Jesper Wahlberg

Bankrupt. Small. 6 hours away. These are a few of the characteristics of the business that today's guest Jens Grudno bought. Those were the bad. But there were also the good: * 117 years old * Strong brand * Differentiated, high-quality product * And cheap — Jens didn't pay much for the business This is the story of how Jens worked his way through finance and startups, and arrived as the owner of DOVO, an old business manufacturing an old product: straight razors. This is a turnaround story, and Jens acknowledges that he chose for himself a very difficult task for someone who'd never bought a business before. But as you'll hear, he is drawn to outsized challenges, to proving the haters wrong. But it wasn't just an emotional decision. This is a guy who read Benjamin Graham's The Intelligent Investor as a teenager, so he thinks like an investor, always seeking value, risk-reward asymmetries. And he thought the downside here was limited, while the potential to restore this centenarian to its former glory represented big upside. Now of course, there's theory... then there's reality. This has ended up being extremely difficult, and everything has taken longer than predicted. But Jens has survived and stabilized DOVO, and he's gearing up for the launch of a new product that he's optimistic will dominate its category and catapult its revenue. Enjoy this rollercoaster ride with Jens Grudno, owner of DOVO. ( 👉 link to interview in comments below)

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Properly the 5 best startups in the universe! I have received millions of requests from startups to be on the Højer List (aka Magic Rectangle). Here are the 5 startups I believe will all become unicorns in 2025: 1. ReefCircular ApS - “We're turning shell waste into sea life with 3D-printed reefs!” Showing up (early) is 80% of success, and this company was the first to apply. Not only that, but they are also doing something with sea reefs and have "circular" in their name. No governmental agency or middle-aged business angel will EVER deny them money. It's a well-deserved spot on the magic list. 2. Complir - "Lets retailers sell any physical product in any market". I don’t like this startup at all. They declined my offer to invest in the company a few weeks ago. How dare they say no to me! They seem very arrogant! But the FOMO is real, and by putting them on the list, I hope they will reconsider. Call me! 3. Kripthonite Therapeutics - “Solves a decades-old challenge in cancer treatment.” Let’s be honest: Most investors in biotech (including myself) don’t have the scientific skills to evaluate a startup’s claims. So, how do we perform due diligence? Simple - we invest in the biotech startups with the coolest names! Here, you have a startup referencing Superman in its name. I foresee a 300 MUSD Series A round coming up soon! 4. Nume (from Scaleup Finance) - "The one and only kickass AI CFO." Seriously, “CFO” sounds so dull, so I had already rejected them. But here is a team that understood the assignment and knows that I am the next Gartner of startup research. I really appreciate the 6 bottles of Dom Pérignon they sent. Of course, they need to be on the list – and, of course, also in the Magic Rectangle. 5. Remote.io - “Rocket fuel loaded, AI product incoming, unstoppable momentum! 🚀” Have you ever seen so many buzzwords so close together? Neither have I - and they even put in a rocket emoji! This team is on fire! Honorable Mention: Sikr - "Helps SMEs get started in cybersecurity with easy onboarding." These guys don’t listen to instructions. I asked for a maximum of 10 words - they came back with a 1,500-word description. So, either they are very smart or very dumb. So, check them out- but at your own risk! -------------- How to get one of the 5 remaining spots? Just write – in less than 10 words – why your startup is better than the rest! -------------  

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🚀 Exciting News! Yazen Health has successfully closed an oversubscribed €19.5 million Series A round to accelerate growth and expand internationally! We’re proud to partner with Yazen in their mission to tackle obesity with a holistic approach that combines modern weight-loss medication, lifestyle support, and a multidisciplinary team of experts. Yazen has already helped over 20,000 patients in Sweden achieve sustainable health improvements, showing a remarkable 70% retention rate after one year. Profitable in Sweden, Yazen is now scaling across Europe—targeting Spain, Norway, and the Netherlands, with pilot markets in the UK and Germany. This funding round was co-led by Evli Growth Partners and Helsana HealthInvest, with support from Almaz Capital, Yabeo, and existing investors Luminar Ventures and Aggregate Media. We’re also thrilled to welcome Mikael Hed, former CEO of Rovio, as Yazen’s new Chairman of the Board. His expertise in scaling brands will be invaluable as Yazen takes on the global health challenge of obesity. Looking forward to seeing the impact Yazen will make on healthier lives worldwide! #HealthcareInnovation #ObesityTreatment #DigitalHealth #Investment https://lnkd.in/d3Z_rtiT

