collaborative R&D projects, with two calls a year. Between 20 and 30 Swedish companies get funding in new projects every year, alongside Nordic participants in Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland.
Sätila Impact
Sätila Impact Investment is a Gothenburg, Sweden based impact investment firm founded in 2008 as a subsidiary of Sätila Holding, investing in early-stage companies that address social and environmental challenges across areas like renewable energy, food security, animal welfare and water and sanitation.
Butterfly Ventures
Early-stage deep tech VC investing in science-based Nordic startups across hardware and software.
Heartcore
Heartcore Capital (formerly Sunstone Capital, founded 2007) is an early-stage venture capital firm headquartered in Copenhagen with additional offices in Stockholm, Berlin and Paris, investing from pre-seed to Series A across Europe. While historically known as a consumer-tech investor, it has recently expanded into deep tech, defence, quantum computing, space and synthetic biology alongside its core AI, fintech, travel and web3 bets.
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.
LU Ventures
LU Ventures is Lund University's venture builder and corporate investment arm, founded in 1999, that co-invests equity and builds spinouts with researchers across deep tech and life science. Its portfolio spans semiconductors, robotics, connectivity, medtech and pharma, and includes exits such as SAGA Diagnostics, acquired by Roche.
Marvelous Deeptech
Marvelous is a Berlin based pre-seed and seed investor backing European deeptech founders in physics, chemistry and biology, with a focus on advanced materials, waste valorisation and robotics across food and agriculture, the built environment and heavy industry. The firm runs two vehicles, Marvelous Ventures Fund I for direct investments and the Marvelous Scito Fund, an evergreen fund of funds anchored by a 20 million euro commitment from the Joachim Herz Stiftung, alongside its Catalyst industry partnership network.
Kinnevik
Kinnevik is a Swedish listed growth investment company, founded in Stockholm in 1936 by the Stenbeck, Klingspor and von Horn families. It backs technology-enabled companies from early to growth stage across healthcare, software and climate tech, holding a portfolio of 20+ larger companies including recent bets on green steel, heat pumps and battery technology.
Industrifonden
One of Sweden’s largest VC funds, investing in transformative Nordic tech and life science startups.
Maki.vc
Helsinki-based venture capital firm investing at pre-seed and seed stage in deep tech and brand-driven startups, managing €260 million across three funds with initial tickets from €300,000 to €3 million.
The ecosystem
ALL 1245 COMPANIES →Who builds, supplies and enables hardtech across the Nordics, from garage startups to industrial giants. Browse by role, phase and vertical.
Precimeter
Precimeter develops sensors and control systems for molten metal level measurement, serving the metal casting industry.
Glacell
Offers energy solutions including solar panels, charging stations, and energy installations.
Tricylon
Tricylon Robotics builds parallel kinematics robots and the GAIA AM controller system that integrates with milling and welding processes to provide real-time monitoring, quality assurance and process optimization for manufacturing.
SaltX Technology
SaltX Technology is a Swedish greentech company that develops and offers technology for electrification and carbon capture for energy-intensive industrial processes, aimed at the cement, lime, steel and mining industries.
Sting
A Stockholm-based incubator and accelerator supporting startups in various sectors, offering coaching, funding, and networking opportunities.
Svenska Elektronikmässan
Organizes trade fairs and conferences for the electronics industry in Sweden.
Alcatel Submarine Networks Norway AS (ASN Norway)
Designs and manufactures fibre-optic sensing systems, including the OptoDAS distributed acoustic sensing interrogator used to detect whales, ships, storms and earthquakes on the Svalbard seabed cables, from its Trondheim (Tiller) facility.
Navari (Navari Surgical)
Navari Surgical has developed a unique, patent-pending technology that provides intraoperative augmented reality (AR) guidance during minimally invasive procedures, empowering surgeons with enhanced visualization and precision.
