'I was close to death': Easee founder Jonas Helmikstøl on burnout, hustle culture, and his new startup
15 aug. 2025
17:29
As co-founder of Norwegian EV charging giant Easee, Jonas Helmikstøl helped build one of Europe’s fastest-growing climate tech companies. Then came the collapse: a documentation scandal, a government ban, and a personal health crisis so severe his organs began to shut down.
Now, after clawing his way back from severe burnout, Jonas is taking a slower, more deliberate path with his new startup, Starflow.
In this candid 'Fika' coffee chat, he opens up about the brutal cost of startup hypergrowth, the unglamorous work of recovery, and why he still believes clean energy is worth betting on.
Now, after clawing his way back from severe burnout, Jonas is taking a slower, more deliberate path with his new startup, Starflow.
In this candid 'Fika' coffee chat, he opens up about the brutal cost of startup hypergrowth, the unglamorous work of recovery, and why he still believes clean energy is worth betting on.
Jonas, you’ve had a pretty wild entrepreneurial journey. How did it start?
I started in electronics manufacturing, spent time in oil and gas, and later managed Zaptec’s ZapCharger Pro, now one of Europe’s best-selling smart chargers.