Inova

Alumni companies

Incubator companies that have left the Incubator to start doing business on their own become alumni companies. That means they enter a phase where there is no more active support from Inova, but they are welcome to get in touch if they need good advice on a specific matter. Often, this support involves contacts and counselling around the composition of a board of directors, solutions for financing and internationalisation.

Ordmärkt to open branch office in Singapore

One of the two joint owners of Inova Incubator company Ordmärkt will soon be based in Singapore. Chief designer Ingela Johansson is moving there with her family this summer. Furthermore, the company has signed a contract with a Chinese design agent in Shanghai.

"Permanent presence in Singapore gives us the opportunity to go seriously for export to Asia and Australia," says Ingela, who already has several contacts in the region.

The first plans took shape more than a year ago, when Ingela spent her vacation in Beijing.

"I realised that there was much more of a demand for designer-made products," Ingela explains. "In Asia it's considered important for products not to be made in China, and people are prepared to pay for that. Of course that made me wonder if it would be possible for Ordmärkt to do business in Asia."

The answer came to Ingela just a couple of months later. At the Formex fair in August 2011, Ordmärkt landed its biggest order so far – from a retail chain in Tokyo. Also, Australia turned out to be an interesting continent; Ordmärkt's products are now available in shops in both Melbourne and Perth.

"Being stationed in Singapore makes it much easier to travel and work on my contacts in Australia and other parts of Asia. China, Japan and Korea are very exciting markets for us, and Swedish design receives a lot of attention," says Ingela.

Chinese design agent incorporates Ordmärkt products

As Ingela moves to Singapore, Ordmärkt will also break new ground in another export field.

"We've recently signed a contract with a Shanghai-based design agent. That means we can offer our designed patterns to manufacturing companies via the agent – so far we've only exported ready-made products."

Selling the pattern opens the door to a larger market than that for the mere products. A pattern can be sold to textile companies producing everything from carpets and curtains to tablecloths and cushions. It can be bought by manufacturers of interior-design products, flower pots, stationery and wallpaper, just to mention a few of all the companies in need of design patterns.

"For us as a small and relatively new business, this is an optimum arrangement. We'll have some 30 patterns in our agent's portfolio. They'll take care of all the sales and marketing activities, and we can concentrate on the design, which is our speciality."

Ingela came into contact with the Shanghai agent thanks to Spring Fair International in Birmingham last February, where Ordmärkt had a display booth.

"I met an English designer who was the key to a professional network of international designers. That led me to the agent in Shanghai."

The agent owns one of China's leading interior-design magazines and will also be a valuable reference in Ordmärkt's future work on the Asian market. Another contract is already on its way with a Japanese company in the paper business.

Singapore provides inspiration from all over the world

When it comes to her professional development as a designer, Ingela sees great opportunities in the transcontinental move.

"Singapore is a melting pot with ingredients from every corner of the world. In one day I can get inspiration from Indian, American, French and Chinese design – and then choose a completely different set of countries the next day! That'll make us a lot more trend-conscious. Also, Singapore is a city where things happen, where business is done – which makes the location interesting in itself."

Ordmärkt's managing director Caroline Bissman will remain in Karlstad to run the main office. She will focus on the company's continued development in Sweden, in terms of its own products for companies and stores as well as selling designed patterns.

"Caroline's staying here and the stable base in Sweden are prerequisites for the work I'll do from Singapore," says Ingela.

Ordmärkt is a design company that has evolved in the Inova Incubator for almost two years.

Read more about the company here.

Top photo: Ordmärkt's chief designer Ingela Johansson moves to Singapore, from where she will run the company's export activities in Asia and Australia.

Bottom photo: Caroline Bissman, Ordmärkt's managing director, will continue to head the company's development in Sweden from Karlstad.

By (including photos): Hanna Wirde gård

Go Global bra möjlighet för Hemcheck

Go Global är ett program för att underlätta internationalisering för småföretag i medicinteknikbranschen. Nu har Inovas inkubatorföretag Hemcheck fått möjlighet till en av tiotalet platser. Bakom programmet står den Stockholmsbaserade inkubatorn STING.

När man lanserar medicinteknikprodukter i USA och övriga Europa skiljer sig tillvägagångssättet och systemet på många sätt från Sverige.

– För mig sparar Go Global otroligt mycket tid. Under utbildningen får jag veta vilka möjligheter som finns, vad som krävs och vilka vägar jag ska gå, säger Annelie Brolinsson, vd för Hemcheck.

Mellan utbildningstillfällena får företagen hemuppgifter utifrån sitt respektive företag. Go Global avslutas med att alla får presentera sin internationaliseringsplan för en grupp internationella investerare och experter.

Läs mer om Hemcheck här.

Läs mer om Go Global här.

Text: Hanna Wirdegård

Hem‰nglarna

Contact:
Irina Swahn
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it