What Early-Stage VCs Look for in Nordic B2B Founders w/ Rune Hven-Jensen

Nordics have built a strong reputation for world-class startups. 

But when it comes to raising capital, what truly separates companies that get funded from those that don’t?

In this fireside chat, Rune Hven-Jensen, General Partner at Ugly Duckling Ventures, joins Startup Grind to share firsthand insights into how early-stage VCs evaluate Nordic B2B founders.

We’ll explore:

What early-stage VCs really look for at pre-seed and seed
How traction, MRR, and momentum are evaluated in Nordic B2B
Founder and team qualities that stand out early
What makes a round lead- or co-lead–ready
How founders earn follow-on capital and long-term support
Common mistakes founders make when pitching early

Whether you're a first-time founder, an operator preparing to fundraise, or scaling a B2B subscription company, this session offers practical, unfiltered insights straight from the investor’s perspective.

The session will be moderated by Naimul Abd – Regional Director Nordics at Startup Grind, CEO at Connect East, SweBAN, Nutty Ventures, and BRIM, and Nordics lead for Founder Institute and Founders Live.

Agenda

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Speaker

Rune Hven-Jensen - Ugly Duckling Ventures (Co-Founder & General Partner)

Rune is a product leader and investor with deep experience in B2B SaaS and e-commerce, spanning product development, vision, and business strategy.
He founded Nodes in London in 2012, which was later acquired by Monstarlab Inc. in 2017. Since 2016, he has been actively involved in angel investing, supporting early-stage startups.Previously, he held Senior and Director-level produc…

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.”

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Global Partner

Carta (http://www.carta.com/launch?utm_campaign=20240423-nam-general-smb-startup_grind_partnership&utm_medium=social&utm_source=startup_grind)
Carta helps people manage equity, build businesses, and invest in the companies of tomorrow. Carta Launch is the only free cap table product, helping new founders get started. The company is trusted by more than 40,000 companies, over 7,000 funds and SPVs, and over two million equity holders to manage cap tables, compensation, valuations, liquidity, and more. For more information, visit carta.com.

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-what-early-stage-vcs-look-for-in-nordic-b2b-founders-w-rune-hven-jensen/.