High-Level Overview
Vad Vi Vet is a Swedish explanatory journalism startup founded by Per Grankvist, specializing in fact-based content that breaks down complex topics without speculation or opinion.[1][3] It builds products like social media explainers, podcasts, and newsletters that serve primarily women aged 25-45, solving the problem of information overload by focusing on "what we know" with sourced facts, reaching nearly 150,000 subscribers across platforms.[1][3] The company has achieved profitability for over two years through advertiser partnerships—applying explainer storytelling to brands like Spotify and major banks—and a tech platform for social media optimization, while maintaining a distributed model that prioritizes native platform content over website traffic.[1]
Origin Story
Per Grankvist, previously in traditional media, launched Vad Vi Vet in 2019 after quitting his jobs to create an Instagram account explaining complex election issues.[1][2] The idea emerged from a need for clear, trustworthy breakdowns of thorny topics, quickly gaining traction and expanding into a full media outlet with podcasts, newsletters, and social channels.[1] Pivotal moments include pivoting during the pandemic to monetize their social media tech stack for brands, and explosive growth during the early Russian invasion of Ukraine, where they outpaced other Swedish media in follower gains by emphasizing verified facts amid rumors—reaching over 10% of Sweden's 10 million population on social media.[1][3]
Core Differentiators
- Fact-only journalism: Sticks strictly to "Vad Vi Vet" ("what we know"), providing sober summaries with source links, avoiding rumors, opinions, or speculation to build trust—key to standout growth like during the Ukraine crisis.[3]
- Distributed, platform-native model: Operates on Instagram, Facebook, podcasts, and newsletters (website as archive only), achieving high reach without driving traffic for ads; 85% audience is women 25-45.[1]
- Monetization innovation: Profitable via branded explainers for complex client issues (e.g., banks, Spotify) and a social publishing tech platform; no reliance on website display ads.[1]
- Evergreen focus: Delivers daily learning through explanatory "journalism as a service," optimizing for audience insights to attract advertisers.[1][3]
Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
Vad Vi Vet rides the trend of creator-led, distributed media amid declining trust in traditional news and platform algorithm shifts favoring authentic, native content.[1][3] Timing aligns with rising demand for reliable explainers during uncertainty—like elections or wars—where it differentiates by countering speculation, influencing Sweden's media ecosystem as one of the most influential explainer outlets.[1][3] Market forces like ad revenue drops in legacy media favor its agile model, while its tech stack positions it at the intersection of journalism and martech, empowering brands in social optimization.[1]
Quick Take & Future Outlook
Vad Vi Vet's disciplined fact-focus and platform agility position it for sustained growth in a fragmented media landscape, potentially expanding its tech platform into broader SaaS for content creators.[1] Trends like AI-driven misinformation will amplify demand for its verification-style journalism, while audience loyalty (e.g., high female demographic) could fuel international scaling or deeper brand integrations.[3] Its influence may evolve from Swedish explainer leader to a model for profitable, trust-based digital media, tying back to its Instagram origins as a blueprint for audience-first innovation.[1]
