From Code to Capital - The Rise of Operational Venture Capital in the Nordics w/

The startup landscape is evolving and so is venture capital. Beyond funding, founders now seek investors who can roll up their sleeves, provide strategic support, and help turn bold ideas into scalable, successful companies.

Join us for a fireside chat with Viktor Gällström, Founding Partner & Investment Manager at VEQ Ventures — a hands-on, early-stage VC firm based in Sweden that partners with ambitious Nordic founders building the next generation of impactful tech companies.

At VEQ Ventures, Viktor and his team bring more than capital to the table. They provide operational expertise, strategic guidance, and access to networks that help founders navigate everything from product-market fit to growth and international expansion. This approach — known as operational venture capital — represents the future of investing in early-stage innovation.

In this fireside chat, we’ll explore:

How the VC landscape is shifting toward operational and value-driven models

What defines an “operational investor” and how founders benefit from it

The power of collaboration between investors and early-stage teams

Lessons from working with some of the Nordics’ most promising startups

How to balance capital, capability, and conviction when scaling a company

The unique strengths of the Nordic ecosystem and what’s next for early-stage innovation

Whether you’re a founder, investor, or builder, this conversation will shed light on how operational venture capital is shaping the next decade of entrepreneurship in the Nordics — where partnership and execution go hand in hand.

The session will be moderated by Naimul Abd – Regional Director Nordics at Startup Grind, CEO at Connect East, SweBAN, Founder Institute Nordics, Nutty Ventures, and Brim – Brands for Impact.

👉 Register now

Agenda

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Company

VEQ (https://veq.vc/)
VEQ invests in early stage software companies with innovative, digital and scalable business ideas.

Speaker

Viktor Gällström - VEQ (Founding partner & Investment manager)

Viktor Gällström is the Founding Partner and Investment Manager at VEQ Ventures, a Swedish early-stage VC firm backing ambitious founders across the Nordics. He’s passionate about building long-term partnerships and supporting entrepreneurs beyond capital.

Hosted By

Naimul Abd, Regional Director Nordics Startup Grind

Naimul Abd is a leading Nordic Ecosystem Builder and coaches more than 500 entrepreneurs per year. A finalist in Nordic Startup Awards 2023, he is Regional Director Nordics for global startup ecosystems including Founder Institute, Startup Grind, and Founders Live. He has headed several EU funded acceleration programs, transformed advisory services, events, and partnerships at a government funded social impact organization, and moderated leading startup events like Stockholm Entrepreneurs Day, Nordic Startup Festival, and Nordic Pitch Battle. Naimul is also a serial entrepreneur and an angel investor with a portfolio of impact startups. He has previously worked in the corporate sector as a strategic marketing & insights consultant for more than 20 multinational brands including Nestlé, Coca Cola, Honda, Tetra Pak. He has also tripled the topline of a fashion retailer as their marketing head and held leadership positions at advertising and research agencies. Naimul holds M.Sc. in Marketing and M.Sc. in Entrepreneurship from Sweden and, in his free time, he makes music and loves to write. His favorite quote? “The best way to predict the future is to create it,” by Peter Drucker.

Peggie K. Ovesen, Partnerships Lead

I’m passionate about the startup journey and driven to build solutions that are good for both people and the planet. With a background in tech and business, I’ve led product development in deeptech startups across fashion, fitness, and entertainment.

My experience spans from marketing and sales at the multinational brand Nestlé to launching MVPs for early-stage startups — giving me a well-rounded perspective on building purposeful, scalable solutions.

I believe in the power of collaboration and in creating products where innovation and impact grow through shared purpose.

Outside of work, I’m a wine enthusiast , enjoys playing tennis, meditation, hiking, and weightlifting. I am always embracing new challenges that fuel personal and professional growth. Message to all- “alone we go fast, but together we go far.”

Startup Grind is a global startup community designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs. We host monthly events in more than 600 cities and 125+ countries featuring successful local founders, innovators, educators and investors who share personal stories and lessons learned on the road to building great companies. Our monthly fireside chat interviews, startup mixers and annual conferences provide ample opportunities to connect with amazing startups and the people behind them, tap into a strong support network, form meaningful connections and gain inspiration for the startup journey ahead. For more information visit StartupGrind.com or follow us on twitter @StartupGrind.

Complete your event RSVP here: https://www.startupgrind.com/events/details/startup-grind-stockholm-presents-from-code-to-capital-the-rise-of-operational-venture-capital-in-the-nordics-w-viktor-gallstrom/.