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This spring we had almost 8,000 Founders apply to come and work with us at Antler in the US. Of that, we had 300 Founders come and work with us in person in our offices, and we ended up invested in 32 of those teams that we were absolutely blown away by. I can't go into specifics quite yet as these companies are still in stealth but a small sample of what these teams are working on: (Comment below what you think are most interesting and I can help you meet the teams) 1. A team with experience at Boeing, SpaceX, Relativity Space, Hermeus and General Atomics are building full commercial scale wing-bodied aircraft. 2. Team of former Starlink and Raytheon engineers building edge computing software for space and satellite interoperability. 3. One of the biggest contributors to the Ape Coin DAU and his co-founder from Performance-IQ working on tokenizing and democratizing public advertising inventory (think billboards in timesquare) 4. Former leader of one of the most successful WoW clans and Founder of one of the highest traffic gaming sites in the world building the consumer metasearch for weightloss with her CTO who led engineering at Esper. 5. Founder who sold his previous company to Nexa3D building the supply chain needed to 3D print footwear right here in the United States. 6. Founder from C2i Genomics building early disease profiling and detection with novel multiomic sequencing (when they succeed will help solve cancer.) 10. Former researcher at Fermilab, Mercury Data Science and the Smithsonian automating the peer review and analysis of scientific documents to build a new SoR for global scientific progress. Couldn't be more excited to be working with Founders who are truly pursuing their life's work. If you’re an active investor who’d like to meet these founders directly, or a founder interested in becoming a part of this elite group, sign up in comments below ⬇️

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This summer, FotMob is heading to Euro 2024 to conduct exclusive live interviews with fans, and we’re looking for sponsors who want to join this exciting journey. If your brand is eager to connect with a young and passionate audience, we offer numerous opportunities to make a significant impact. Reach out to me directly or contact [email protected]. Let’s partner to create something truly unique and memorable. As FotMob continues to grow rapidly across social media, web, and mobile platforms, it’s the perfect time for your brand to stand out during one of the biggest football events of the year. Some key numbers to show our reach and growth: 🇬🇧 1.6 million monthly active users 🇺🇸 1.9 million monthly active users 🇩🇪 1.0 million monthly active users 🇳🇴 200K monthly active users TikTok International - from 0 to 230K users in 4 months TikTok Norway - from 0 to 25K users in 4 months Some of our Euro 2024 and Copa America 2024 plans include: - On ground live interviews in Germany - Dedicated Predictor tournament for both Euro and Copa - New app features coming soon - Dedicated news section - News pushes for each national team - And much more

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The challenge of growth is a challenge of energy. According to Copenhagen Economics, Population and GDP per capita are likely to grow by 20% and 90%, respectively by 2040.  Demand for energy services would grow by 50% or more, driven by urbanisation, industrialization, infrastructure build-out, and a growing global middle class. Energy intensity will continue to improve by up to 75% by 2040, driven by ongoing structural shifts to less energy intensive economic activity and improving technology. In spite of that, energy demand will still increase by 30-60% if developments follow the trends seen in the past. The current energy system is highly carbon intensive : coal, oil, and natural gas provide 85% of all energy.   To meet these challenges, the « all or nothing » scenarios are for no use. Fossil fuels won’t be replaced overnight. The economy will then have to combine for a long time an optimized utilization of fossil fuels with a fast growing H2 adoption.  #energytransition #growth #H2

