Finalists & Jury Members 2021

The purpose of the awards is to inspire sustainable company building by rewarding and highlighting particularly successful company founders.

To encourage long-term, sustainable and equal ownership, Founders Alliance draws attention to women and men at every step of the entrepreneurial journey and chooses winners in six categories; beginning with the young founder, through all phases of a company's growth, to the founder who through a lifetimes dedication has developed one or more companies, and who has become a role model for other founders.

The finalists in each category introduces and presents themselves and their companies to a jury. The winners in each category are chosen by qualified founders acting as jury at the Founders' Gala on September 16, where they will receive the Growth Rings award of silver and gold.

Finalists Young Founder of the Year 2021

Anton Fast and Simon Geldner - Founders of Ophena

Ophena revolutionized the equestrian industry with the world's first magnetic safety stirrup sold direct-to-consumer. With 750 verified customer reviews, averaging 4.9 / 5 stars, riders are craving our products. Our philosophy is to deliver the very best products with world-leading customer service for a reasonable price. With customers in over 70 countries and a growth of factor four in the last year, our goal is to become the most desired equestrian brand in the world.

Petronella Gustafsson - Founder of Progress Me

Progress Me’s vision is to prevent eating disorders. Petronella Gustafsson, founder and CEO has herself fought with an eating disorder and later on discovered the lack within the healthcare system. Based on experiential insight Progress Me works with digital tools where the solution consists of a mobile app, a web-community and SaaS-solution with focus on both the affected individual as well as relatives.

Ida Norström - Founder of Energy Effective Solutions Mälardalen

Energy Effective Solutions AB (EES) is an installation company in the electricity industry whose main focus is to provide energy-smart electrical installations. Our main business consists of: Solar Cells (Photovoltaic), Electric car charger (EV-chargers), Smart home systems and Electrical installations. 2019 – the first year went very well. We wanted to increase the pace in 2020, but at the same time grow organically and build a buffer for future ventures. We have had organic growth in sales from 2019 to 2020 of approximately 35% - and we are considering raising capital to increase our growth at a higher pace in 2022-2023, when we have a strong buffer.

Sebastian Salomonsson - Founder of SebSalo Energi

At SebSalo, we work with everything related to heating and plumbing installations in properties and homes. We work dedicatedly and are involved in large and small projects. We want to provide the best service and the highest quality in the industry. We are constantly working to develop new ideas and solutions. We offer efficient and sustainable solutions, we want to help our customers and take responsibility for our work.

Jury Young Founder of the Year

The winners are chosen by qualified founders acting as jury during the Twenty Year Anniversary Founders’ Gala on September 16, where they will receive the Annual Rings Gold and Silver Award. 

The esteemed jury of the Young Founder of the Year is comprised of the following founders: Gustaf Brandberg - Gullspång Invest; Patricia Olby Kimondo - People Productions; Elvira Eriksson - Mockberg and Viktor Stensson - Bokio.

Finalists Founder of the Year 2021

Founder of the Year aims to draw attention to particularly successful founders and stimulate the growth of more medium-sized and large internationally expanding entrepreneurial companies.

The four categories within Founder of the Year are awarded to operationally active founders who have built one or more successful companies. The founders and their companies have been ranked based on the FA Index, which takes into account:

• Past performances - for example sales, profitability and growth
• Future potential - for example terms of ownership, international establishment and long-term perspective
• Societal benefits - for example employment, tax revenues and community involvement.

Finalists Founder of the Year - 1st Category

In the 1st category of Founder of the Year active main founders participate with at least a 20% ownership share in a Swedish company with more than SEK 1 million in profit for the year and approximately SEK 20 - 50 million in turnover based on financial results in 2020.

Monica Born - Founder of Superfront

Founded: 2013

Ownership: 50%

Turnover 2020: 46 MSEK

Superfront is a design company founded out of a wish to give more people the possibility to enjoy beautiful and sustainable design by bringing new life to the millions of Ikea cabinets out there.

Rahel Belatchew - Founder of Belatchew Arkitekter

Founded: 2006

Ownership: 100%

Turnover 2020: 19 MSEK

Belatchew Arkitekter is an architectural firm with a human-centric approach and strong design at the heart of its projects. The projects range widely, from homes and offices to community properties both in Sweden and internationally. 

Pierre Persson - Founder of Mud Studios

Founded: 2014

Ownership: 100%

Turnover 2020: 40,3 MSEK

Mud Studios is a creative production and post-house with worldwide experience and partnerships with some of the best and most renowned photographers, agencies and creative professionals in the world. 

Carl-Johan Beckman, Niklas Uddholm and Kristian Johansson - Founders of Awave

Founded: 2007

Ownership: 91.3%

Turnover 2020: 46.4 MSEK

Awave is a full service web agency that helps the customer create the optimal website, from idea to business benefit. The web agency has a professional consulting team in Stockholm, Copenhagen and Riga.

