A year ago, I brought in the first investors to our inaugural fund. It’s a responsibility I feel every day, especially in a complex market environment defined by financial risk, limited liquidity, and a geopolitical landscape that has created a new normal for investors.

[Explore interest to join our investor network.](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSedgB9nkFMlgAA48PnWdtVkKjPG07R3fJGQC6w3KYeoFQ_4Qw/viewform?usp=header)

Over the past year, more than 1,700 companies have applied for capital from the fund. We have selected companies by following them closely through our community. What we look for are strong founding teams who have built their businesses and reached customers, where commercialization is a key factor. In less than a year, we have invested in six companies so far. One portfolio company has interesting conversations going at a doubled valuation, another has tripled by the interest from other investors. We have also invested in an AI company collaborating with OpenAI. 

 

Building a fund with a community at its core has clear advantages. One example is our ability to share portfolio progress at FEARLESS, the largest conference in the Nordics for women in entrepreneurship, which we host ourselves. We use our community to evaluate investments, support commercialization, contribute to business development, establish international collaborations, and make relevant investor introductions. Through the community, our communications gain broader reach, and access to networks and expertise is always close at hand.

We have also had the opportunity to invest in two companies that actively sought us out, precisely because of who we are and what we stand for. There is still much work ahead. A fund typically spans seven to ten years.

We have already achieved a great deal, thanks to the trust we have been given, but also because our community provides valuable data points to guide us. That gives us renewed confidence and purpose moving forward. 

 

[Michaela Berglund](https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelaberglund/)&#x20;

CEO [Feminvest](https://www.linkedin.com/company/feminvestsweden/) and Founder [Feminvest Ventures](https://www.linkedin.com/company/feminvest-ventures/)

&#x20;

[Join our community.](https://www.feminvest.se/en/medlemskap/)

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The Feminvest Approach to Building Real Value

When Christian Dahl describes the Norwegian investment debate as "disappointing" in [Finansavisen](https://www.finansavisen.no/finans/2026/04/16/8344474/formue-sjef-til-motangrep-debatten-i-norge-er-skuffende), he points to a fundamental problem: "We are often more concerned with choosing away than understanding and learning." For family offices and private investors in the Nordics, this represents a familiar challenge. While local markets focus on limitations, real opportunities emerge through international perspectives and global networks.

## From local limitations to global opportunities

Christian Dahl's criticism, as reported by [Finansavisen](https://www.finansavisen.no/finans/2026/04/16/8344474/formue-sjef-til-motangrep-debatten-i-norge-er-skuffende), hits a nerve in Nordic investment circles. When an experienced capital manager describes the national investment debate as more focused on "choosing away rather than understanding and learning," it signals a fundamental difference between local and international investment philosophies.

For family offices navigating today's complex capital landscape, understanding home markets alone proves insufficient. The most successful investors systematically build networks that stretch across borders and sectors.

## Why international networks create value

Global investment thinking centers on three factors that local markets often miss:

**Opportunity diversification**: When Nordic markets stagnate or become oversaturated, international contacts open doors to entirely new sectors and growth regions.

**Knowledge exchange**: Investors with global exposure see patterns and trends before they reach local markets. This provides a crucial time advantage in investment decisions.

**Strategic partnerships**: The most valuable deals often arise through recommendations and joint investments across borders.

## Building cross-border investment access

For experienced investors, global exposure delivers concrete advantages:

**Benchmarking**: Compare investment strategies with international counterparts to refine your approach.

**Deal flow**: Access opportunities that traditional Nordic channels miss entirely.

**Risk management**: Understand how global trends affect local investments before the impact becomes obvious.

When Christian Dahl criticizes Norwegian investment debate for being more focused on "choosing away," he highlights the need for open, international dialogue that builds understanding rather than barriers.

## The practical advantage of global perspective

International networks provide family offices with systematic access to:

* International investors seeking Nordic opportunities
* Entrepreneurs with scalability beyond local markets
* Established PE and VC networks with global reach

Previous Nordic investment gatherings have demonstrated how these connections materialize. When participants from different markets and backgrounds gather, the most valuable contacts often form during informal conversations between formal program segments.