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🚀 The Hunt for a Unicorn: Finding the Right Technical Co-Founder 🦄 Building something truly innovative is never easy, and one of the biggest challenges Lyam Last and I have faced with Nauticare B.V. is finding the perfect technical co-founder to bring our vision and product to life. We’re not just looking for a developer, we’re looking for a unicorn: ✨ A full-stack developer with an understanding of AI/ML. ✨ With experience and a growth mindset. ✨ Who has an entrepreneurial spirit, and is ready to take risk and join an ambitious startup for equity. It’s a tough ask, but we’re confident the right person is out there, someone who believes in the vision of revolutionising yacht management through smart, innovative software. If you know someone, or if this sounds like you, let’s connect! 🌊 #Nauticare #StartupLife #TechCoFounder #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #CoFounder #FullStackDeveloper #Job #Startup

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💶 💶 I am looking for beta testers for The Art of Fundraising 2.0 💶 💶 💸💸 Two years ago I ran a course on how to raise venture capital - The Art of Fundraising. The course was oversubscribed and received great feedback from the likes of Johannes Berger Erik Wikander Wilhelm Lundborg and many more... 🚀🚀 This fall I am launching a new and improved version of the course. But before I launch, I need beta testers... 😎😎 As a beta tester you will get FREE access to the course. All I want in return is a 15 min feedback call. 💰💰 The Art of Fundraising is aimed at early stage founders who are looking to raise their first round of venture capital from top tier investors. The six module course includes lessons on how to build relationships with VCs, how to build the perfect pitch, how to take advantage of VC psychology and much much more... Over five hours of video, loads of useful take home material, secret tips and tricks... 👨🏻‍🎓 👨🏻‍🎓 As a former venture capital investor at EQT Ventures, active angel investor and a fundraising founder I have seen all sides of venture capital and have built a unique approach to fundraising, which I am applying to the course... 🤟🏻 🤟🏻 Does this sound like something for you or someone you know? Hit me up in the comments, the first ten will get FREE access to The Art of Fundraising.

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Now it’s about time to put the spotlight on Matilda Thorsell and Robin Andersson who are the two rockstar founders of LexEnergy.🤩 The problem they are tackling is that for the transportation sector to transition to being powered by electricity and not fossil fuels - which is needed ASAP - critical EV charging infrastructure is needed in areas with restricted grid capacity. And unfortunately today the grid sucks almost everywhere globally and fixing that takes decades…⚡️ Their solution to this is their LexHub, which is a unique charging station which includes a battery. This not only solves for the grid problem but also makes the business case much stronger for charging station providers as they get additional revenue streams from energy arbitrage and grid balancing services. LexHub is a total win-win-win. And it shows in their numbers! This is our fastest growing portfolio company in the Norrsken Accelerator to date with booked revenue of hundred millions SEKs. And they are just getting started! 📈 If we want to get in touch with Matilda and Robin you can do that here: https://lnkd.in/dxXvdWW3

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Made With Intent Seed round 🚀 I'm so happy to finally be able to share that Intent has raised £1.5m led by our new friends at Mercuri, with participation from Portfolio Ventures and, of course, us! 😀 Haatch was founded by ex-retailers who have lived and breathed the pain Intent aims to eradicate. Currently, the way e-commerce communicates with their customers is nothing short of inappropriate. Generic tools built solely for pushing people to checkout reduces store visitors to data points, so you easily forget that on the other side of the screen is a real human being. These solutions are designed for everyone, yet serve only the few. Introducing Made With Intent.... allowing eCommerce to move from this digital directness to something more personal by focusing on their customers and their intent. By predicting where people are in their purchase journey and treating them accordingly. 📈 🎉 --- #madewithintent #intent #seed #venturecapital #team

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Exciting news! Vestd is proud to introduce InVestd: Connect, Pitch, Grow – a unique pitch event designed for founders, by founders. Everything we do at Vestd centres around transparency, purpose, and trust. After listening closely to our founder and investor communities, we’ve developed a pitch experience that prioritises real value over profit. There are no pay-to-play fees here – just an opportunity for founders to gain lasting skills, valuable insights, and actionable feedback to drive success well beyond the pitch. Our first event of the series spotlights underrepresented founders and connects them with a handpicked network of relevant and active investors. Know a founder or startup that should be involved? Tag them in the comments. To be in with a chance, register here - https://lnkd.in/epHQsH-N

