Next year, Norrsken will open the doors to its next house, complementing the existing ones in Stockholm, Barcelona, Brussels, and Kigali.
Norrsken's houses serve as hubs for impact entrepreneurs where they can work, network, and grow together with investors and experts.
And now, Norrsken is set to open a new one, the largest yet, in Amsterdam.
"Amsterdam has an exciting tech ecosystem that's growing, and it's a city that has been very forward-thinking on sustainability issues," says Sara Kappelmark, co-CEO of Norrsken Foundation to Impact Loop.
The city was among the first in the world to collaborate with economist Kate Raworth with the ambition to stay within planetary boundaries. But the decision was also based on broad local support.
"We met a fantastic group of unicorn founders and family offices there who are very engaged with the idea. It's important for us that there's a local connection and people on site who believe this can add additionality," she says.
The collaboration with entrepreneurs and investors follows the same basic idea as in Norrsken's previous establishments, but in Amsterdam the model is taken a step further.
When Norrsken opened in Barcelona, it was in partnership with multiple co-founders, and even in Stockholm, the operation has always been built on close collaborations with a range of engaged individuals.
What sets Amsterdam apart is that the collaboration is now more formalised, and the partner group is also financially investing in the project, says Sara Kappelmark.
Space for a thousand entrepreneurs
The building in Amsterdam will be larger than Norrsken's previous ones, accommodating over 1,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and partners. The three floors cover more than 3,600 square metres dedicated to co-working, events, and networking – significantly larger than Norrsken's space in Stockholm, which houses around 400 people.
The operation will move into Van Gendt Hallen, a historic industrial building from the 17th century, currently owned by Bugaboo founder and Norrsken co-founder, Eduard Zanen.
The ambition is to transform the entire property into a flagship for sustainable innovation, where Norrsken's hub shares space with a sustainability-focused museum, restaurant and premises for larger companies working with entrepreneurship and climate solutions. The plan is also for the building to become carbon neutral.
"We are bringing new life to this historic space, where heritage meets forward-thinking. By welcoming Norrsken House to Van Gendt Hallen, we are transforming our industrial past into a hub for ideas, innovation and a brighter future for people and the planet," says Eduard Zanen.
Although no definitive date has been set for when the house will open, applications are already open. What focus the companies that will take place will have is still unclear.
"The Netherlands has a lot of expertise in food and health, but we see a wide range of exciting companies that have emerged. We'll see what crystallises once the ecosystem comes together," says Sara Kappelmark.
California could be the next destination
Norrsken's long-term goal is clear: more hubs in more cities.
"We want to open a Norrsken House in every major city in the world eventually," says Sara Kappelmark.
According to information obtained by Impact Loop, there are plans for a house in California, and documents reviewed by Impact Loop show that Norrsken registered the American company "Norrsken Los Angeles LLC" as recently as August this year.
When asked if there will also be a house in Los Angeles, she replies:
"We have several different places we are looking at, but nothing is final that I can communicate."
Where the startup scene meets EU politics
Six months after its launch, Norrsken's hub in Brussels is also taking shape. It stands out in the network because it is not just a house for entrepreneurs but a bridge between the startup world and the EU's decision-making apparatus.
"The idea is to connect the entire European impact startup ecosystem with policy work in Brussels – in both directions," says Sara Kappelmark.
Partly so that entrepreneurs can get better information about what policies are on the way and partly so that decision-makers in Brussels can gain a better understanding of the companies' conditions.
So far, they have held four roundtable discussions with EU commissioners, including on AI issues and new formats where entrepreneurs pitch to Members of the European Parliament who provide feedback from a policy perspective.
The response from Brussels has been positive, and they have also received feedback from policymakers highlighting that the environment in Brussels is dominated by established companies. The voices from the old economy are heard much more than those representing the new – and that needs to be balanced.
"There is an awareness that this is a problem. They see that more voices are needed from startups and the new economy, not just the established companies," says Sara Kappelmark.
The goal is for the Amsterdam hub to further strengthen this dialogue, with more entrepreneurs from across Europe who can be involved.