In 2025, Danish entrepreneurs are asking a crucial question: where is Denmark's "Lovable"? As Sweden races ahead with global startup icons like Lovable, the fastest-growing company in Europe, Danish founders are reflecting on their ecosystem's challenges and exploring solutions to put Denmark back on the innovation map. This startup news investigates the reasons behind Denmark’s underpromotion and offers insights, tools, and strategies that founders can use to thrive.
Danish vs Swedish Startup Ecosystem: A 2025 Snapshot
While Sweden enjoys the limelight with startups like Lovable, Denmark struggles to achieve similar international recognition. Swedish companies have raised millions in funding rounds, with eight startups securing investments exceeding €25 million in 2025 alone. Comparatively, Denmark has seen a 40% drop in equity deals year-over-year. Below are some defining statistics:
- Sweden's Lovable Moment: Lovable raised a $200 million Series A in 2025, setting benchmarks on innovation and company branding.
- Denmark’s Hurdles: Only three Danish startups secured investments above €25 million this year, including Orbis Medicines, QuNorth, and BioCirc. AI startup Kiku led in smaller funding rounds with €4 million seed capital.
Why such disparity? Experts argue cultural norms like the Law of Jante, a social attitude discouraging self-promotion, play a key role. Additionally, Danish startups often scale internationally rather than building within their home country.
Key Lessons Danish Founders Can Learn
1. Prioritize Branding and Storytelling
Sweden's Lovable didn’t succeed on product innovation alone; its founders invested heavily in public promotion, turning narrative into capital. Danish startups can learn to celebrate their wins loudly and strategically.
2. Harness AI Tools for Startup Efficiency
The future belongs to startups that adopt technologies to streamline their workflows and processes. Tools like the F/MS AI Grant Finder and Application Writer offer incredible benefits by enabling founders to quickly identify EU grants and draft applications without stress. Want to supercharge your funding strategy? Explore F/MS AI Grant Finder.
List: Top Tools Danish Founders Can Leverage
1. PlayPal – Your AI Co-founder
PlayPal, developed by Fe/male Switch and founded by Violetta Bonenkamp, is more than just your AI friend, it’s like having a personal mentor who helps tackle startup challenges. Whether you need mental health boosts, product ideas, or guidance on action plans within the F/MS Sandbox, PlayPal offers personalized insights to keep you motivated. Learn more about PlayPal's innovative features and why over 1,000 startups trust this AI co-founder.
2. F/MS Startup Game
Engage in a browser-based startup simulation that equips you with real-world business skills. From idea validation in the Sandbox to networking with other founders, the game fosters entrepreneurial growth. Get started on your entrepreneurial learning journey by leveraging this gamified experience.
3. AI Startup Lawyer
For Danish founders navigating legal contracts like CLAs or term sheets, AI Startup Lawyer ensures clarity. The platform highlights risks and offers negotiation advice, protecting entrepreneurs from unfavorable agreements.
4. F/MS Skill Lab
Build essential skills through micro-modules that focus on entrepreneurial expertise. Ideal for founders who want quick, actionable learning on the go.
5. Funding Simulators
The F/MS platform offers tools to simulate financial management, helping startups understand fundraising challenges before diving in.
Step-by-Step Guide: Using AI to Stay Ahead
Here’s how Danish founders can leverage AI innovation for startup success:
- Start with Idea Validation: Explore tools like the F/MS Sandbox to fine-tune ideas before investing resources.
- Identify Potential Grants: Use platforms like F/MS AI Grant Finder to locate funding opportunities that fit your goals.
- Create an Executional Plan: With SOPs provided by PlayPal, map out actionable startup steps within the Sandbox blocks.
- Secure Funds: Draft grant applications easily and confidently using AI-assisted tools.
- Build Networks: Partner with startups or join incubator events like those mentioned in Malta Startup Game videos (Startup Residency Guide) to expand influence.
Common Mistakes Founders Must Avoid
- Skipping Branding
- Danish founders should avoid downplaying their accomplishments. Celebrate every win publicly; if your competitors do it, you should too.
- Underusing AI Tools
- Failing to integrate AI-powered solutions like PlayPal or grant-finding platforms keeps startups from reaching their funding potential.
- Ignoring Early Feedback
- Don't assume your startup idea is perfect. Reflective feedback within platforms like the Sandbox can help avoid expensive pivots down the line.
Deeper Insights: Cultural Shifts Needed
Some say Denmark’s political hero sectors, in insulin, wind energy, and farming, overshadow tech ambitions. Shifting societal attitudes from risk-averse to celebratory innovation could create opportunities. More promotion, more storytelling, and stronger engagement with global investors (currently only 17 US VCs active in Denmark) can counter these barriers.
Conclusion: Denmark’s Next Lovable Moment
While Danish founders feel overshadowed by Sweden’s global success, questions like "where’s our Lovable?" highlight areas ripe for improvement. Danish entrepreneurs should capitalize on branding, adopt AI-driven startup accelerators like PlayPal, and embrace new platforms like F/MS AI Grant Finder to stay ahead in 2025.
The future of Danish innovation isn’t just about catching up with Sweden, it’s about redefining the narrative and bringing global recognition to Denmark. Ready to be part of the movement? Start building your next Lovable now!
For more entrepreneurial inspiration, check out F/MS Startup Game. Start shaping your Lovable today.
FAQ
1. Why is Denmark falling behind Sweden in startup success?
Denmark struggles with cultural norms like the "Law of Jante," which discourage self-promotion. This contrasts with Sweden’s emphasis on branding and storytelling. Explore the Law of Jante
2. What is Sweden’s Lovable, and why is it relevant?
Lovable is a Swedish startup regarded as Europe's fastest-growing company, setting benchmarks in visibility and innovation after raising $200M in 2025. Learn about Lovable’s success
3. What has contributed to Sweden’s startup dominance in Europe?
Sweden excels in attracting international VC investment (45 US VCs active), branding, and public promotion strategies like storytelling. Read about Swedish dominance
4. How many major equity deals did Denmark have in 2025?
Only three Danish startups secured investments above €25 million this year: Orbis Medicines, QuNorth, and BioCirc.
5. What technology tools can Danish founders use to improve their startups?
Danish entrepreneurs can adopt tools like F/MS AI Grant Finder to identify EU grants and PlayPal for AI-driven mentorship. Check out F/MS AI Grant Finder | Learn more about PlayPal
6. What is the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO)?
EIFO is Denmark's state VC and is the 4th most active in Europe, focusing on supporting local startups. Explore EIFO’s tracker
7. Why do Danish startups often leave the country to scale?
Successful Danish startups, like Unity and Zendesk, moved out of Denmark before scaling due to limited political support and a lack of international funding appeal.
8. What cultural shifts could help Denmark’s startup ecosystem thrive?
Promoting celebratory innovation, risk-taking, and storytelling could bolster Denmark’s global visibility, shifting away from risk-averse attitudes.
9. Why is branding important for startups?
Swedish companies like Lovable thrive because they invest in branding and storytelling, turning narratives into capital. Danish startups can learn from this approach.
10. What is Denmark’s largest AI seed deal in 2025?
AI recruitment startup Kiku raised €4 million in seed capital led by Cherry Ventures, marking Denmark’s largest AI seed deal of the year.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch. The Fe/male Switch team is located in several countries, including the Netherlands and Malta.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 3,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
