The Nordic Startup Awards have been going on since 2012, as a way of bringing the Nordic startup community together, as well as recongnise and celebrate the tech environment in the region. According to Kim Balle, the founder and CEO of Nordic Startup Awards, the ties between the Nordic countries were not strong and it was a great opportunity to bring these ecosystems together. Such an initiative also resulted into highlighting the importance and strength of the Nordic startup scene.
The event quickly became a success and has now become a global phenomenon. Today, the Nordic Startup Awards are a part of the Global Startup Awards (also founded in Denmark) and its winners compete with representatives from other regions of the world (over 60 countries).
“There aren’t really any connections between those who are dealing with tech. And this is true all over the world. There are a number of regions where it really makes sense to do some cross-country collaboration”, Kim continues.
The winners of this year’s Nordic Startup Awards have been announced in early December out of the total 3 000+ nominations, and will now compete on a global scale.
The winners from the Öresund region include:
- Best Newcomer: Good Monday – an easily scalable workplace management platform;
- Best Fintech Startup: Brickshare – a revolutionary online investment platform;
- Best Hardware Startup: SOUNDBOKS – innovative battery-driven speakers;
- Startup of the Year: Pleo – a payment card solution with features such as automated expense reports and company budgeting;
- Investor of the Year: byFounders – a collective of founders that support other founders in the Nordic and Baltic regions;
- Best Coworking Space: Mindpark – a creative coworking space that is available in Helsingborg, Lund and Malmö Hyllie.
Other winners are from Sweden are:
- Best Health Tech Startup: Nuvoair – an integrated platform that improves the lives of those suffering from respiratory problems and helps make faster medical decisions;
- Ecosystem Hero of the Year: Malin Frithiofsson – Head of Community Management at Chalmers Ventures.
From Norway:
- Best AI/Machine Learning Startup: Spacemaker AI – using AI to optimise the maximum potential of construction sites;
- Best Accelerator or Incubator Program: TheFactory – helps early stage entrepreneurs who have a business idea, early product or scalable concept.
From Finland:
- Best Creative Industry Startup: Grib3D – a user-friendly app that brings 3D designs into real life using augumented reality;
- Best Social Impact Startup: Intellectural Farms (iFarm) – an innovative technology for growing natural salads, berries and vegetables year-round in fully controlled automated environment.
From Iceland:
- Founder of the Year: Kari Thor Runarsson – one of Europe’s top tech innovators.
Congratulations to the winners and good luck in the next stage!
Source: Bootstrapping.
