Inside the byFounders Summit

With a decade of experience hosting all kinds of events, I’ve seen a lot, but this one was special. It was my first time organizing the byFounders Summit, one of the highlights of the year for the whole byFounders team. Standing in the garden of Kokkedal Castle that morning, I could just tell something good was about to happen.

The castle still carried the calm, thoughtful energy of Basecamp. For the past three days, our portfolio founders and a some of our Collective members had been there, attending and hosting deep-dive sessions, exchanging experiences and reflecting together. 

But as Basecamp wound down, a new kind of energy started to take over. People began to gather on the terrace, talking, laughing, and catching up as more arrived for our annual Summit. The place came alive in that easy, unforced way that happens when people genuinely enjoy being around each other. The atmosphere was unmistakably byFounders: relaxed, open, and full of good energy. People weren’t here to network in the traditional sense. They were here to connect, to celebrate and to simply enjoy each other’s company.

“When we started, it was simply about bringing our community together, founders, Collective members, and investors, to connect and build lasting relationships,” our Founding Partner Eric Lagier says. 

Eight years in, and that spirit was still very much alive.

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After a short recap of the year, Eric sat down with Mads Fosselius from Dixa and Christian Brink from Leapwork for a raw and honest conversation about the founder journey. The wins, the struggles, and the lessons learned the hard way. It was one of those sessions where people leaned forward, nodded, and occasionally laughed in recognition. No bravado, no showmanship, just pure honesty!

As Magnus, one of our partners, put it afterward:

“The Summit is our way to bring the community together in a relaxed setting, to build long-term relationships and have fun while doing it.”

And it wasn’t just talk. Julian, Co-founder and CEO of Adaptive, told me how stepping away from his day-to-day to spend time with other founders changed his perspective:

“You meet people at all different stages of their company. It takes you out of the daily grind and helps you think about the bigger picture, how to build better, smarter, and stronger.”

That, to me, is the beauty of the Summit. It doesn’t just inspire new ideas, it reminds people why they started in the first place.

A little later, the tone shifted completely. We’d spent months preparing every detail, but nothing quite prepared me for the moment a SWAT team suddenly entered Eric’s talk. Within seconds, the room went from calm to laughter and confusion as the “officers” announced a deadly epidemic and sent everyone off to 20 escape rooms to “find the cure.”

It was chaotic and seriously funny. Founders, investors, LPs and community partners found themselves solving puzzles side by side, collaborating, debating clues and cheering each other on. The vibe was a good mix of competitive energy and laughter and by the end, you could feel that everyone had loosened up.

“The sense of community is incredible,” said Gabriella Rodriguez, one of our Community Partners from Zendesk, afterward. “Everyone shares openly, their challenges, their lessons, their wins. It’s rare to see a partner network that feels this genuine.”

When the final teams escaped, the energy was buzzing with  laughter, smiles, and high-fives all around and satisfaction that comes from sharing something a little out of the ordinary.

Throughout the day, I kept noticing the small moments. Founders gathered in the garden deep in conversation, partners and Collective members catching up after months apart. At one point, I tried to herd people from one activity to the next, but not even a whistle could break up the conversations. And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

In a world where most meetings happen behind screens, being fully present with others has become rare. That’s what makes days like this so special. Gathering people who take the time to show up, listen and connect in person. It doesn’t happen often, and maybe that’s why it feels so meaningful when it does.

The Summit may only last a day, but its impact lasts much longer. People leave feeling supported, inspired, and reminded that they’re part of something bigger; a community that truly wants to see each other succeed.

A big part of making this possible is our Community Partners. Their continued support helps us create spaces like this, bringing people together, sharing knowledge, and pushing the Nordic ecosystem forward. We’re truly grateful to have partners who believe in the same values of collaboration and connection that define this community. Thank you to Stripe, Zendesk, Mazanti-Andersen, Danske Growth, AWS, HSBC Innovation Banking, and Deloitte.

And as Eric always says: you can go fast alone, but we can go far together.

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