AI kills cycles.
Strategy keeps brands alive.
AI is speeding up design and prototyping at a brutal pace. For founders, the edge won’t come from faster code or prettier renders – it comes from identity. This week, creative trailblazer Johan Ronnestam makes the case for archetypes, cultural resonance and why awesome is the only option for hardtech brands that want to matter.
What else matters right now? Across the Nordics we’re seeing new LiDAR partnerships, a record quantum raise in Finland, and NewSpace debates landing in Sweden. Dive in.
Nordic Hardtech Partners 🤝
Nordic Hardtech is a community for builders of complex tech companies based on physical products. Here are some of our outstanding partners.
- Lightbringer: AI-powered patent platform helping tech companies protect their edge fast, with in-house legal expertise. Watch our recent IP webinar.
- Recuro: Growth partner for hardtech and deeptech. Book an intro.
- SISP (Swedish Incubators & Science Parks): The network for 60+ incubators and science parks in Sweden. Find yours here.
- The Yard: Gothenburg’s hub for co-working, community, and serious hardware. Explore their memberships.
Nordic Hardtech Spotlight
This week: Branding Beyond the Algorithm with Johan Ronnestam
When Hardware Meets Awesome
"In the end, strategy beats tactics"
In a world where AI can turn a napkin sketch into a 3D animation with audio, the challenge for founders is no longer what can be built, but why it matters. That’s the provocation from Johan Ronnestam, strategist and creative director (among many other titles), who has spent three decades exploring how technology reshapes business.