Eight companies are set to become investment-ready
They're from different industries and different parts of the country, but they have one common goal: to raise capital in the next year. Now they're coming together to become even more professional in their dealings with investors - and to understand a world that's more complex than many thought.
Image: Jørn Haanæs presenting
There is a lot of knowledge in the room when the eight companies meet for the first session of the newly launched "Investor Readiness" program. Through the program, they will not only become confident in the investor pitch - they will understand the entire process and define their own capital plan.
A reality orientation
- Are we focusing on the right things? Does your calendar represent the goals you've set for your company?
This is how Jørn Haanæs, entrepreneur and investor, introduced the first session, which has been named "The get real show". The gathering is intended as a reality orientation, a day to take the temperature of where the companies actually are, and get to know the others in the group.
Jørn has one main message he hopes the participants will take with them after the gathering:
- That they dare to tackle the problems that actually matter. When you're running a startup, there's always something burning, and it's painful to stand in it all the time. As a result, entrepreneurs can end up working on the more pleasant problems - not the bigger ones. For these eight companies, it's all about putting a capital plan in place. If they get that right, they have a much better idea of what the problem is worth and how they can make money and scale.
- I didn't think it was that complex
John-Reidar Johansen, founder and CEO of Aionic, is one of the participants in the program. He's clear about why he's here.
- I've come to understand that investor and capital raising is a profession. It's an ecosystem and a symbiosis that it's important to get help to maneuver in. If you don't have access to this type of knowledge, it can be a scary world to enter," he says.
Image: John-Reidar Johansen presenting his company
He describes a feeling that many in the room can probably relate to.
- I haven't been in the investment community for 15 years. The language and words have changed completely. I need to read up!
The best time to build - and the toughest
Haanæs is clear that entrepreneurs cannot be paralyzed by the macro picture.
- You can focus on the big macro things, or you can focus on what you can control. Technology, talent and money have never been easier to access. But this applies to everyone - so the competition is tougher, he says.
He's equally clear on one thing: you can't delegate away what's most important.
- It's never a good solution to give others responsibility for your fundraising success. You have to own the process yourself.
About investor readiness
Investor Readiness is a structured 8-week program for small and medium-sized companies planning to raise capital. The program helps you prepare your company for an investor dialogue through concrete work on strategy, documentation and implementation. The aim is for you to be well prepared when you meet investors.
Trygve Meyer, head of the smart city cluster at Nordic Edge, put words to a classic challenge:
- Companies spend too much time building technology and solutions, and too little time on the hard stuff. Understanding the market, the company, scaling and building teams - that's where you need to go and that's why we have developed this program.
The next investor readiness program will be held in the autumn of 2026. Get in touch with the cluster leaders or register your interest here to find out more.