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Join us for a new, inspiring conversation on angel investing. We are joined by Mikko Silventola, the first investor in Bolt and hugo. Tune in on EUVC 💙 And your favorite streaming platforms. 🎧 #venturecapital #angelinvesting #startupfunding #europe

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⚽ Managing Risks in Football and Business: As England gears up to face Denmark in Euro 2024, the stakes are high both on the pitch and in the business world. 🏆 Just like in football, strategic risk management in startups is crucial for success. Learn from Edward at West Hill Capital about choosing the right startups to invest in, focusing on those with revenue potential. 📅 Book time with me to discuss investment for your startup or scaling up your team: https://lnkd.in/e8Wf2TTa #StartupInvesting #RiskManagement #Euro2024 #Entrepreneurship

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🌶 Our portfolio company Niimblr is fundraising! 🌶 In case you have not yet gotten the memo, then Niimblr is fundraising and they've announced it on their LinkedIn's 👩‍🚀 (so sharing it here as well ;) The facts; Niimblr — B2B SaaS based in Denmark 🏝 They help media production companies manage all media feedback and approval processes in one place — and have been rocking it since their first campaign launched in December 2023! 📈 800+ active users from 40+ countries and growing by the day 🔄 Their viral loop is more fruitful than they dared to dream of 💰 Their ask? $1.2 Million - with 60% already committed!🔥 And closing as soon as they find a relevant investor for the 40% ⏰ Want to buy into a founder team with 45 years of combined tech success and industry experience? CEO / CTO; Per Lohmann Poulsen CMO; Celine Fosse CPO; Mads Lyngvig Jespersen Reach out to [email protected] (or me) if you'd like more information! Let's go 🌶🌶 #PreSeed #Investors #SaaS #B2BSaaS #Fundraising #ReviewPlatform #ContentCreation #CreatorEconomy #DigitalFeedback #Founder

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🏇 iReality: Redefining the Future of Sports & Entertainment 🎯 As the CEO and founder of Katalysen Ventures, I’m excited to share why we are proud partners and investors in iReality, a Swedish tech pioneer transforming sports with its patented technology for real-time data synchronization and tracking. Having been engaged with iReality since its inception, I’ve witnessed the company’s journey from idea to breakthrough. Our strategy has been to build its foundation slowly and organically, focusing on long-term value creation. Today, iReality is ready for its next chapter: growth through strategic partnerships. 🚀 Why iReality Stands Out: 🔹 Patented, Game-Changing Tech: At the heart of iReality’s innovation is its patented StarController platform, a cutting-edge software solution that synchronizes data from LiDAR, drones, cameras, and other sensors. This enables the creation of real-time digital twins—highly accurate, interactive digital replicas of live sports events. This groundbreaking capability transforms sports broadcasting, fan engagement, and sports betting. 🔹 Horse Racing Reimagined: The SkyRunner system, powered by the StarController platform, delivers real-time drone footage and advanced tracking, creating a more immersive fan experience while unlocking new revenue streams. Its infrastructure-free design allows seamless deployment at local and international venues, setting a new standard for the horse racing industry. 🔹 Proven Success & Global Potential: iReality has already delivered results at Sweden’s Bro Park racetrack, enhancing operational efficiency, boosting fan engagement, and unlocking valuable monetization opportunities. With the U.S. horse racing industry alone valued at $40B and global sports betting projected to hit $793.9B by 2030, iReality’s patented technology positions it perfectly for global expansion. 🔹 Scalable Business Model: Their business model supports long-term scalability through recurring revenue from software licensing, data rights, and revenue-sharing agreements—all driven by their patented platform. 🌍 Looking Ahead: After five years of R&D, a proven patented platform, and demonstrated success, iReality is ready to scale globally. They are actively seeking strategic partners, including investors, sports data companies, betting platforms, and racetrack owners, to expand into new markets and reshape how sports and entertainment are experienced worldwide. I’m proud to be part of this journey and excited about what’s next for iReality. Let’s redefine sports together! 🔗 Learn more at iReality.se or reach out to me directly! 📩 💡 Do you know any potential partners who could benefit from iReality’s groundbreaking technology? I’d love to hear your ideas and explore possible collaborations!

