Build, Share, Repeat

What does it take to scale physical tech – without VC, grants or hype? Alexander Engl shares lessons from scaling Stockholm Makerspace into a grassroots prototyping hub and building ihopa’s shared hardware networks.

From tool lockers to 1000-member maker labs, this episode is a wake-up call for founders building real stuff in a digital-first world.

While sharing truly is caring, there are still some assets you need to own. IP is one example. Therefor, here's a final reminder to join us next week for our live webinar "Own It or Lose It: How IP Turns Ideas Into Investment" featuring Ola Wassvik (Flatfrog, Lightbringer).

• Lightbringer: AI-powered patent platform helping tech companies protect their edge fast, with in-house legal expertise. Join their upcoming IP webinar!
• Recuro: Growth partner for hardtech and deeptech. Strategy, marketing, and scalable business models that drive real traction. Book an intro.
• SISP (Swedish Incubators & Science Parks): The network for 60+ incubators and science parks in Sweden, powering innovation and scaleups across the country. Find yours here.
• The Yard: Gothenburg’s industrial-chic hub for startups. Co-working, community, and serious hardware energy. Explore their memberships.

Episode #25: Alexander Engl – How ihopa and Makerspace Enable Hardware for the Masses

“I wish I had discovered Makerspace sooner”

From co-owning power tools to building 3D labs from scratch, Alexander Engl believes the future of hardware is shared, open, and radically local. We spoke to the Stockholm Makerspace board member and ihopa founder about scaling circular models, surviving without public money – and why Sweden needs to get over its unicorn nostalgia.

– We wanted to build the Spotify for products, says Alexander Engl.

He’s talking about ihopa, a subscription-based platform that gives people access to expensive tools, kitchen gear, or garden machines through local smart lockers. The idea? To share more and own less, but without making it a moral crusade.

– We learned early that price and convenience often win over sustainability. So we focused on making sharing as easy as buying, says Alexander.

The model has attracted partners like Husqvarna and Kärcher, and aims to help brands reach new user segments without compromising on product quality or pricing. But investors were harder to convince.

– If there’s a physical component, a lot of VCs just say no. They want SaaS, scalability, and clean exits. Hardware and behavior change? Not so much.

Alexander’s response was to build lean, using revenue-share models and low-cost infrastructure. And that’s where his other passion comes in: Stockholm Makerspace.

– I wish I had discovered it sooner. Back when we were prototyping ihopa, we were literally building wooden boxes in the street.

Today, Stockholm Makerspace has over 1,000 members, a laser lab, a metal workshop and 24/7 access – all member-run and fully self-funded.

– Not a single krona of public money. No grants, no bureaucracy. Just people building what they want to exist, says Alexander.

That independence makes the Makerspace model resilient, and a blueprint for others, according to Alexander. While, as he puts it, "Sweden pours millions into research reports few ever read", spaces like this quietly deliver daily impact without public funding or academic prestige.

Alexander is also active in TechArena, connecting startups with global investors and corporates. But he’s critical of Stockholm’s startup scene.

– We’ve become too inward-looking. The energy we had pre-pandemic is gone. Berlin, Vienna, even Helsinki , are doing more to stay connected globally, he says.

With that perspective, his advice to founders is blunt:

– Start something, anything. You’ll learn more in six months running a scrappy project than in years of planning.

• What happens when robots take over the waste stream? In Copenhagen, four AI-powered arms now chew through 45 tons of construction debris every hour.
• Sifted maps the VCs betting on Stockholm’s rebound, spotlighting who’s active, what sectors they’re chasing and why global capital is flowing north again.
• Stavanger launches autonomous buses to tackle driver shortages, showing how Nordic mobility solutions are moving from pilot to reality.
• The global robotics market just hit $31.9B — and it’s not slowing down. IDTechEx points to factories, logistics and healthcare as key drivers. What does that mean for hardtech? Dive into the data.
• And to close the news loop: Sweden goes orbital. Esrange and Firefly team up to launch U.S.-built rockets from Kiruna starting 2026 – unlocking sovereign Nordic space access.

• Nordic deeptech needs dealmakers. Catalyze Group is hiring a Business Developer to help science-driven startups win grants and grow smart within the Nordic.
• Antler is scouting a founding CEO for its Stockholm residency starting Sept 1. Build a deeptech startup from scratch with a co-founder and pitch for €400K pre-seed. Applications open now.
• KTH, Sweden’s leading tech university, hosts the Nordic Energy Informatics Conference Aug 20–22. Smart grids, digital twins and energy flows meet real-world hardware. Free to attend.
• Already done planning summer? There's plenty more ahead. NORDEEP hits Espoo, Finland October 2–3, uniting deep tech startups, VCs and corporates. Pitch applications now open.
• 💡 Are you Nordic Hardtech’s next connector? Help us grow partnerships and stay close to the people building real stuff — a few hours when it counts. Drop us an email.

Nordic Hardtech is a platform for the hardtech ecosystem — sharing knowledge, bringing inspiration, and building community through podcasts, newsletters, events, and more.

💸 Fuel up. Scaling takes capital — The Nordic Hardtech Funding List shows you where to find it.

💥Get involved. Pitch a topic. Join the podcast. Get on the investor list–if you're hardtech.

→ Spotify | LinkedIn | nordichardtech.com (beta!)
📩 hello@nordichardtech.com

    <picture><img class="kg-signup-card-image" src="/images/content/f227326276-Nordic-Hardtech---Digital-assets--square---5-.png" alt=""></picture>

        <div class="kg-signup-card-content">
            
            <div class="kg-signup-card-text ">
                <h2 class="kg-signup-card-heading"><span>Sign up for Nordic Hardtech</span></h2>
                <p class="kg-signup-card-subheading"><span>The platform for leaders of hardtech</span></p>
                
    <form class="kg-signup-card-form" method="post" action="https://nordichardtechnvotf6lc-forms.functions.fnc.fr-par.scw.cloud/">
        <div class="kg-signup-card-fields">
            <input class="kg-signup-card-input" name="email" type="email" required placeholder="Your email">
            <input type="text" name="website2" tabindex="-1" autocomplete="off" style="position:absolute;left:-9999px" aria-hidden="true">
            <button class="kg-signup-card-button kg-style-accent" type="submit">Subscribe</button>
        </div>
    </form>
    
                <p class="kg-signup-card-disclaimer"><span>Don't worry it's free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. </span></p>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>