More than just a good deed?
Indeed.
Circular isn’t a buzzword anymore. It’s a battleground. In this edition, we sit down with Henrik Jonsson, CEO of agood company, to talk about scaling circular products for the real world — not just the eco bubble. From producing phone cases in Sweden and the U.S. to taking on retail giants, it’s a story of grit, mistakes, and systems that actually work.
Also: mark your calender! We’re teaming up with our partner Lightbringer — the AI-native patent service helping founders move faster — for a live session on how smart IP strategy can unlock capital, and why patents might be your startup’s best-kept secret. Featuring Lightbringer co-founder Ola Wassvik, it’s your chance to ask, learn, and level up.
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. Don't miss our upcoming event!
- 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.
- 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.
Want to partner with Nordic Hardtech?
Nordic Hardtech Podcast 🎧
Henrik Jonsson from agood company on how to scale your ethics
Episode #24: Circular or nothing – the phone case out to save the planet
"You can’t fix climate with slogans"
Henrik Jonsson, CEO of agood company, doesn’t think sustainability should be a luxury add-on. He’s betting on circularity as the foundation for scalable consumer products, without greenwashing, premium pricing, or compromise.
Forget boutique eco brands. Agood company is chasing mass market, working with major retailers like Elgiganten and Deutsche Telekom, and now launching local production in the U.S. Founded in 2018 as a direct-to-consumer brand, the company soon realized the limits of niche appeal.
– We had to rebuild the whole machine. Packaging, logistics, production cycles, everything had to scale up, Henrik says.
Today, their core offering includes circular phone accessories, reusable bottles, and stone-based stationery. All are designed to be reused, recycled, and remade, often using custom materials co-developed with Swedish R&D partners.
– We used to think bioplastics were the solution. But for us, full circularity is a better metric. That means being able to grind down an old phone case and turn it into a new one, without losing performance, Henrik says.
Retail has now replaced DTC as the company’s main growth engine, with partners demanding both ESG alignment and real product quality.
– They don’t just want a ‘green’ label. They want real performance, Henrik explains.
And with global supply chains under pressure, agood company has gone a step further by localizing production.
– We just opened our U.S. factory, the first in the country making phone cases. Next up is Sub-Saharan Africa. Then India, Henrik says.
The long-term vision? Global impact, powered by circular systems and local manufacturing.
– You can’t fix climate with slogans. You need systems. And circularity is a system, Henrik says.
The journey hasn’t been smooth. According to Henrik, it’s not the workload that breaks you, it’s the emotional rollercoaster. The constant swings between doubt and momentum take a toll. But despite the turbulence, he’s convinced the timing is right.
– We’re seeing a massive shift away from global overproduction. For countries like Sweden, this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. We have energy, competence, and industrial history. Let’s use it, Henrik says.
Lately ⏮️
Selected news from the hardtech ecosystem
- Sweden wants a seat at the semiconductor table. But how close are we, really? New report maps the gaps, strengths and next moves.
- Denmark now has its first dedicated deep tech fund. PSV Hafnium backs early-stage hardtech founders turning science into real-world impact.
- Still true: Gothenburg and SISP are where it’s happening. 50 business developers met at CampX to charge up Sweden’s innovation system, showing that the diversity and drive keep delivering.
- Sweden’s Elvy just raised €20M to shake up EV charging. With Infranode and SEB backing the push for smarter infrastructure, this is one to watch.
- How much does it cost to build a Tesla humanoid? Morgan Stanley says $50–60K in BOM. Page 36 has the breakdown — and it’s wilder than you’d think.
Up next ⏭️
What's brewing in the community?
- Too cool for summer school? Not this one. Learn custom chip design and build your own RISC-V processor. Fully remote, no fees and open to Nordic applicants. Swedish Chips Competence Centre (SCCC) has the details.
- Speaking of summer, ready to grill some ideas? TechBBQ hits Copenhagen late August — the Nordics’ top summit for bold ideas, real talks, and serious deal flow.
- Job alert: Scania is hiring a Head of Charging. Lead the rollout of EV infrastructure across one of Europe’s biggest energy networks. Apply here.
- And another job alert: SweGaN is hiring a Sales Manager to scale its GaN-on-SiC tech in the global semiconductor market. B2B sales, deeptech edge, international scope. Apply here.
- Swedish Energy Agency has opened two calls for companies heading to market: one for concept development, one for customer-verified innovation. Deadline: June 10. Go get it.
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.
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