Björn Lapakko’s Startup Journey: Lessons in Innovation, Community Building, and Adapting to Change
In this episode, Björn Lapakko shares his experience navigating the startup ecosystem from the U.S. to the Nordics. He delves into his passion for building communities, the lessons learned from running tech conferences and startups, and his views on innovation and leadership in the ever-evolving world of tech.
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Embracing the Global Startup Ecosystem
Björn’s journey from Minneapolis to the Nordic tech scene has been anything but ordinary. Moving from the U.S. to Estonia and then Norway, he has worked with Fortune 500 companies and ventured into the tech world. His story highlights the importance of cross-border collaboration in tech ecosystems. “I moved to Estonia to help launch and scale a FinTech platform, and now I’m fully immersed in the tech scene in Oslo,” Björn shared. His experiences emphasize how global exposure can significantly impact startup success and innovation.
The Power of Community in Startups
One of the strongest themes throughout Björn’s career is the role of community in the startup world. From his time leading Startup Extreme, where networking was intertwined with extreme sports, to his current efforts as Marketing Director at Hokkaido Innovation Week in Japan, he believes that community is vital for success. “I like meeting new people. I like hearing what their story is, and I intuitively want to support them,” Björn said. His natural ability to build and nurture relationships has been crucial in every project he’s taken on.
Pivoting and Adapting to Market Trends
Björn’s ventures are a testament to the necessity of pivoting in business. He shared his experience with Databutton, a company that originally wasn’t AI-focused but adapted quickly when OpenAI’s API was released. “We made a pretty heavy pivot into the AI space,” Björn explained, demonstrating how staying agile and ready to adapt to industry changes can keep a startup on the cutting edge.
Learning from Failures in the Gaming Industry
Björn candidly discussed a gaming startup he worked on that didn’t succeed. Reflecting on why it failed, he pointed to a lack of experience in the gaming sector and an underestimation of product quality expectations. “We underestimated the level of quality you need to produce, even just as a beta product,” he said. His openness about failure is a reminder that every setback provides valuable lessons that contribute to future success.
The Intersection of Art and Technology
Currently, Björn serves as the Chief Commercial Officer at Atelie.Art, a platform for professional artists to sell their work. He sees it as a natural blend of his entrepreneurial spirit and passion for art. “We’ve created a marketplace for professional artists, vetted by an evaluation committee,” he noted. By applying tech solutions to the art world, he’s building bridges between artists and buyers, proving that tech can disrupt even the most traditional industries.
Find Björn on:
Linktree: @Lapakko
IG: @Lapakko
Medium: @Lapakko
Find Ben on:
LinkedIn: Ben Costantini
Twitter/X: @bencostantini
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