The Visionary Company & VC

What The Visionary Company & VC does

The Visionary Companies, operating commercially as The Visionary Board, is a Norway-based advisory and investment group built around an intensive 3-day board training and certification program founded by CEO Raja Skogland. The company's core product is a premium, limited-seat program (up to 40 leaders per cohort) delivered at high-end European venues — castles and boutique hotels — and co-created with faculty from McKinsey, BCG X, KPMG Law, Deloitte, and IMD. Curriculum covers European board governance, financial reporting, risk management, M&A, crisis communication, board dynamics, and AI/board trends, paired with board simulation case exercises and a Visionary Code of Conduct framework.

The business monetizes through three streams: one-time training and certification fees, a Candidate Network & Board Matching Service that connects trained alumni with companies seeking board members, and indirect carried-interest or advisory exposure to startup investment opportunities circulated through the network. Go-to-market is sales-led via a book-a-call motion (Calendly/HubSpot), supported by LinkedIn content, webinars, alumni referrals, and the founder's personal brand across the Nordic and broader European startup ecosystem.

The company serves two primary customer segments: current and aspiring board members (executives, senior managers, entrepreneurs, investors) seeking certification, network access, and placement; and European startups, scale-ups, and high-growth companies seeking vetted governance talent. A tertiary segment — investors and VCs — accesses deal flow and portfolio company board support through the alumni ecosystem. The company operates across Norway, the Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, Malaysia, and Singapore, with events announced through 2027.

Name

The Visionary Company & VC

Legal name

The Visionary Companies

Website

https://thevisionaryboard.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Visionary Company & VC operates The Visionary Board, a curated 3-day board training, certification, and matching ecosystem serving aspiring and current board members, European startups seeking governance talent, and investors across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive education / board governance training

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDABAAAA

Executive Leadership & C-Suite Development

Education/Corporate Training & Professional Development/Leadership & Management Development

SECONDARYBPAHAFAC

Governance & Board Effectiveness Advisory

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Risk, Compliance & Governance Advisory

Keywords

• Board governance training
• Executive certification programs
• Corporate board education
• Board member placement
• Leadership training events

Headquarters

HQ city

Oslo

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Board Training & Certification Program: Revenue is generated through paid enrollment in the 3-day intensive board training and certification program. Participants pay for access to the training curriculum, expert speakers from McKinsey, BCG X, KPMG, Deloitte, and IMD, networking dinners, and certification. The program is offered at exclusive venues (castles, boutique hotels) with limited seats, creating scarcity pricing. Post-program, alumni gain access to the candidate network and board placement opportunities.
2. Board Candidate Matching & Placement Services: Companies seeking board members can engage the Visionary Board to access its curated candidate network. Companies describe their board needs and receive matched candidates from the trained alumni network. This creates a placement/finder-fee or subscription-style revenue stream from corporate clients.
3. Startup Investment Opportunities Access: Participants and alumni gain access to vetted startup investment opportunities through the network, suggesting the company may take a carried interest, success fee, or advisory equity stake in deals facilitated through the ecosystem.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Visionary Company & VC runs The Visionary Board Program, an intensive 3-day in-person board training and certification course delivered at premium European venues for executives and aspiring board members, with curriculum co-developed by partners from McKinsey, BCG X, KPMG Law, Deloitte, and IMD. The company also operates a curated Candidate Network and Board Member Matching Service that connects its trained alumni to European startups, scale-ups, and larger companies seeking board members, and surfaces vetted startup investment opportunities to participants and investors.

