Congratulations to the second cohort certified in Financial Design for Startups (FDS)!

This week, January 13–14, the second edition of the Financial Design for Startups (FDS) program was successfully completed, with a second cohort of participants certified in Financial Design for Startups (FDS).

Hosted once again at Ågrenska Villan in Gothenburg, the two-day intensive program brought together experienced actors from the Swedish startup ecosystem to deepen their knowledge of long-term startup financing, value creation, and exit strategies.

The program was led by Per Hultén, creator of EVS and FDS, and focused on providing participants with a structured and practical framework for understanding how startups can be financed, developed, and scaled over time — from early stages to successful exits.

Throughout the program, participants explored key topics such as:

• Long-term financing strategies from launch to exit

• The startup lifecycle and value creation in each phase

• Pitch decks, funding rounds, and investor perspectives

• Differences between Swedish startups and international markets such as the US, UK, and Israel

• Common causes of startup failure and how to reduce risk

• Negotiation theory, including valuation, terms, and common pitfalls

• The exit journey and the role of investors throughout the process

Participants – FDS January edition

Martin Engelmark, LTU Business AB

Zeynep Erdal , Shift Consulting

Tim Larsson, Linköping Science Park

Kristina Björkman, Science Park Skövde

Daniel Nilsson, Science Park Skövde

Marcus Cato, Science Park Skövde

Anna Emanuelsson, Science Park Skövde

Jimmy Öman, Science Park Skövde

Jim Ternander, Borås INK

Therese Wolf, Blekinge Business Incubator AB

Tiago Moreira, TFM Dental AB

GU Ventures would like to thank all participants for their strong engagement, valuable discussions, and contributions to another successful edition of the FDS program. We look forward to continuing to support the Swedish startup ecosystem through future FDS trainings.