CoFounder
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersTrondheim, Norway
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
CoFounder firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CoFounder
- Legal name
- Cofounder Management AS
- Website
- https://cofounder.no
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CoFounder industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Early-Stage Venture Capital & Venture Building Services
- NAICS
- Management of Companies and Enterprises (55), Open-End Investment Funds (52591)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Early-Stage Venture Capital (Pre-Seed/Seed) (FSANAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM), Emerging Manager / Seeding Platforms (Multi-Manager) (FSANAGAF)
Keywords
Where CoFounder is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Trondheim
- HQ country
- Norway
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
CoFounder business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Fund Management Fees: CoFounder earns management fees from operating their investment funds including Såkorn 1 Midt (200 MNOK fund) and the Venture fund (220 MNOK), both managed in partnership with KLP.
- Carried Interest / Profit Participation: Returns from successful portfolio company exits generate capital gains for CoFounder as a key revenue stream from their investment activities.
- Capital Gains from Portfolio Exits: As an early-stage investor, CoFounder generates returns through equity appreciation and exits from portfolio companies such as Optoscale, Probotic, Picterus, and C-FEED.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
CoFounder product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CoFounder is an early-stage investor and industrial venture builder that builds and grows tech companies from idea to scale by providing capital, hands-on operational expertise, and a network of institutional partners. The firm invests at pre-seed and seed stages in Norwegian technology companies, manages multiple investment funds (including the KLP seed fund, Såkorn 1 Midt, and the KLP Venture Fund), and runs the Trykktanken accelerator program to develop early-stage founders into investment-ready ventures.
Product overview
CoFounder operates as a unified venture building and early-stage investment platform rather than a modular software product. The core offering consists of CoFounder itself (providing capital, expertise, and network to build and scale tech companies), complemented by the Trykktanken accelerator program for startup development, and two distinct investment funds: the Såkorn 1 Midt Fund focused on pre-seed/seed investments in Central Norway, and the Venture Fund managed on behalf of KLP for broader Norwegian startups. These offerings work together to support founders from initial concept through scaling, combining hands-on operational support with financial investment across different growth stages.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Trykktanken: An accelerator program for startups launched alongside KLP in 2021, allowing CoFounder to explore investment opportunities across Norway. The program is a 4-5 week intensive program providing development plans, investor pitch preparation, and operational support.
Products and services
- CoFounder Venture Building & Investment Service Core offering providing early-stage equity investment combined with hands-on venture building — capital, operational expertise, team building, and network — to Norwegian tech companies from idea to scale.
- Trykktanken Accelerator Program A free 4–5 week intensive accelerator program held in Norwegian cities providing early-stage founders with expert guidance, business concept development, investor pitch preparation, and structured action plans. Co-financed by KLP and managed by CoFounder.
- Såkorn 1 Midt Fund Investment fund providing pre-seed and seed capital to Central Norway tech companies with global growth potential and sustainability focus. Initiated by Sparebank 1 SMN and backed by 19 regional investors.
- KLP Venture Fund Investment fund providing capital to startups across Norway, managed on behalf of KLP as part of KLP's NOK 1B commitment to support profitable ventures that create jobs and drive nationwide growth.
Quantifiable outcome
- 9 portfolio companies supported
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use CoFounder
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
CoFounder technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
CoFounder partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- KLP TrykktankencoreKLP Trykktanken is an accelerator program launched alongside the KLP seed fund in 2021. The program explores investment opportunities across Norway and is co-financed by KLP, with CoFounder managing the program.
- AlcoacoreAlcoa in Mosjøen originated the anode changing robot concept and invited suppliers to address the challenge. CoFounder was brought on as commercial and financial partner, leading to the establishment of AlumatIQ in 2020. Alcoa continues as an industrial partner for piloting the solution.
- HydrominorHydro is mentioned as an aluminum industry partner alongside Alcoa for the AlumatIQ project. The anode changing robot solution has potential application across Norwegian aluminum smelters including Hydro facilities.
- Momek GroupcoreMomek (now part of the AlumatIQ founding team along with Avanti Engineering) is an industrial partner that won the initial competition to develop the anode changing robot solution with Alcoa. Momek, Avanti, and CoFounder co-founded AlumatIQ AS in 2020.
- Avanti Engineering (Goodtech ASA)coreAvanti Engineering (now part of Goodtech ASA) was the winning supplier in the Alcoa competition and co-founded AlumatIQ with Momek and CoFounder to develop the world's first anode changing robot for the aluminum industry.
