The Norrsken Impact Accelerator in Stockholm, Sweden, is now accepting applications for chosen early-stage entrepreneurs from across the world to receive assistance, coaching, and US $125,000 in investment.
Norrsken was founded in 2016 by Niklas Adalberth, one of the founders of Swedish fintech unicorn Klarna, with the goal of assisting entrepreneurs in addressing the world’s most pressing issues. Norrsken House, a co-working facility in Stockholm for over 350 impact entrepreneurs, the Norrsken Founders Fund, and Norrsken VC make up the ecosystem.
In 2019, Disrupt Africa reported that the foundation had opened offices in Kigali, Rwanda, which is aimed to use as a basis for investing across the East and Central African area and that it had accepted 11 African businesses into the inaugural round of the Norrsken Impact Challenge. African businesses are being encouraged to apply for the accelerator’s 2022 edition, which is aimed to uncover and expand the world’s most promising impact enterprises. The programme involves an eight-week growth sprint at Norrsken House in Stockholm, as well as mentoring from a group of more than 50 entrepreneurs, investors, and unicorn founders. The Norrsken Foundation invests $125,000 in each firm as an upfront seed or pre-seed investment.
“We constantly ask ourselves – is this company solving a real problem? We’re only interested in business models where profit and impact are truly inseparable. It should be the opposite of “if you buy one pair of shoes, we’ll give away a free pair to Africa”, said Funda Sezgi, Norrsken Impact Accelerator managing director and co-founder.
“We’re looking for startups that have the potential to drive lasting, generational positive change to the world, whilst simultaneously building successful, rapidly scalable businesses.”
The 20 participating firms have raised more than $17 million in seed or pre-seed finance since being admitted into the 2021 programme.
Until the end of February, you may apply here.
