Tjommi is branching out from Bergen to Copenhagen, with the aim to scale up in both Norway and Denmark. Next stop is the Copenhagen Fintech Lab where they intend to look for potential Danish partners.
A bumpy road and resistance from retail giants hasn't stopped Tjommi
In late 2018 Henrik Johannessen (23) signed up as the first member in NCE Finance Innovation’s incubator program. The road to develop Tjommi has been an exciting journey with both ups and downs. Consumers have loved the service from the get-go, whilst the retail giants have been less enthusiastic. Nonetheless, Tjommi has managed to stay relevant in a changing landscape by adapting the platform to counter the resistance from retailers.
Exploring the Danish market
According to Henrik, it felt natural to take the step directly from Bergen to Copenhagen. - I think some entrepreneurs feel like they should move to Oslo before going global, but for Tjommi that isn’t necessary, says Henrik Johannessen.
Tech-startups today are typically born global and rigged for scaling to multiple countries and with low costs for market entry. This means that, for young tech startups like Tjommi, the road from any Norwegian city to the global market is potentially quite short.
- Henrik Johannessen, founder and CEO of Tjommi
Having validated that the timing is right, and that Danish market is ready for Tjommi’s service, the startup is hiring a Danish CTO in Copenhagen to develop Tjommi further.
- By doing this we can expand our reach in Denmark while also having feet on the ground in Norway where we are working closely with Norwegian banks and partners, says Johannessen.
- I am really looking forward to exploring the Danish market and to foster new partnerships with Danish companies. My time in Bergen has been a great test-lab and validation for Tjommi and has equipped me and the team with the right tools to grow internationally.
- Henrik is the type of founder that only sees opportunities. He isn’t fazed by the challenges which he has faced and has instead used them to his advantage. The ability to adapt the Tjommi-service without changing the core idea is commendable. It’s great that Tjommi joins the Copenhagen Fintech Lab ecosystem. They are certainly a well-suited sparring partner for Tjommi in his ambition to scale the business in Denmark, says Rea Parashar in NCE Finance Innovation.
The cluster has opened access to invaluable people, partners and competence for Tjommi, says Johannessen.
Just getting started
The journey doesn't end here though. Tjommi is just getting started, and the startup will be involved in the NCE Finance Innovation cluster further on by mentoring and sharing his experience with new startups joining the fintech incubator.
Having both NCE Finance Innovation and the Copenhagen Fintech Lab in my corner is just what Tjommi needs to further grow, Johannessen.
Key facts about Tjommi
Founded in 2018 by Henrik Johannessen
Became a member of NCE Finance Innovation in 2019
Received market research funding from Innovation Norway in 2019
Strawberry Capital invested in 2019
Received funding from VIS in 2019
Has pitched at Stockholm Fintech Week, Copenhagen Fintech Week, Nordic Night at Slush and various arenas in the Norwegian Fintech scene
The media has covered Tjommi’s story more than 15 times
Since 2019 the team has expanded from 1 to 6 employees
