About us
Backstage Invest is a single family office venture capital investor with focus on direct investments in entrepreneurial scale-up companies based in the Nordics. We are not a VC-fund, but self-made entrepreneurs investing our own money.
Do you have a great new business idea or are you managing a company with strong growth potential in need of capital for scale-up? We give value back to our portfolio companies not only in form of capital, but also by contributing with knowledge and contacts in areas such as business development, strategy, financing, marketing and international expansion.
We have an open mind-set towards looking at new industries. But we only invest our money in proven entrepreneurs with a track record. We want to see proof of concept from real customers prior to investing. That means, we typically do not invest in the very early stages.
Welcome to contact us!
Philosophy
We only invest our own money and we invest our own time. We do not pay others to do the job. Rather, we strongly believe in the positive effect of having committed visible owners motivating management and contributing with experience as well a contact network.
We often make our investments in cooperation with other investors. As most professional investors we require an exit opportunity within time. However, we sometimes make investments for the long term.
Success
Are there recipes for being successful in this line of business?- People are more important for success than the business concept itself
- Always negotiate with the ultimate decision maker
- Remember, even the most senior executive is human like everybody else
- Before you invest in a venture, think first of who will buy it from you in the future
- When a deal has been made, never ever wait, but push for documentation and sign
- When it comes to exit, never try to find the peak, divest before
- Never invest in weather dependant ventures
- Analyse thoroughly, but also follow your gut feeling
- Nothing has been achieved before the money is in the bank
- Hire people that are more talented than you
Portfolio
Unlisted investments
Animoca Brands
Animoca Brands is a leader in the field of digital entertainment, specializing in blockchain, gamification, and artificial intelligence technologies to develop and publish a broad portfolio of products. The company has a broad portfolio of world famous partner brands.
BCB Medical
ETNetwork
ETNetwork provides an infrastructure for digital transaction information from payments. In collaboration with banks and merchants, ETNetwork is implementing an infrastructure for digital receipts in the Nordic region. Everyone wins with digital receipts: consumers, corporations, merchants and the environment.
Greenely
Greenely is a software enabled energy company that helps its customers to optimize their electricity consumption. They offer a software solution that covers home automation, smart electric vehicle charging and smart information. Join Greenely to save energy!
Indicio
Indicio makes forecasting simple. Their software suite offers an user-friendly interface giving access to advanced statistical methods without the demand for prior statistical knowledge. Primary fields are Time-Series Analysis, Econometrics and Cognitive Analysis.
Klarna
Klarna is a leading Swedish fintech company. With Klarna consumers can buy now and pay later, so they can get what they love today. Klarna’s offering to consumers and retailers include payments, social shopping, and personal finances. Backstage aqcuired a small position in Klarna through the exit from SaaS-company APPRL.
GP Bullhound Sidecar III, IV & V
Investment firm GP Bullhound is currently managing five Sidecar-funds (I – V) which mainly do investments in digital and technology based companies. Investments include companies such as Spotify, Slack, Klarna, Unity and Revolut, for the full list please visit their website.
Haypp Group
The Haypp Group (NASDAQ: HAYPP.ST) is spearheading the global transformation from smoking to risk-reduced alternatives. With origins in Scandinavia, the company has leveraged its leading position, along with its category and e-commerce experience, to widen its positive impact to the USA and a range of European markets. With ten e-commerce store brands the company served more than 500,000 consumers during 2020. IPO Oct 2021.
G-Loot
G:loot Global Esports G-Loot is a unique player-to-player platform that has been on the market since 2015. G-Loot is based in Stockholm and is one of Europe’s fastest-growing esports companies. G-Loot lets users compete in esports challenges in the games they already own. During gameplay, the G-Loot PC app runs in the background and monitors the results.
Innovation 360 Group
Kwiff
Maison Heinrich
Maison Heinrich holds the exclusive commercial rights to market and sell the spirits brand XANTÉ on the North American market. XANTÉ is an exquisite combination of the sweetness of ripe pears and the intensity of a fine cognac. XANTÉ is one of the top selling super premium liqueurs in the Nordic market. Altia Plc acquired the brand from the Tilander family in 2012 (excluding the commercial rights for the US and Canadian export markets).
Truecaller
Truecaller (NASDAQ: TRUE:ST) set out to make it possible to know who’s trying to contact you, and also tell you when not to pick up your phone. Today, hundreds of millions of app users later, Truecaller’s business concept has expanded to delivering trust in a broader sense by making communication safe and efficient. No matter if it’s in the beginning of a call, in the middle of a transaction or at the end of a signature. IPO Oct. 2021.
True Global Ventures
True Global Ventures (“TGV”) is a portfolio international early-stage funds formed by leading technology entrepreneurs-turned-angel- investors. In partnership with family offices in Europe, the United States and China, TGV leverages the personal networks and expertise of its investors to support the next generation of superstar entrepreneurs. The funds are focused on business opportunities built on highly scalable Internet, software and mobile applications.
Varenne
Volumental
Behind Volumental stands a diverse team of PhD-level engineers, data scientists, UX researchers, and retail experts working together to solve: connecting customers with the most accurate footwear recommendations for a comfortable fit using 3D foot scans.
Zound Industries
Based in Stockholm, Sweden, Zound Industries designs and develops speakers and headphones under the brand names Marshall, Urbanears and adidas. With a strong focus on innovative technology and user-centered design, Zound has gone from strength to strength since first hitting the market in 2008, launching a range of iconic, award-winning products.
Exits, examples
24Storage
Leading self storage operator in Sweden built on the latest modern IT-infrastructure and automated processes . IPO Dec. 2019 (NASDAQ: “24STOR”). Acquired by TIAA in 2021 by public buy-out.
aPPRL
Influencer marketing SaaS platform. Acquired by Klarna in 2021.
Peter F. Heering
TradeExtensions
Park Lane Nightclub
The leading nightclub in Gothenburg. Management Buy-Out in 2016.
Kajskjul 8
Orc Group
HD Resources
The Xanté Company
NeoNet
Sidewalk Express
Ark Travel
ITP-Invest
Trevise Bank
Owell
Contact
We have offices in Stockholm and Gothenburg. Welcome to contact us!
Fredrik Tilander
Primary point of contact
Birger Jarlsgatan 9
SE-111 45 Stockholm, Sweden
Tel: +46 8 517 587 40
Mobile: +46 705 120 230
E-mail: fredrik@backstage.se
Jörgen Tilander
Chairman
Visiting address:
Geijersgatan 1 B
411 34 Gothenburg
Mailing address:
Box 3097
SE-400 10 Gothenburg, Sweden
Tel: +46 31 81 57 10
Mobile: +46 705 90 22 42
E-mail: jorgen@backstage.se