Tech company 46elks was founded back in 2011, but the startup spirit remains, and the company is a natural part of Uppsala’s startup scene. It was also through this ecosystem that the company first came into contact with UIC.
The company provides services for users looking to integrate automated communication, such as SMS and voice services, into their applications. Its services are popular among developers. Johannes Ridderstedt, the company’s founder, is an expert in the field and has likely played an important role in shaping the company’s culture and building a strong developer community – which today is a major contributor to the company’s strong growth.
A year ago, Björn Isakson stepped into the role of CEO, and 46elks has now participated in UIC’s Scaleup business development program for just over six months.
“Participating in UIC’s program is incredibly valuable. We are pushed to think outside the box and challenged on all kinds of issues, from who our target groups are to whether we have the right pricing models,” says Björn Isakson.
So far, the company has worked with Oskar Lund and Lars Dahlbom at UIC. An important part of the program has been creating space to focus on more long-term questions, while the discussions have also provided concrete input for the company’s day-to-day operations.
For Björn, being honest and actually setting aside time are essential to getting the most out of the program. 46elks has had scheduled meetings approximately every other week.
“We have been very transparent about the challenges we face in both the short and long term. The trust between us and UIC has been extremely valuable,” says Björn Isakson.
46elks is currently experiencing a period of strong growth. One reason is the increasing demand for the type of infrastructure the company provides. More and more companies are integrating AI services and automated communication into their offerings. The company’s services also have a strong reputation among developers. Users recommend 46elks in developer forums and communities such as Reddit and GitHub, helping more people discover its services.
This is now having an even greater impact as large language models (LLMs) pick up these recommendations and, in turn, highlight 46elks when developers search for communication solutions. But there is another driver behind the company’s growth as well. Being a Swedish company has become an increasingly clear competitive advantage for 46elks. In a turbulent global environment, being Swedish has its advantages.
“ We are seeing more and more companies actively looking for Swedish suppliers. The fact that we are currently focused on and established in Sweden is an advantage“ says Björn Isakson.
After 15 years, 46elks is far from finished. The company continues to grow, and the future looks promising. Today, 46elks has its strongest position in Sweden while also being established across the Nordic market. The next step is to continue growing in the Nordics and gradually strengthen its position in more markets across the EU.