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🌍💼 Scaling International Growth: A Strategic Pivot for Legacy and Emerging Brands ✈️📈 Two recent announcements have surprised the (sports) business landscape, showcasing a growing trend: heritage and premium brands seeking external investors to accelerate their international expansion ... 👜 Dbjourney's collaboration with LVMH Luxury Ventures : The Scandinavian brand, known for its minimalist, functional luggage and backpacks, announced LVMH's investment to drive its global growth. This partnership aligns Db Journey with a powerhouse renowned for scaling iconic brands https://lnkd.in/dF2ewVTx. .  🥽 uvex group potentially joining forces with Private Equity: The German protective and sports gear brand, is reportedly in discussions to be acquired by a private equity firm. The move would provide the capital and strategic expertise needed to scale beyond European markets https://lnkd.in/dii-5KDa . 🧐 Key Takeaways: 🌍 Global Growth Requires Scale: In today’s competitive landscape, even well-established brands need external resources to penetrate international markets effectively. Capital, supply chain optimization, and regional expertise are vital to scaling successfully. 💡 Strategic Investors Bring More Than Money: Partnerships like Db Journey and LVMH connect brands to ecosystems offering distribution networks, marketing know-how, and operational synergies. Similarly, private equity brings growth acceleration capabilities. 🚀 A Growing Trend Across Industries: external investment is becoming a strategic necessity, not just a nice-to-have, for growth-focused brands.  ⚠️ The Risk of Staying Independent: Brands holding out on external investment may struggle to compete, particularly in markets requiring rapid innovation and localized strategies. 🤔 Is This the New Norm? While the "go-it-alone" approach worked for brands in the past, the increasing complexity of global markets—paired with consumer demand for fast delivery, premium experiences, and localized products—makes it harder to achieve sustainable growth without external backing. Whether it’s luxury investors like LVMH or private equity firms specializing in operational turnarounds, aligning with the right partner can unlock immense potential. #Luxury #SportingGoods #PrivateEquity #InternationalBusiness #StrategicGrowth #CommercialExcellence pics: uvex sports, handelsblatt & DbJourney

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A New Chapter for Clever Clover – Farewell to "2 Minuten 2 Millionen" After an incredible decade of opportunities, growth, and inspiring collaborations, Clever Clover`s CO-Founder Heinrich-Stefan Prokop is stepping away from his role as an investor on "2 Minuten 2 Millionen“. Over the years, Heinrich’s time on the show has been nothing short of transformative for startups, Clever Clover, and the Austrian FMCG ecosystem. Together with the REWE Group, Erste Bank, and Sparkasse, we’ve helped over 50 startups achieve more than €100 million in external revenues, launching incredible brands like Neoh, Hakuma, Die Pfanzerei, Ketofabrik, and many others to new heights. But this is just the beginning! Clever Clover remains committed to supporting startups in Austria and beyond. With Loes Voermans and our fantastic team, we focus on international expansion, creating new distribution opportunities for startups across Europe. Heinrich reflects: "The platform '2 Minuten 2 Millionen' has been an unforgettable experience, raising awareness of the FMCG sector and empowering countless innovative ideas. While I’ll miss being part of the show, I’m excited to make room for new investors and perspectives while continuing to work tirelessly for Clever Clover and our network of startups." This isn’t goodbye—it’s an evolution. Here’s to new opportunities and partnerships and continuing to bring innovation to and from Austria in the coming years! Thank you, '2 Minuten 2 Millionen' – the journey has been incredible. Onwards and upwards! #CleverClover #2Minuten2Millionen #ThankYou #Startups #FMCGInnovation #OnwardsAndUpwards

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Exciting news! Balnord - our new VC fund for tech founders from Poland & Baltics, is live! We know that building a technology company is a unique task and we want to be the ones who will help you achieve the remarkable. We want to be the partner who will help us in good times and difficult moments. We think, act and invest long term. And we're here to help you from pre-seed to exit. #startups #venturecapital #entrepreneurship

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