HANS OTTERLING

Hans Otterling stands as a foundational pillar and General Partner at Northzone, one of Europe's most respected and long-standing venture capital firms. With a career spanning several decades, Otterling is widely recognized as a pioneering force within the Nordic and broader European tech investment landscape, having co-founded Northzone in 1996. His strategic vision and deep industry expertise have been instrumental in shaping the firm's trajectory and its impressive portfolio of global success stories.

At Northzone, Hans Otterling's investment focus is broad yet strategically targeted, reflecting the dynamic nature of the technology sector. He actively seeks out disruptive opportunities across various domains, including Software as a Service (SaaS), financial technology (fintech), consumer internet, deep tech, and enterprise software. His expertise extends to identifying promising companies from their early stages through to significant growth rounds, demonstrating a keen eye for scalable business models and visionary founders. Otterling's approach emphasizes long-term partnerships, providing not just capital but also invaluable mentorship and strategic guidance to help portfolio companies achieve their full potential.

Otterling's distinguished career background predates his co-founding of Northzone. He brought a wealth of entrepreneurial experience and operational leadership to the venture capital world, having previously founded and led several successful technology companies. This hands-on experience as an operator gives him a unique perspective, enabling him to deeply understand the challenges and opportunities faced by founders. His transition into venture capital was a natural progression, allowing him to leverage his insights to identify and nurture the next generation of tech innovators.

Throughout his tenure at Northzone, Hans Otterling has been a key figure behind some of Europe's most iconic tech investments. His notable contributions include early involvement and support for companies that have gone on to achieve global prominence. While Northzone operates as a team, his influence is evident in the firm's track record with companies like Spotify, the world-leading music streaming service; Klarna, a revolutionary fintech giant; iZettle (now Zettle by PayPal), a pioneer in mobile payments; Kahoot!, the popular game-based learning platform; Trustpilot, a leading online review community; and Personio, a rapidly growing HR software solution. These investments underscore his ability to spot market-defining innovations and back exceptional teams.

Hans Otterling's enduring impact on the European tech ecosystem is undeniable. His commitment to fostering innovation, coupled with his strategic acumen, continues to drive Northzone's mission to support ambitious entrepreneurs building category-defining companies. He remains a pivotal figure, dedicated to identifying and empowering the next wave of technological breakthroughs that will shape our future.