The first-ever Vision Capital Forum marked an inspiring gathering of investors, startups, and scale-up companies under the umbrella of Summit Kvitfjell.
This event was created to foster an arena for inspiration, knowledge sharing, and networking, aligning with our ambition to build a thriving business week on snow, closely linked to the world-class performances at the World Cup in Kvitfjell. Hosts for the day; Catharina Meinich Langfeldt and Aleksander Eskeland.
Insights from Thought Leaders
We were honored to kick off the forum with Martin Bech Holte, economist and author of Landet som ble for rikt, a thought-provoking book addressing key challenges in one of the world’s wealthiest nations. With an astonishing 45,000 copies sold, his book has sparked crucial conversations about the future of our economy.
Following Martin, we welcomed Trond Riiber Knudsen, one of Norway’s most active tech investors. After 25 years as a senior partner at McKinsey, Trond transitioned into early-stage investments and now boasts a portfolio of over 100 companies.
Innovation on Snow: Stereo Skis
Another highlight was Jens-Martin Johnsrud and Kjetil André Aamodt from Stereo Skis, a Norwegian high-performance alpine ski brand. With design in Norway and production in Åre, Sweden, Stereo is redefining sustainable ski manufacturing, aiming to see a Norwegian world champion on Norwegian skis once again.
We also welcomed Björn Rougen, VP Sales Europe excl UK&I of Smartoptics, a Norwegian publicly listed technology company specializing in optical data communication. With an impressive clientele including BT, NTT, Roblox, and SpaceX, Smartoptics is a testament to Norway’s growing influence in global tech.
Powering the future of Tech
The forum also featured Emma Tryti, CEO of Airthings, a Norwegian tech company renowned for its air quality sensors. Emma’s impressive career spans leadership roles at Vipps and Kron, showcasing her ability to drive growth and innovation in tech startups. She was joined on stage by Aksel Lund Svindal, legendary alpine skier and investor, to discuss the parallels between sports and business success.
Another engaging session featured Jan-Egil Ragnhildstveit, a key player in Visma’s success story and co-founder of techX, an investment firm focusing on B2B software. He provided valuable insights into active ownership and long-term business growth.
Investor Panel: The Grand Finale
The forum concluded with a high-impact investor panel, moderated by Thore Kleppen (Partner KPMG), featuring prominent figures such as Trond Riiber Knudsen, Ingar S. Bentsen (CEO of TheFactory), and Thomas Ramm (CEO of Coretech Capital & Chairman of Smartoptics). The panel delved into the future of tech investments, venture capital trends, and strategies for scaling companies in a competitive global market.
Looking Ahead
The first Vision Capital Forum was an incredible success, setting the stage for future editions. We are immensely grateful to our speakers, partners, Kvitfjell friends and attendees who contributed to an inspiring and thought-provoking day.
As we continue to grow this platform, we look forward to welcoming even more investors, entrepreneurs, and innovators next year to shape the future of business and investments.
See you at the next Vision Capital Forum!
