Time to skip the hype?
Some already did.
The Nordic hardtech scene isn’t just evolving — it’s getting sharper. In this edition, we sit down with Linda Krondahl, CEO and co-founder of Things and one of the driving forces behind Europe’s deeptech matchmaking machine. From solar panels in rural Africa to building a pan-European alliance of startups and corporates, Linda’s story is proof that real tech doesn’t need theater — just traction.
We also highlight our new partner Lightbringer, the AI-native patent service helping tech founders move faster and file patents smarter. Because in hardtech, protecting your edge is just as critical as building it. Don't miss their special Nordic Hardtech offer further down!
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 – helps fast-moving tech companies protect their edge, before someone else does. With AI at its core and senior attorneys in-house, they streamline the patent process and set a new standard for how growth-stage teams secure what’s theirs.
OFFER! We’ve just launched a new platform. Choose NORDIC HARDTECH in the signup form to unlock 30 days of free early access to Lightbringer Innovate. Here’s what you get:
- Validate your idea – Check patentability and refine your invention.
- Gain deep insights – Use purpose-built AI powered by millions of patents.
- Build a patent strategy – by importing your patents and applications.
- Recuro — a growth partner for hardtech and deep tech companies. They help with strategy, marketing, and scalable business models to drive sustainable growth. Learn more and schedule an intro call.
- The Yard — Gothenburg’s dynamic home for entrepreneurs and startups — blending community, co-working, and a bold industrial vibe to fuel new ideas. If you're looking for a unique workspace with industrial feeling, this is it. Check out their memberships or take a tour.
- SISP — Swedish Incubators & Science Parks is the industry association for 63 incubators and science parks across Sweden. Members support innovation, scaleup, and investments. Find your incubator or science park here.
Want to partner with Nordic Hardtech?
Nordic Hardtech Podcast 🎧
Linda Krondahl from Things actually knows how to sell your thing
Episode #23: Beyond the Buzz – Linda Krondahl on Making Deeptech Deliver
"Knowing when to stop is just as important"
From solar tech in rural Africa to matchmaking deeptech giants across Europe—Linda Krondahl’s path has never followed the expected route. As CEO and co-founder of Things, she’s spent the last decade helping hard-to-scale tech companies land real customers, not just stage time.
Things might have started as a coworking space at KTH in 2014, but today it’s one of Europe’s most connected hubs for deeptech startups and scale-ups. At the core of it all is a simple idea: business comes before buzz.
– If we want hardtech to thrive, we need less fluff and more deals, says Linda Krondahl.
After starting her career in consulting and launching a solar startup focused on off-grid lighting in Africa and India, Linda realized something most founders eventually face: not everything is worth grinding for.
– There’s this mantra that you should never give up—but honestly, knowing when to stop is just as important.
That instinct led her to co-found Things together with Magnus Melander, backed by Sting. Their goal? To build a national and international ecosystem where the hardest tech companies could actually get off the ground.
– Sweden has lots of innovation—but we’re terrible at helping it scale. That’s the gap Things is trying to close, says Linda.
Today, Things supports around 100 member companies—half large, half small—with a global focus and a laser-sharp view on business development. The model is deliberately simple: corporate partners get early access to emerging tech; startups get potential customers, not just pitches. It’s a playbook honed through initiatives like Ignite Sweden and now scaled across the continent via the DeepTech Alliance, where Things acts as operations partner.
– We flipped the funnel. Instead of pushing startups at corporates, we ask big companies: 'What are you actually looking for?', Linda explains.
That approach is working. Through Things and its network, hundreds of startups across Europe have secured introductions, pilots—and in some cases—strategic investments. But Linda warns: not all money is good money.
– If your biggest customer becomes your investor, it can scare off the rest of the market.
And while the rest of Europe is leaning into deeptech, Linda is less optimistic about Sweden’s current trajectory.
– There are barely any Swedish corporates involved in DeepTech Alliance. Most are still waiting for taxpayer money to cover their R&D. That’s not how you stay competitive.
Her frustration extends to Sweden’s space strategy too. Through her work with the Cassini Space Accelerator and the Space2 initiative, she’s trying to unite the Nordic space startup scene—but sees too little coordination from public players.
– We’ve spent hundreds of millions sending astronauts to space, but almost nothing on building actual startups here. It’s backwards.
According to Linda, hardtech can’t be done in isolation. Her advice is to talk early, talk a lot and – "for god’s sake!" — talk to your customers before you build anything. When asked what kind of companies that should engage with Things, Linda is also clear:
– Come to us when you’re ready to sell. That’s when we can really help.
Lately ⏮️
Selected news from the hardtech ecosystem
- Sweden is charting the skies for next-gen air mobility. Could drones and electric aircraft be the backbone of a brand new industry? Norrköping Science Park are on their way to find out.
- Norwegian Blueye’s mini-ROV is going autonomous as part of NTNU’s SAFEGUARD project. The goal: long-term underwater operations without a pilot — straight from the seafloor.
- Defense Hub Sweden just dropped a new platform linking startups with the defense scene. It’s all about speed, dual-use traction, and making real impact where it counts.
- To make electrification actually scalable, Waybler’s new OCPP-compatible charger strips charging down to what matters: fast install, open tech, future flexibility. CEO Kurt Högnelid cuts to the point.
- Imagine buying a bike for your two-year-old — and using that same bike until they turn twelve. That's exactly what Grewbik offers you, while disrupting an industry stuck in constant consumption.
Up next ⏭️
What's brewing in the community?
- Sweden’s first dual-use accelerator is wrapping up — and on June 4, the 15 selected startups will pitch at the Air Force Museum in Linköping. Civil-military innovation is heating up, join in.
- Still time to sign up for the 9th Cassini Hackathon – this time tackling space and healthcare. Join online or on-site across Europe, with support from mentors and partners like ESA BIC Finland, Aalto University, CGI, and more.
- The Swedish Resource Council is hunting bold ideas for breakthrough tech clusters — and they want yours. Help shape the next wave of research and innovation leadership, more info here.
- Job alert (Örebro): The CEO at Örebro Innovation and Inkubera calls it "one of the coolest jobs around". Is perhaps this top seat yours to claim?
- Save the date (Gothenburg): Want to get hands-on with AI tools and insights that make IP faster, cheaper, and founder-friendly? Join Lightbringer at The Yard on May 29 for a sharp session on how startups can outsmart the patent process.
Less friction in funding? 👉 Nordic Hardtech Funding List 💰
Easing the path to investment.
Find the Nordic investors who fund real hardtech—not SaaS, not apps, just serious engineering:
Catch up on past editions!
Jennifer Bark
Jennifer Bark
Nordic Hardtech is a platform for the hardtech ecosystem — sharing knowledge, bringing inspiration, and building community through podcasts, newsletters, events, and more.
💥Get involved. Pitch a topic. Join the podcast. Get on the investor list–if you're hardtech.
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