Product overview

The Visionary Board is a single unified training and certification offering built around a 3-day intensive program. The core product is The Visionary Board Program, a governance and board leadership training course developed in collaboration with partners from McKinsey, BCG X, KPMG, and Deloitte. Completing the program grants access to The Visionary Board Candidate Network, a curated database that connects trained board members with companies seeking governance talent. Supplementary offerings include webinars on personal branding and governance topics, and a Board Member Matching Service that facilitates introductions between companies and vetted candidates. Together, these form an end-to-end ecosystem from training to board placement, rather than a modular platform with separate add-ons.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Visionary Board Program An intensive 3-day board training and certification program for current and aspiring board members, covering European governance, financial reporting, risk management, M&A, AI and board trends, crisis communication, board dynamics, due diligence, and board compensation, with hands-on board simulation exercises delivered at premium European venues.
• The Visionary Board Candidate Network & Board Member Matching Service A curated database of trained board members accessible to companies across Europe seeking to fill board seats, with a bespoke matching service that sources vetted candidates from the alumni network.
• The Visionary Board Webinars Online webinar series covering personal branding for board members, LinkedIn strategies, board governance, startup boards, networking tips, and board compensation, delivered as LinkedIn events and made available as YouTube recordings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple sell-out events in 2024 and 2025, with limited-seat format driving scarcity
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• McKinsey & CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMcKinsey partners and experts co-create and deliver the board training curriculum, providing expertise in strategy, value creation, and leadership development. McKinsey faculty participate as speakers and facilitators in the 3-day programs.
• BCG XcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBCG X partners co-develop the program curriculum and deliver sessions on boards, AI, innovation, and board simulation exercises. Dirk Cohausz, MD & Partner at BCG X, is also a Member of the Board of Advisors of The Visionary Board.
• KPMG LawcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKPMG Legal partners co-create the governance training content and deliver sessions on European board governance, legal frameworks, financial reporting, and risk management. François Koppenol, Partner at KPMG Law, is a featured speaker in the programs.
• DeloittecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeloitte experts contribute to the program with sessions on M&A, financial reporting, and risk management. Jasper de Grauw from Deloitte delivered M&A sessions at past events.
• IMDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMD (Institute for Management Development) contributes research and executive education expertise to the program, with Dr. Anna Eckardt serving as IMD Research Associate and governance expert.
• NorBAN - The Norwegian Business Angel NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEO Raja Skogland serves as a board member of NorBAN, connecting The Visionary Board ecosystem to the Norwegian business angel community and facilitating access to investor networks for alumni.
• FeminvestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEO Raja Skogland sits on the investment committee of Feminvest, Sweden's largest hub for female entrepreneurs and investors with nearly 47,000 members. This provides cross-pollination between the Feminvest and Visionary Board ecosystems.
• AntlerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEO Raja Skogland serves as an advisor at Antler, a global early-stage VC that has invested in 1,000+ startups. This relationship connects The Visionary Board alumni to Antler's portfolio company board opportunities.
• TheFactory AcceleratorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEO Raja Skogland previously served as CEO of TheFactory, an award-winning accelerator program in the Nordics. She remains connected to this ecosystem, and Pia Gellein Merkesdal, COO at TheFactory, is an alumnus of the Visionary Board program.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• IMD Business School: Swiss-based executive education provider with dedicated board programs and governance research (IMD is also a curriculum partner of The Visionary Board). Directly comparable on audience (senior executives and directors) and content (governance and board leadership).
• Spencer Stuart: Global executive search and board advisory firm with a flagship Board Practice that recruits directors and benchmarks board effectiveness. Comparable on the board-placement and governance-advisory dimension of The Visionary Board's offering.
• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm with a Board & CEO Services practice providing director recruitment, board assessment, and leadership development. Competes with The Visionary Board for corporate spend on board talent and governance.
• Egon Zehnder: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with a strong board and chair placement practice across Europe. Shares the corporate buyer and director-matching overlap with The Visionary Board's Candidate Network.
• INSEAD Executive Education: Top-tier global business school with executive education programs including board director and leadership development. Comparable to The Visionary Board's high-end, instructor-led training format serving executives across countries.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search firm with a dedicated Board of Directors practice that places directors and advises on board effectiveness. Overlaps with The Visionary Board's Candidate Network and matching services at the enterprise end of the market.
• London Business School Executive Education: Top-tier London-based business school offering executive education programs including leadership and director development. Comparable on the audience (senior European executives), delivery model, and premium pricing tier.

Direct peers

• Institute of Directors (IoD): UK-based long-established membership and training organization for directors, offering Chartered Director certification and board development programs. Direct overlap with The Visionary Board's executive-level governance training and certification in Europe.
• Boardmatch (Netherlands): Dutch non-profit platform that connects experienced professionals with board positions at Dutch organizations. Direct functional overlap with The Visionary Board's Candidate Network and Board Member Matching Service, focused on European governance talent.
• National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD): US-focused member organization dedicated to board governance education, with the NACD Directorship Certification widely recognized. Comparable to The Visionary Board's certification-led positioning for current and aspiring directors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thevisionaryvc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Visionary Company & VC