Being part of a community is very important for inspiration, network building and development. At Finstart Nordic we aim to create a fintech community that nurtures growth and unity. Here are three strategies we use to make it happen.
#1 Co-working
Since early 2019 we have had our base in Kongens Gate 12 where we invite our portfolio companies to sit with us. As of 2020, there are close to 70 hard-working individuals who work alongside us. By working together in a co-working space with easy access to each other physically, and through the communication platform Slack, people are encouraged to ask for help, feedback and share news from their companies.
#2 Sharing resources and expertise
All of the companies in our portfolio have access to help and support from the Finstart team – no matter where they are located. One example is the LegalTech company Justify – in 2019, the team was in the early stages of product design, and to kickstart the process, Finstart sent Cathrine Movold, CPO, and Hodo Elmi Aden, UX designer, to the Justify office in Stavanger to take part in the design kick-off workshop.
Our latest investment, PropTech company MyRent, is currently in an exciting phase. In addition to recruiting a new CEO and a Sales Manager, they are also making big changes to their strategy, brand and marketing channels. To guide and advise during this significant time, Finstart has dedicated several resources to assure the long-term success of MyRent.
#3 Events
In startup companies, you never find big departments specializing in one area, instead, startups often hire one specialist to cover one (or more) area. This can be a lonely reality, which makes being part of a community even more important. Within the Finstart Family, we’ve already started a Designer Meetup where designers from our portfolio companies can share their work and challenges. Going forward, we hope to be able to commence regular meetups for other fields as well.
We also make time for non-job related gatherings. In addition to quarterly get-togethers at Kongens Gate 12 where the companies socialize over beer and food, we also have monthly taco Fridays and other fun extras to keep the energy flowing in the building.
Want to take part in our community?
Oslo is a small fintech city still at the beginning of its heyday, thus we think it as important to nurture alliances and help each other achieve success. At Finstart we want to contribute to the development of Norwegian Fintech and we regularly host events on interesting topics that are open to the public.
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