Jury Founder of the Year 1st Category

The esteemed jury of the Founder of the Year 1st Category is comprised of the following founders: Margareta Andersson, Birgitta Brodin, Kristina Lindhe, Fred Boström, Rickard Zetterberg, and on stage to present the winners - chairman of the jury - Emma Rozada.

Finalists Founder of the Year - 2nd Category

In the 2nd category of Founder of the Year active main founders participate with at least a 20% ownership share in a Swedish company with more than SEK 2 million in profit for the year and approximately SEK 50 -100 million in turnover based on financial results in 2020.

Maria Åkerberg - Founder of MARIA ÅKERBERG

Founded: 1995

Ownership: 60%

Turnover 2020: 106,5 MSEEK 

MARIA ÅKERBERG is a family-owned business and Sweden’s leading professional brand within natural skincare. Environmental responsibility permeates the entire business, and quality and transparency always come first. 

Therése Lorentzon and Johanna Deras - Founders of PRO TEMPORE

Founded: 2018

Ownership: 100%

Turnover 2020: 86,7 MSEK

PRO TEMPORE is a consultant business for qualified finance consultants. Through partnerships that are characterized by personal dedication, effective matchmaking and clear expectations they help large international companies or organizations in rapid growth or change. 

Jónas Antonsson - Founder of Rawfury

Founded: 2015

Ownership: 23%

Turnover 2020: 116.7 MSEK

Raw Fury is a game publisher and a passion project that helps indie developers find success and stay independent. The company believes in games that can make a difference. 

Carl Hörberg - Founder of 84codes

Founded: 2012

Ownership: 100%

Turnover 2020: 121.7 MSEK

84codes automate the operation of message queue servers and databases in the cloud. Their services allow customers to build complex software, supporting big data and IoT workloads, reaching billions of people.

Jury Founder of the Year 2nd Category

The esteemed jury of the Founder of the Year 2nd Category is comprised of the following founders: Anastasia Georgiadou, Johanna Wollert Melin, Thomas Rogalin, Melker Andersson, and on stage to present the winners - chairman of the jury - Klas Orsvärn.

Finalists Founder of the Year - 3rd Category

In the 3rd category of Founder of the Year active main founders participate with at least a 20% ownership interest in a Swedish company with more than SEK 3 million in profit for the year and approximately SEK 100 - 500 million in turnover based on financial results in 2020.

Pirkko T. Kyllönen - Founder of Språkservice Sverige

Founded: 2002

Ownership: 43%

Turnover 2020: 397 MSEK

Språkservice Sverige works to create conditions for many people to understand and be understood, whether it is from text to text or communication between people in authorities, private companies and other organizations. 

Mikael Kretz and Håkan Paulsson - Founders of Qgroup

Founded: 2012

Ownership: 63%

Turnover 2020: 404 MSEK

Qgroup is a multi-branding, high end IT consulting service company with competence ranging from embedded development, e-commerce, big data, QA to full stack programming. 

Niklas Hedin - Founder of Centiro

Founded: 1998

Ownership: 96%

Turnover 2020: 402.4 MSEK

Centiro is a tech company that connects, empowers, and makes delivery networks available and smarter for marquee brands. All types of goods get delivered on time in over 200 countries thanks to Centiro technology.

Jury Founder of the Year 3rd Category 

The esteemed jury of the Founder of the Year 3rd Category is comprised of the following founders: Corina Papadopoulo, Pontus Frithiof, Mattias Andersson, Thomas Blendow, and on stage to present the winners - chairman of the jury - Sofi Franzén.

Finalists Founder of the Year - 4th Category

In the 4th category of Founder of the Year, active main founders participate with at least a 20% ownership interest in a Swedish company with more than SEK 10 million in profit for the year and more than SEK 500 million in turnover based on financial results in 2020.

Cecilia Ekholm - Founder of Särnmark Group

Founded: 1991

Ownership: 50%

Turnover 2020: 586 MSEK

Särnmark Group was founded with a mission to empower people with disabilities through entrepreneurship. Over 3000 employees work as personal assistants all over Sweden, and in Spain, Särnmark has a rehabilitation center targeting patients from Scandinavia. 

Magnus Wilhelmsson - Founder of Nordic Wellness incl. Sportlife M W

Founded: 1997

Ownership: 100%

Turnover 2020: 1 billion SEK

Nordic Wellness is Sweden's largest gym chain in terms of numbers of gyms. By December 2023, they aim to have 300 gyms around Sweden. 

Johan Waller, Kristian Liljefors, Fredrik Palmgren - Founders of Business Wellness Group / Centigo / Accigo

Founded: 2002

Ownership:31,5%

Turnover 2020: 536 MSEK

Business Wellness Group is a platform for a growing number of talents and leaders who want to contribute to the creation of a new generation of organizations. Within the group the two main operating businesses are consultant firms Centigo and Accigo.

Jury Founder of the Year 4th Category 

The esteemed jury of the Founder of the Year 4th Category is comprised of the following founders: Shori Zand, Sven Hagströmer, Johan Ihrfelt, Martin Gren, and on stage to present the winners - chairman of the jury - Helena Casserlöv Kvist.