SSAB
Swedish steelmaker converting its production system to fossil-free, hydrogen-based steelmaking using electric arc furnaces, as part of the HYBRIT initiative with LKAB and Vattenfall.
Nordcell
Manufactures sustainable solar panels using hydropower and ethical sourcing to reduce the carbon footprint of solar energy production.
Rebelvolt
Rebelvolt is redefining mobile power with its battery-based e-Generator – a clean, silent, and maintenance-free alternative to traditional diesel generators.
Bejoken AB
Bejoken AB supplies electronic components, including batteries, circuits, cables, and mounting accessories, serving various industries with a wide range of products.
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 podcast
ALL 37 EPISODES →Conversations with the founders and funders of Nordic hardtech.
EP 9 Isabella Palmgren och Mimbly: Cleantech, bokstavligt talat [SWE]
#9. Cleantech, bokstavligt talat Isabella Palmgren , vd och grundare av Mimbly , gästar podden och berättar hur ett studentprojekt från Chalmers blev ett prisbelönt cleantech-bolag med global potential. Mimbox minskar såväl vattenförbrukning som mikroplaster och är byggd för att fungera i verkligheten, inte bara i labbet. Vi pratar om vägen till en säljbar produkt, hur man skalar en hårdvarulösnin
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EP 33 Leo Ballesteros – Atonemo & When to Ignore the Market (At First)
#33: When to Ignore the Market (At First) Leo Ballesteros , founder of Atonemo , joins the podcast to share a brutally honest take on what it actually takes to build a consumer hardware company from scratch. From feature overload to ruthless simplification, this episode is about learning by doing. Every single day. Atonemo is building consumer electronics at the intersection of hardware, software
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EP 21 Madelene Näslund: Business Region Gothenburg – Live from The Yard [ENG]
🤝 This episode is produced in collaboration with The Yard — a combined coworking space and machine hall for startups in Gothenburg. A unique workspace with industrial feeling. Check out their memberships or take a tour . Episode 21 – Gothenburg Rising: Where Legacy Meets Innovation Madelene Näslund from Business Region Gothenburg joins us to explore why the city is emerging as a leading Nordic har
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EP 16 Anders Hässel och Nenda: Streamingrevolutionen för företag [SWE]
#16. Streamingrevolutionen för företag Anders Hässel , vd och grundare av Nenda , gästar podden och berättar hur bolaget utvecklar en modern streamingplattform för företag – med hårdvara, molntjänster och affärsmodeller anpassade för B2B-marknaden. Målet: att ersätta föråldrade TV‑lösningar med smart, skalbar teknik. Nenda grundades med en tydlig idé: att förändra hur företag inom hotell, vård och
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EP 15 Ola Wassvik & Flatfrog: Att äga vägen till skalbarhet [SWE]
Ola Wassvik , medgrundare av Flatfrog , gästar podden och berättar hur bolaget tog en optisk multitouch-teknik från ett labb i Lund till en global marknad. I dag används Flatfrogs lösningar i allt från klassrum till styrelserum – men bakom framgången finns en annan avgörande faktor: patenten. Med över 300 patent i ryggen använde Flatfrog IP som ett strategiskt verktyg för att skydda sin teknik, sä
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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 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 1 Stefan Ytterborn och Cake: Från hype till haveri
#1. Från hype till haveri Stefan Ytterborn , grundare av elfordonsbolaget Cake , gästar premiäravsnittet av Hårdvarupodden (numer Nordic Hardtech Podcast). Vi pratar om hela bolagsresan – från vision och hype till konkurs – och om vad andra kan lära sig av en resa som gick snabbt, snyggt och slutade tvärt. Cake satte en ny standard för elfordon. Men att bygga hårdvara, skala globalt och finansiera
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EP 28 Dominic Davies – Lightbringer & the Patent Reboot: From Legal Grind to Founder Speed [ENG]