- NTNU TTO (Norwegian University of Science and Technology Technology Transfer Office)coreCoFounder partners with NTNU TTO to commercialize game-changing technologies from the university for various industries. This partnership provides access to research-based innovations and startup opportunities originating from NTNU.
- SINTEFcoreSINTEF is a strategic research partner that collaborates with CoFounder to identify and commercialize breakthrough technologies. The partnership enables access to applied research and industrial innovation opportunities.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves16 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CoFounder competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Speedinvest: European early-stage VC with a deep-tech fund and operator support model. Comparable in early-stage European deep-tech investing and operational support ethos, though Austria-headquartered.
- Nordic Alpha: Nordic fund manager focused on early-stage investments in Nordic deep-tech and science-based companies. Comparable in deep-tech seed/early-stage focus, pan-Nordic rather than Norway-only mandate.
Direct peers
- Nysnø Klimainvesteringer: Norwegian government-backed green investment fund deploying capital across Norwegian climate-tech and sustainability-focused startups. Comparable as a Norwegian institutional anchor investor in early-stage ventures, though narrower in climate thesis.
- Smedvig Ventures: Norwegian early-stage tech investor based in Trondheim with a similar regional focus on Norwegian technology ventures. Directly comparable given overlapping geography, fund size bracket, and early-stage tech mandate.
- Investinor: Norwegian state-backed VC investor that provides early-stage and growth capital to Norwegian companies. Directly comparable as a Norwegian early-stage investor with government and institutional anchor relationships, though broader in mandate than CoFounder.
- Proventure: Norwegian early-stage VC that invests in technology companies from seed through Series A. Directly comparable in stage focus, ticket size, and Norwegian tech focus.
- Alliance Venture: Norwegian early-stage VC focused on Norwegian tech startups. Directly comparable in stage focus (seed/early), regional mandate, and partnership-based approach with Norwegian industrial and research institutions.
Broad incumbents
- Verdane: Nordic/European specialist growth investor in technology-enabled scaleups. Comparable as a Nordic early/growth investor with institutional LP base, though materially larger and broader in geographic scope.
Others
- SINTEF TTO (Technology Transfer Office): Norwegian applied-research organization operating a TTO that identifies and commercializes SINTEF-developed technologies. Related as both a deal source (CoFounder partnership) and adjacent actor in Norwegian tech-transfer — not a direct investor but ecosystem counterparty.
Emerging players
- Capgemini Invent / EILAB (alt: Antler): Global early-stage investor with presence across multiple geographies, including the Nordics. Comparable as an early-stage venture builder with structured accelerator-style programs, though focused on founder-led tech more than industrial spinouts.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CoFounder social profiles
Digital presenceCoFounder financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CoFounder leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
CoFounder funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CoFounder M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments9 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CoFounder
What does CoFounder do?
CoFounder is an early-stage investor and industrial venture builder that builds and grows tech companies from idea to scale by providing capital, hands-on operational expertise, and a network of institutional partners. The firm invests at pre-seed and seed stages in Norwegian technology companies, manages multiple investment funds (including the KLP seed fund, Såkorn 1 Midt, and the KLP Venture Fund), and runs the Trykktanken accelerator program to develop early-stage founders into investment-ready ventures.
Is CoFounder a public or private company?
CoFounder is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CoFounder founded?
CoFounder was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is CoFounder based?
CoFounder is headquartered in Trondheim, Norway, in the Europe region.
How does CoFounder make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Fund Management Fees are the primary driver. The others are carried Interest / Profit Participation and capital Gains from Portfolio Exits.
Who are CoFounder's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Speedinvest and Nordic Alpha. Direct peers are Nysnø Klimainvesteringer, Smedvig Ventures, Investinor, Proventure and Alliance Venture. Verdane is listed as a broad incumbent. SINTEF TTO (Technology Transfer Office) is listed as an others. Capgemini Invent / EILAB (alt: Antler) is listed as an emerging player.
Does CoFounder have an API?
No public API is recorded for CoFounder.
What industry is CoFounder in?
CoFounder's product category is Early-Stage Venture Capital & Venture Building Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAA, Early-Stage Venture Capital (Pre-Seed/Seed), with a secondary code of FSANAAAM, Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated). Its NAICS code is 55 and its SIC code is 6282.