Silicon Valley Nordic Beat

10/01/2025

Thank you all so much for following and subscribing to Silicon Valley Nordic Beat. I have now closed it down. It was a fun journey, and I learned a lot.

I have since moved to New York to be the correspondent for Swedish EFN (www.efn.se).

Still, I have plans for a Substack — something in the lines of From SF to NY about economy, tech and more. But I still have some things to figure out — like audience and language.

Input is more than welcome.

05/09/2025

“We want founders who eat, sleep, and breathe their startups.” – Isabelle Johannessen, head of TechCrunch Startup Battlefield at a pitch event in Palo Alto.

Applications are open now for the 2025 cohort. What’s the one thing, in the end of the day, that Johannessen looks for in the thousands of pitches? Passion.

💡 Read the full story to hear why storytelling, honesty—and grit—matter more than ever.

05/07/2025

AppCharge Welcomes More Pressure on Apple

AppCharge helps developers bypass fees, but investor and board member Carl Fritjofsson still welcomes the recent court ruling that forces Apple to allow external payment links in iOS apps. “It will accelerate AppCharge’s vision for how their platform can be used,” he says.

AppCharge helps developers bypass fees but investor and board member Carl Fritjofsson still welcomes the recent court ruling that forces Apple to allow external payment links in iOS apps. “It will accelerate AppCharge’s vision for how their platform can be used,” he says.

05/05/2025

Vibe Coding Startup Raises $900M

Anysphere, the San Francisco-based developer of the AI coding assistant Cursor, has reportedly secured $900 million in new funding. The company is co-founded by 25-year-old Swedish entrepreneur Arvid Lunnemark.

Anysphere, the San Francisco-based developer of the AI coding assistant Cursor, has reportedly secured $900 million in new funding. The company is co-founded by 25-year-old Swedish entrepreneur Arvid Lunnemark. Anysphere, the San Francisco-based developer of the AI coding assistant Cursor, has repor...

05/04/2025

Listen to news from the week in Silicon Valley Nordic Beat!

May 4th, 2025 This week's news from Silicon Valley Nordic Beat (svnordicbeat.com)

05/03/2025

Editor’s Column: Is Klarna’s Success Bad News for the U.S.?

Klarna is everywhere these days. The Swedish fintech giant is partnering with DoorDash and eBay, adding another payment option at checkout. In the U.S., we’re getting used to headlines announcing new Klarna partners, as if it’s simply another convenience feature.

But maybe we should pause. Klarna, and the entire Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) industry, is quietly reshaping how Americans spend and borrow.

Read more here:
https://svnordicbeat.com/editors-column-is-klarnas-success-bad-news-for-the-u-s/

05/03/2025

Court Ruling Opens Door for G5

Swedish game developer G5 Entertainment, led from San Francisco by CEO Vlad Suglobov, welcomes the latest ruling in the legal battle between Epic Games and Apple.

Swedish game developer G5 Entertainment, led from San Francisco by CEO Vlad Suglobov, welcomes the latest ruling in the legal battle between Epic Games and Apple.

05/02/2025

Spotify Calls Oakland Judge Ruling a Victory

Spotify is updating its U.S. app to include an external link for purchases—something Apple previously blocked. The company says the move marks a long-awaited win for transparency and user choice.

Spotify is updating its U.S. app to include an external link for purchases—something Apple previously blocked. The company says the move marks a long-awaited win for transparency and user choice. Spotify is updating its U.S. app to include an external link for purchases—something Apple previousl...

05/01/2025

A Swedish Nose Sniffing for Bugs From the Sky

An MRI from the sky and an eNose to help forest owners detect devastating beetle infestations—that’s the idea behind Swedish startup BeetleSense, which is now seeking early capital. The company pitched its concept at the Forest Innovation Summit.

An MRI from the sky and an eNose to help forest owners detect devastating beetle infestations—that’s the idea behind Swedish startup BeetleSense, which is now seeking early capital. The company pitched its concept at the Forest Innovation Summit. An MRI from the sky and an eNose to help forest o...

04/30/2025

Editor’s column: 100 Days in Silicon Valley, and Global Talents Worry

Immigration has long been key to Silicon Valley’s success — two-thirds of its tech workforce is foreign-born, including a few from the Nordics. Even if H-1B visas seem safe for now, thanks in part to Elon Musk, Trump’s return has revived old concerns about visa policies, birthright citizenship, and the future for global talent in the U.S..

Silicon Valley is extremely multicultural. It’s one of the most commonly cited reasons behind the regions success. Two-thirds of the region’s tech