The contrast with Dahl's observation becomes clear: while local debates focus on what to avoid, international networks focus on what to pursue. [Feminvest's investment community](https://www.feminvest.se/en/ventures) exemplifies this approach—creating spaces where Nordic and international investors can engage in the type of constructive, opportunity-focused dialogue that Dahl advocates for.

blog

Beyond Norwegian borders: Building global investment networks

When [Svenska Dagbladets Affärsbragd](https://www.svd.se/a/K88QqX/starkt-startfalt-de-slass-om-svd-affarsbragd) nominates 2026's most outstanding companies, a pattern emerges that Private Equity actors cannot ignore. Among the nine nominated companies appears a clear trend: companies with strong female representation deliver growth while creating entirely new markets. Natural Cycles revolutionized contraception, and Bolon transformed from local manufacturer to global premium brand under the Eklund sisters' leadership. For PE funds seeking the next investment opportunity, Nordic female-owned companies become increasingly interesting. They combine operational excellence with market growth in ways that few other segments can match.

## From Academia to Global Market Dominance

When physicist Elina Berglund Scherwitzl developed an algorithm to predict ovulation for personal use in 2013, she created what would become the world's first digitally approved contraceptive. Natural Cycles turned over approximately $100 million in 2025 and has been profitable since 2022. This performance reflects many Nordic female-led companies.

Bolon shows the same pattern. Sisters Marie and Annica Eklund took over the family company founded in 1949 and transformed it from a regional mat manufacturer to a global premium brand in woven vinyl flooring. Their customers include Chanel, Four Seasons, and Apple – brands that demand extremely high standards for quality and delivery.

## Market Access Through Operational Excellence

For PE investors, these companies represent something beyond success stories. They demonstrate an investment pattern where female leaders often build sustainable competitive advantages through operational discipline rather than capital injections alone.

This operational focus creates more stable growth trajectories than many traditional startup approaches. The companies highlighted in [SvD's nominations](https://www.svd.se/a/K88QqX/starkt-startfalt-de-slass-om-svd-affarsbragd) show consistent profitability and international expansion based on product excellence.

## Access to Exclusive Deal Flow

What makes Nordic female-owned companies particularly interesting for PE is accessibility. Many of these companies receive less attention from traditional VC funds, creating arbitrage opportunities for investors who understand the segment.

The Nordic region particularly benefits from this trend, where female entrepreneurs often build companies with strong fundamentals before seeking external capital. Companies like Bioarctic (founded by professor Lars Lannfelt and doctorate Pär Gellerfors) and Natural Cycles demonstrate how academic excellence translates into commercial success.

## Investment Categories Worth Tracking

Several sectors emerge as particularly attractive within the Nordic female ownership space:

**Digital Health**: Natural Cycles proves regulatory approval and global scaling possibilities. The company secured both European and FDA approval for its app-based contraceptive method.

**Premium Manufacturing**: Bolon's transformation under female leadership shows how traditional industries can achieve luxury positioning and global reach.

**Impact Investing**: Norrsken Foundation's development over ten years demonstrates how capital and networks can solve societal problems while generating returns.

**Technology Innovation**: Companies like Lovable, founded by Anton Osika and Fabian Hedin, show how AI-driven solutions can disrupt established industries.

The companies nominated for SvD Affärsbragd 2026 validate a broader investment thesis: Nordic female-owned companies often combine technical innovation with commercial pragmatism in ways that create sustainable value.

For investors seeking exposure to this growing category, [Feminvest Ventures](https://www.feminvest.se/en/ventures) provides specialized access to Nordic companies with at least 50% female ownership.

## Call to Action

Explore investment opportunities in Nordic female ownership. Connect with PE actors who already invest in this growing category and access exclusive deal flow in the region's most promising companies.

How Female Entrepreneurs Are Building the Nordic's Next Investment Wave

The fashion-tech landscape is shifting dramatically, and female entrepreneurs have a narrow window to secure funding for the next big opportunity. [Emily Dahl's analysis in Aftonbladet](https://www.aftonbladet.se/kultur/a/Bx0XL9/emily-dahl-om-wellness-wear-och-tech-wear) reveals that tech wear has become "töntigt" (uncool), while wellness wear emerges as the dominant trend. For female founders seeking capital, this represents a clear market signal: investors are ready to back ventures that understand what consumers actually want. The question isn't whether to enter this space—it's how quickly you can position your company to capture investment.

