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Key people at Ark Kapital.
Ark Kapital, which rebranded as Gilion in late 2023, is a Stockholm, Sweden-based financial technology company that provides non-dilutive growth loans to early and growth-stage technology startups. The firm utilizes a proprietary artificial intelligence platform to analyze operational data and forecast future revenue, allowing it to issue customized loans of up to €10 million without requiring founders to give up equity. The organization operates with a €400 million debt facility and manages a platform utilized by over 500 companies, tracking approximately €1.5 billion in portfolio revenue with a workforce of around 80 employees. Ark Kapital has secured financial backing from prominent venture capital firms and institutional investors, including Creandum, LocalGlobe, and Pollen Street Capital, alongside angel investments from Supercell chief executive Ilkka Paananen. The company was founded in 2021 by Oliver Hildebrandt, Axel Bruzelius, and Henrik Landgren.
Key people at Ark Kapital.
Ark Kapital, now rebranded as Gilion, is a Swedish precision financing company founded in 2021 that provides non-dilutive, long-term loans (up to €10M) to high-growth tech startups and SMEs, using AI and machine learning to analyze granular operational data for precise risk assessment and forecasting.[2][3][7][8][9] It empowers founders to retain equity control while accelerating growth through data-driven loans and analytics tools like Gilion Scores, which offer 5-year forecasts, benchmarking, and over 60 metrics integrated with platforms from growth accounts.[2][3][8][9] Targeting sectors like sustainability, innovation, digitalization, skills, and education, it has expanded across Europe (Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Finland) with a €400M capital pool as of 2023 and partnerships with VCs for founder-friendly funding mixes; by 2024, it raised additional equity and boasts estimated revenues of $100M-$250M.[5][7][8]
The company's impact on the startup ecosystem lies in bridging the debt financing gap for early- and growth-stage tech firms underserved by traditional banks, enabling faster scaling without dilution—exemplified by €165M debt raised shortly after launch, €300M lending capacity by end-2022, and an EIF guarantee unlocking €146M more for innovative SMEs.[2][4][7]
Ark Kapital was founded in 2021 in Stockholm, Sweden, by Oliver Hildebrandt (CEO, serial entrepreneur and AI technology developer), Henrik Landgren (CPTO, former venture investor and analytics executive), and Axel Bruzelius (COO, veteran banker experienced in startup lending at Nordea).[2][4][7][8] The idea emerged from the founders' complementary expertise: Hildebrandt's tech-building background, Landgren's investment analytics, and Bruzelius's lending know-how, aiming to create a scalable, AI-powered alternative to equity-heavy VC funding and rigid bank loans.[2][3]
Early traction was rapid—raising €15M equity initially, followed by another €15M acceleration round and €165M in debt just six months later, hitting €300M lending capacity by end-2022; pivotal moments include the 2023 EIF portfolio guarantee for €146M and European expansion, culminating in the 2023 rebrand to Gilion for global ambitions with a team of ~80.[2][4][5][7][8]
Ark Kapital (Gilion) rides the AI-fueled fintech revolution in startup financing, timing perfectly with post-2021 VC slowdowns and rising demand for non-dilutive capital amid high interest rates—enabling European tech to scale without equity giveaways.[2][3][8] Market forces like abundant VC-tech synergies, underserved SME debt markets, and EU programs (e.g., InvestEU) favor its model, which predicts growth like Spotify/Google-scale AI analytics.[7][8]
It influences the ecosystem by setting standards for data-driven funding decisions, partnering with top VCs, and fueling innovation in sustainability/digitalization—potentially transforming credit as AI becomes ubiquitous, while expanding non-bank options for global founders.[3][7][8]
Gilion is poised for global dominance in AI precision finance, with plans to extend its €400M+ pool to US/UK markets, roll out full "everything growth" platforms (analytics + funding), and capitalize on maturing ML for hyper-accurate predictions.[8] Trends like AI ubiquity in investing, founder pushback on dilution, and EU/US SME support will propel it; influence may evolve from European niche player to category leader, challenging banks/VCs if it sustains rapid scaling (e.g., recent $11M round).[5][8]
This data-driven lender exemplifies how AI unlocks founder control, mirroring its origins in empowering tech growth without compromise.[2][9]
