Backing startups built to last
About
We believe that business success is a mix of the fun and the boring: startup spirit supported by strategy and discipline; sense of urgency and long-term vision; short-term focus and global ambition; entrepreneurial founders who can foster a strong corporate culture and give space to independent team members.
We know this from founding and running a firm of more than 200 consultants for more than twenty years. We continue to work with large multinationals in the areas of corporate communications, international marketing, and China strategy. This is the experience we bring to our startup investments. Our contribution is more than financial.
We are startup entrepreneurs
We built and sold one of the largest communications firms in China. We also founded companies that failed miserably.
We are brand missionaries
We help some of the world’s largest companies with positioning and marketing strategies, in industries ranging from cutting-edge technology to consumer goods.
We have a strong network
We have international experience and strong investor networks: In Asia as well as Europe and the US.
We roll up our sleeves
To us, investing in a startup is about more than money. We are happy to contribute our experience, get our hands dirty and support you as much as you ask us to.
Investments
Havredals
With almost 10 billion mouths to feed, we need to change the way we eat in order to make sure food resources are sufficient and decrease the climate impact of our food production.
Havredals develops sustainable food products using Nordic ingredients and natural processes that contribute to a healthy planet with healthy people. Less dairy and meat consumption means smaller CO2 emissions. Havredals’ plant-based foods help reduce our climate impact.
The current product portfolio consists of both plan based diary and plant based meat, with many more products in the pipeline.
The high quality products, experienced team, expertise in product development and retail, and the ambition to expand to new markets all contributed to our decision to invest in Havredals.
Klimato
Today’s food system accounts for 25% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions. This means that our current eating habits are responsible for 14 billion tons of CO2 every year.
With Klimato, restaurants can build their brands, improve the guest experience, save money, reduce climate impact and improve the quality of business data – all using a single solution. Data used are pulled from the ISO certified Klimato Carbon Footprint Database developed in collaboration with IVL.
The unique, easy-to-use, ISO certified Klimato tool, as well as the strong team and convincing customer base convinced us about the potential of Klimato.
Lemonado
Operationalize your critical data, move beyond rigid tools, and reimagine workflows with AI.
Connect your data sources, either by uploading CSVs or connecting to Google Sheets, CRMs, Airtable and more. Lemonado will automatically connect your data.
Automate processes by using execution blocks and connecting widgets. Anything from building approval flows, trigger notifications and more.
Capply
Capply’s digital freight platform optimizes modern road freight by offering flexibility, intermodality and improved efficiency. This leads to lower CO2 emissions.
Today, transports make up around a quarter of European greenhouse gas emissions. Capply enables shippers across Europe to handle their freight needs more dynamically, while carriers can optimise their truck utilisation and reduce empty miles. This has a direct impact on the ~80.5 million tonnes of unnecessary CO2 emitted by empty trucks on European roads every year.
Mother Technology
The first solution being developed – Sick of Smoking – targets the single biggest health issue in the world: smoking. In addition to the negative health effects, growing tobacco is also a large contributor to deforestation and soil degradation in the world.
Long term, the aim is to help society and humanity to become healthier through a portfolio of solutions combining virtual reality (VR), extended reality and applied neuroscience.
www.mother.technology
FLOX Robotics
As the human population continues to expand and encroach on wilderness, people and wildlife are increasingly competing over living space and food.
With a combination of AI, robotics and a detailed understanding of various animal species, the company’s solutions are the most effective on the market. Application areas cover airport safety, traffic safety, farming and forestry.
Team
Johan Björkstén
Johan Björkstén has founded several companies as well as the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in China. Fluent in Chinese, he hosted more than 400 local radio and TV programs.
He has a Masters Degree in Physical Chemistry from Uppsala University.
Pär Uhlin
Pär Uhlin is a double major in economics and Asia studies, has spent half his career in international positions and has been the owner and Managing Partner of professional service firms in both China and Sweden.
He is also a board member of the Sweden China Trade Council.
Press
HAVREDALS LANSERAR VÄXTBASERAD PREMIUMBURGARE OCH FORMBAR FÄRS MOT HOTELL OCH RESTAURANG.
Havredals breddar sortimentet och lanserar växtbaserad färs och burgare, framtagna och producerade i Sverige av växtprotein och grödor från Sverige och norra Europa
Klimato’s CO2e footprint tracking gives food for thought
It is great to see the COP26 menus include information about the CO2e footprint associated with each item on the menu
Cop26 menus come with carbon count on food items
Don’t order the burger – it’s a planet killer
Contact
Argand Partners
Johan Björkstén
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Pär Uhlin
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