So you have a cool new technology that can have numerous applications. How do you decide what to focus on? My guest today is Sofie Allert, co-founder and CEO of Swedish Algae Factory. Sofie talks about her journey from biotechnology student to founding the first algae factory in Sweden and what she learnt about finding market product fit. Swedish Algae Factory garnered media attention when it won the 2019 Postcode Lotteries Green Challenge and is also an Unreasonable company.
Show Notes
- [2:05] From where does your fascination for business and entrepreneurship stem from?
- [3:21] When you met Angela (co-founder), what fascinated you about her work and what made you think that this had commercial opportunities?
- [7:42] How did you determine which application to develop first?
- [10:42] If you had to redo the phase of trying to find your first application, how would you do it differently? And how would you go about looking for a market for your product?
- [11:45] Once you identified the skincare industry, what did you do next to deliver what was needed for that industry?
- [13:29] How did you balance your personal and business life?
- [19:23] Could you tell us about your hiring philosophy? What are some of the things that you have done well and what are some things that you would do differently?
- [22:14] What did you do to find the right investors in your early stages?
- [26:12] What stage are you in right now and what challenges are you working through?
- [27:10] - Where did you determine where to build your facility?
- [29:54] What is next for the Swedish Algae Factory?
Links
What is The European Startup Show?
To inspire technology entrepreneurs in Europe with stories and practical strategies from other successful entrepreneurs.
If you are a CEO, founder, or work in sales or marketing, and your company is based in Europe or is looking to expand into Europe, then this podcast is for you.