Katalysen was founded for several reasons, but one could argue that one of them was to help European family offices invest in Nordic startups, at a time when interest in startups was high. When capital interest in startups partially withdrew two or three years ago, we were forced to re-examine our reason for being. The result was a pivot that has proven to hold strong potential for value creation and has once again captured the attention of investors.
At an event last week in Åre, where Katalysen's Tobias Mathiasen was asked to pitch Katalysen to founders, he summarized our new focus like this:
“We’re no longer interested in funding rounds, but rather in what happens between rounds, when special situations call for a more creative investor with a focus on problem-solving.”
We work where the problems are real, the stakes are high, and solving them creates quantifiable value for everyone involved. That shared interest in solving the challenge is what aligns all parties, and it is also what motivates us. We focus on collaboration over roles. Whether someone is a founder, investor, or board member, they are a partner in solving challenges.
We roll up our sleeves, align interests, and do the work others might avoid. Here are two examples:
- Bankruptcy rescue: We can step in just before or after bankruptcy, assemble a new ownership structure, and give the team a second chance.
- Management buyout (MBO): Another case could be that we help a management team buy out a disengaged shareholder, creating clarity, renewed confidence, and better alignment for all stakeholders.
These are not abstract exercises. This is what we do, and it solves problems while creating measurable value: stronger companies, healthier ownership structures, and better opportunities for both current and future investors.
Our existing portfolio has already seen the impact of this approach. In our Q4 2024 report, we shared that our investments in QuTEM and S4DX grew 9.5x in less than a year. That momentum, combined with a strong deal pipeline, is helping us build trust. After a long period of believing, we now have tangible results to show.
As a direct result of the strong interest from peers, we are hosting a lunch at our Stockholm office on September 25. We want to bring together constructive investors for an open dialogue on how we can solve portfolio challenges none of us can tackle alone and, more broadly, explore new ways to collaborate. The lunch is invite-only, but if you are curious about joining, get in touch with Team Katalysen and we will see what we can arrange.
