This week on the EU-Startups Podcast, we sit down with Rebecka Löthman Rydå, Normal Accomplice at Norrsken Evolve, a €57M oversubscribed pre-seed fund backing founders who’re constructing Europe’s resilient and sustainable future. Born out of Norrsken Accelerator, which has supported over 80 startups since 2021.
Evolve combines capital, neighborhood, and world-class mentorship to assist early-stage founders sort out a few of the world’s most urgent challenges. With €250K upfront plus follow-on funding, an intensive in-person dash, and a top-tier advisory community, it’s redefining how impact-driven startups scale throughout the continent.
Rebecka describes herself as a nerd at coronary heart, enthusiastic about supporting early-stage founders who’re constructing transformative firms that handle significant issues. She’s an investor in over 30 firms, together with Truecaller (by way of Zenith, IPO $2B), Funnel (Collection C, $66M), TrusTrace (Collection B, $25M), Formulate (exit to Relex), and Zound Industries (now Marshall, exit at $1B).
On this episode, we dig into Europe’s “defining second” and the braveness founders want now; what Evolve appears to be like for at pre-seed (downside obsession, resilience, honesty); why storytelling and direct suggestions beat self-importance metrics on day zero; hiring truths (why a Founder’s Affiliate or Chief of Workers early on can 10x output); and way more!
Video model of episode 143:
Audio model of episode 143:
Key Takeaways
- Pre-seed is braveness + readability: narratives matter greater than noisy metrics.
- Again problem-obsession, not simply credentials.
- Resilience = real-world stress-tests, not buzzwords.
- Hiring a Founder’s Affiliate early saves the CEO from context collapse.
- Direct, quick suggestions compounds founder studying.