Episode 28: From Legal Grind to Founder Speed Dominic Davies , co-founder of Lightbringer , joins the pod to talk patents, automation and founder-first IP. With a background in both software and patent law, he’s now building a system that aims to replace the traditional patent firm entirely — starting with the needs of deeptech startups. From knowledge graphs to GPT-3, Lightbringer was born out of
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EP 17 Alexander Osika om Glorb, SNRGY och att kickstarta hårdvara på riktigt [SWE]
#17.Om Glorb, SNRGY och att kickstarta hårdvara på riktigt Alexander Osika , vd och medgrundare av SNRGY Studios , gästar podden och berättar hur teamet tog Glorb – ett smart ljuskonstverk – från idé till marknad. Med bakgrund från Plejd och Einride, och med en passion för produktdesign, har Alexander blivit en av Sveriges mest spännande hårdvarubyggare. Här delar han resan bakom Glorb – från prot
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EP 11 Staffan Stymne och T.Loop: Spillvirke för AI-eran
#11. Spillvirke för för AI-eran Staffan Stymne , vd och medgrundare av T.Loop gästar podden och berättar hur de bygger datacenter som både driver AI och balanserar elnätet – med återbruk, överskottsenergi och smart lokalisering som kärna. Med 30 års erfarenhet från energisektorn tog Staffan steget in i tech för att visa att datakraft inte behöver kosta klimatet. I dag bygger T.Loop för den nya era
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EP 37 Lisa Eriksson (KTH Innovation) – Building Europe’s Deeptech Pipeline
37. Building Europe’s Deeptech Pipeline Lisa Eriksson , Head of KTH Innovation and CEO of KTH Ventures , joins the Nordic Hardtech Podcast to discuss what it takes to turn world-class research into venture-backed companies. KTH Innovation supports hundreds of founders, researchers and students every year, helping transform ideas into startups across fields such as AI, energy, semiconductors, life
LISTEN →Insights
ALL INSIGHTS →What we have learned about building, scaling and funding hard things in the Nordics.
INSIGHT Deep Tech Needs to Go Deeper (Except Here)
A guest column argues Europe should focus on defensible niches like physical AI, quantum applications and precision biomanufacturing instead of chasing China everywhere.
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INSIGHT When Hardware Meets Awesome
Johan Ronnestam argues hardtech brands need archetypes and cultural resonance, not just working tech, to survive AI-driven disruption.
READ →Beta-perioden är över - vad nu?
Under våren har vi spelat in fem avsnitt av Hårdvarupodden för att testa konceptet.
READ →When infrastructure thinks like nature
Flox's CTO explains how edge hardware, acoustics and AI guide wildlife away from roads, railways and airports.
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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?
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INSIGHT Built to Endure: How Nordic Hardtech Turns Fear into Function
Explores how fear, war, and geopolitical uncertainty are reshaping Nordic hardtech into a driver of resilience and dual-use innovation.
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INSIGHT Emilia Brandt on Why Growth Needs More Than Grit: and How Recuro Delivers
Recuro's new CEO explains why smart structure, not brute force, is what actually drives hardtech growth.
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INSIGHT Your product isn’t ready: and Michael Pica knows why
Hardware Velocity's Michael Pica explains why hardtech founders must validate demand before scaling production, not just believe in their idea.
READ →Print, Charge, Scale: Then Go Again
How Exeger's Giovanni Fili built a flexible solar cell platform and factory from scratch against the odds.
READ →Europe Doesn't Have an Innovation Problem
KTH Innovation's Lisa Eriksson argues fragmentation, not lack of innovation, holds back Europe's deeptech scaleups.
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INSIGHT Vi är live!
På rekordtid (?) har vi gått från idé till handling och skapat Hårdvarupodden.
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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.
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.
OFFER: Free intro call with Lightbringer's patent team → LIGHTBRINGER.COM ↗Swedish Incubators and Science Parks, the national infrastructure for innovation environments.
SISP.SE ↗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.