# Fashion Tech's Wellness Revolution: Why Female Entrepreneurs Need Funding Now

The fashion-tech industry just experienced a massive shake-up. And if you're a female entrepreneur looking for your next funding opportunity, you need to pay attention.

[Emily Dahl's recent analysis in Aftonbladet](https://www.aftonbladet.se/kultur/a/Bx0XL9/emily-dahl-om-wellness-wear-och-tech-wear) exposes why tech wear collapsed while wellness wear exploded. More importantly, it reveals exactly why investors are now actively seeking female founders in this space.

## Why Tech Wear Failed (And What It Means for You)

Google's Project Jaquard just died. Quietly. In spring 2023.

Despite partnerships with Levis and Saint Laurent, the technology couldn't solve a fundamental problem: smartphones already did everything these smart clothes promised. Consumers weren't going to wear the same connected jacket every day when their phone was more versatile.

But here's what Google missed—and what you shouldn't: they built technology first, then tried to make it fashionable. Fatal mistake.

Female entrepreneurs understand something crucial that billion-dollar tech companies don't. You know that successful products start with genuine consumer needs, not engineering capabilities. This insight is precisely why investors are now hunting for female-led wellness wear companies.

## The Wellness Wear Goldmine

Wellness wear is about enhancing wellbeing through thoughtful design and subtle technology integration.

Think garments that monitor stress levels without looking like medical devices. Fabrics that regulate body temperature naturally. Clothing that supports mental health through color psychology and texture. These products solve real problems people face daily.

You already understand these pain points because you live them. That consumer empathy? It's your competitive advantage, and investors recognize it.

## Why Investors Want Female Founders Now

[Feminvest Ventures](https://www.feminvest.se/en/ventures) has been backing female entrepreneurs who identified market gaps before traditional VC firms caught on. Companies like DAAR Cosmetics achieved rapid profitability by addressing genuine consumer needs—exactly the approach wellness wear requires.

Pia Ganeva, General Partner at Feminvest Ventures, highlights that their portfolio companies often feature "international growth potential and disruptive marketing approaches that emphasize inclusivity." Translation: female founders build products people actually want to buy.

Consider Understatement Underwear's trajectory toward 100 million in revenue. They didn't just create better underwear—they understood the entire customer experience and built accordingly. This holistic thinking is what wellness wear demands.

## Your Funding Strategy

Right now, investors are looking for:

**Market timing understanding.** You need to articulate why wellness wear is happening now, not five years ago or five years from now. The collapse of traditional tech wear creates space, but that window won't stay open forever.

**Consumer insight depth.** Don't just claim you understand your customers—prove it with specific insights about their daily experiences, pain points, and current inadequate solutions.

**Scalable technology integration.** Investors want to see how you'll incorporate technology that enhances rather than complicates the user experience. Think seamless integration, not flashy features.

**International potential.** Nordic investors particularly value companies that can scale beyond domestic markets. Position your solution as globally relevant from day one.

## Building Your Investment Case

Start with the problem, not your solution. Investors hear endless pitches about revolutionary technology. They rarely hear compelling stories about genuine consumer frustration that creates market opportunity.

Your pitch should answer: What specific wellness challenge do consumers face daily? How are current solutions inadequate? Why is your approach uniquely positioned to solve this better than anyone else?

The technical innovation comes second. First, prove you understand a market worth investing in.

## Access Capital and Networks

[Feminvest's community](https://www.feminvest.se/en/) connects entrepreneurs with investors who understand both the market potential and the unique value female leadership brings to consumer companies.

The platform provides more than just capital access—you'll connect with other founders navigating similar challenges, experienced investors who've backed successful consumer brands, and strategic advisors who understand the wellness market.

Ready to position your venture for funding? [Join the conversation at Fearless Waterfront Stockholm](https://fearlesswaterfront.confetti.events/) and present to active investors actively seeking the next wave of consumer innovation.

## Call to Action

Ready to secure funding for your wellness wear venture? Connect with investors actively seeking female entrepreneurs at Fearless Waterfront Stockholm.

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The Feminvest Approach to Building Real Value

Beyond Norwegian borders: Building global investment networks

How Female Entrepreneurs Are Building the Nordic's Next Investment Wave

Fashion Tech's Wellness Revolution: Why Female Entrepreneurs Need Funding Now