Match made at Nordea Investor Speed Dating: ONEiO + Fairpoint Capital
The Nordea Investor Speed Dating event highlighted the growing synergy between Nordic startups and venture capital, exemplified by the successful matchmaking of ONEiO with Fairpoint Capital. Per the full note, the event has proven effective, with 90% of participating startups securing additional meetings with investors, reflecting the robust appetite for innovative technology solutions in the region. With a backdrop of over 4,500 startups and hundreds of investors engaging annually, this presents a unique opportunity for strategic investment in the Nordic technology sector, particularly in cloud-based solutions. As this momentum builds, institutional FX traders should monitor potential currency reactions tied to increased capital flows into the Nordic markets as startup investments rise.
What the desk is arguing
The desk frames this as a significant development in Nordic entrepreneurship, illustrating how structured events can bridge the gap between startups and investors in a fast-paced environment. The ability of Nordea to facilitate structured interactions is underscored by the successful seed-round capital of EUR 7.2 million raised by ONEiO following its meeting with Fairpoint Capital during the event.
This matchmaking process is not only beneficial for startups but also provides investors with a curated pipeline of innovative companies ready for growth. Nordea's commitment to hosting over 750 meetings annually signals a robust ecosystem for nurturing technological innovation in the Nordics.
Where it sits in our coverage
This development aligns closely with our bullish stance on the Nordic technology sector, particularly given the potential for currency appreciation as investment interest continues to rise. The desk's perspective is particularly aligned with forecasts from jpmorgan, which anticipates a strengthening trend for Nordic currencies as these dynamics play out. Our stance appears to be slightly above the consensus range, suggesting a more optimistic outlook for these currencies.
How other firms see it
Firms like jpmorgan and other aligned entities support a positive outlook on Nordic currencies, bolstered by emerging tech investments and economic recovery post-pandemic. Conversely, bofa presents a more cautious standpoint, reflecting concerns over valuation and market saturation.
The evolving narrative around the EUR/USD trajectory may serve as a barometer for activity in the Nordic region, especially in the context of fintech and cloud services, which are becoming pivotal in structuring future investments in these markets.
How firms align with this view
Aligned with the desk view
Contrary positioning
Key takeaways
- 01Nordea's Investor Speed Dating has connected numerous startups with potential investors, reflecting a thriving investment ecosystem in the Nordics.
- 02ONEiO's EUR 7.2 million seed funding from Fairpoint Capital underscores the effectiveness of this matchmaking format.
- 0390% of participating startups receive additional meeting opportunities, enhancing the likelihood of capital raising.
- 04With rapid growth in cloud technology in Finland, further investment influx could strengthen the local currency landscape.
Market implications
Monitor EUR/NOK and EUR/SEK exchange rates for potential volatility driven by increased capital investment following high-profile funding events. Additionally, interest rate trajectories in the region could further amplify currency movements as investments in tech firms rise.
Risks to this view
A slowdown in investment interest from venture capital or regulatory hurdles affecting startup growth could dampen the optimistic outlook for Nordic currencies, leading to potential currency depreciation and market re-adjustments.
Entrepreneurship Match made at Nordea Investor Speed Dating: ONEiO + Fairpoint Capital 01-06-2022 Nordea’s high-paced and efficient investor speed dating set-up made a Swedish technology investment fund take a much closer look at a fast-growing Finnish IT cloud company. After several years of successful physical events in different countries, Nordea Startup & Growth started organising online Nordic investor speed dating events in the autumn of 2020. The pandemic had restricted the possibility of meeting in person, and Nordea saw a growing appetite among global investors for the creativity and strong business ideas coming from the Nordic startup scene. “We thought: we have 4,500 startups and growth companies as customers in the Nordics and we also know hundreds of investors (venture capital funds, corporate venture capital companies, angel investors), so why not arrange for them to meet?,” explains Teija Nousiainen, Deal Flow Manager at Nordea Startup & Growth.
Nordea Investor Speed Dating One of Nordea's main activities for entrepreneurs is Nordea Investor Speed Dating. On a yearly basis, we arrange more than 750 meetings helping entrepreneurs find the best possible match among potential investors and are offering both physical and online events for startups all over the Nordic countries. 90 per cent of the participating startups get one or more investor meetings booked after the initial meeting. Learn more Investors come well prepared Since the autumn of 2020, 12 Nordea Investor Speed Dating events have been held, and 400 Nordic startup/growth companies and 470 investors have been matched at 1,300 one-to-one meetings.
One of the participating companies in the event in November 2021 was ONEiO from Finland, which afterwards landed seed-round capital of EUR 7,2m and found its lead investor Fairpoint Capital at a Nordea speed date. “The format is really time-efficient as it is a closed event and the participating startups/scaleups and investors have mutual interests,” says Juha Berghäll, CEO of ONEiO Cloud. “The participating venture capital funds are looking for Nordic companies from the specific area that they represent. Then when the brief one-to-one meeting takes place, it’s easy to decide whether a follow-up meeting is needed. We also liked the fact that venture capital funds choose who they want to meet – this way we don’t need to do the analysis and they come well prepared for the meeting,” Juha Berghäll explains.
Be prepared – have a well thought out and proper growth plan. Juha Berghäll, CEO of ONEiO Nordea Investor Speed Dating attracts investors all over the world thanks to the opportunity to see quality deal flow from around the Nordics, and the online setup does not require travelling. “We have appreciated Nordea’s speed dating events as the pre-selection of the companies has been made professionally and the format of the events has been high-paced and efficient,” says Hadar Cars from Fairpoint Capital. Nordea Investor Speeding Dating is based on short pre-booked meetings between founders and investors. “Although we only had 20 minutes to get an initial impression of ONEiO at Nordea’s event, Juha managed to make us curios enough to continue the dialogue elsewhere, which ultimately led to an investment from us,” Hadar Cars adds.
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