Stockholm’s startup scene – and ecosystems everywhere – love to celebrate the one percent: the global successes, the polished founders, the big exits. But that’s not the story that matters most. What really defines an ecosystem are the founders you don’t see.
The ones grinding at kitchen tables. The ones who haven’t raised millions but keep showing up day after day, trying to build something real. These are the founders running the long marathon without knowing if anyone’s watching.
The problem is that our systems rarely reward endurance. We over-celebrate early wins and under-support the disciplined builders. Too many resources are designed for the first steps, not the middle miles. Too much focus goes to visibility, not viability. And too often, we confuse activity with progress.
If we want truly world-class ecosystems, we need to widen the gate – not just cheer from the finish line. We need to make it possible for more startup people to succeed, not just the already-connected few. Because every time a founder gives up – not for lack of skill, but for lack of access or clarity – the ecosystem loses potential innovation.
From SUP46 to Startup People
I’ve spent more than a decade inside Stockholm’s startup ecosystem – first as a founder, then building infrastructure to help others succeed.
When we started in 2013, the ecosystem felt fragmented. Founders were often isolated. There was plenty of celebration for the winners, but little sustained support for the journey itself. Over the years, I’ve watched hype cycles rise and fall, but one truth has always remained: the founders who succeed aren’t necessarily the most talented or best-funded – they’re the ones who endure and never lose track of their users’ needs.
That insight shaped everything. We transformed SUP46 from a physical hub into Startup People, a digital platform that turns once-exclusive startup support into something accessible to anyone determined to build. We went fully online in 2019–2020, rebranded in 2022, and today we serve over 1,000 founders across the Nordics and beyond. With more than €150,000 in premium perks, curated knowledge, and a community built for endurance, Startup People exists for those willing to keep going long after the spotlight moves on.
For the Builders Still Showing Up
The founders who matter most are the ones you don’t see in headlines. If you’re grinding in a kitchen somewhere, if you’re on your third pivot and wondering if anyone’s watching, if you’re building something real but don’t have the connections or the traditional background – this is for you.
It’s not the loudest or the luckiest who win. It’s the ones who keep building. The ones who adapt, learn, and endure.
The world needs more systems that reward that endurance. More infrastructure that widens the gate instead of celebrating only those who’ve already crossed it. Because when more founders win, we all win. That’s the future worth building – one founder at a time.
