Circular economy leader NORNORM secures €110 million in scale up funding led by Verdane

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Circular economy leader NORNORM secures €110 million in scale up funding led by Verdane

  • NORNORM helps businesses significantly reduce their environmental impact by moving from single-use office furniture to NORNORM’S circular, subscription-based furnishing service.
  • Today almost all office furniture ends up in a landfill. NORNORM uses a Furniture-as-a-Service model to extend the life cycle of its office furniture by 3x.
  • NORNORM has raised €110 million in a funding round led by Verdane, the European specialist growth equity firm.

Copenhagen, Denmark – European circular scale-up NORNORM today announced a €110 million funding round, led by growth equity investment firm Verdane, alongside Inter IKEA Group and Philian AB.

NORNORM is a subscription-based furnishing service that enables businesses to move from single-use office furniture to a circular model. As well as improving flexibility and cost efficiency for landlords and business owners, NORNORM helps its customers significantly reduce their environmental impact by moving to a circular model that extends the lifecycle of office furniture by 3x.

With the additional support from Verdane, the company will use the funding round as a launchpad for further global expansion. NORNORM is currently operating in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Poland and Austria. The company has also recently entered the UK market, and plans to enter the US in 2023.

NORNORM was co-founded with Inter IKEA Development in 2020. In under two years, NORNORM has sold over 200,000 square metres of office furniture subscriptions. NORNORM’s international customer base includes Volvo, Electrolux, Castellum, IWG, Wolt, Miro, Edge, and Netflix amongst others. NORNORM has taken major steps in setting a new, circular norm for office furniture with over 500 office installations, which means that more than 22,000 people have already joined the circular movement and are now benefiting at work from NORNORM’s circular workspace solutions.

“To grow and adapt to the future, all companies need to rethink and fully adopt circular models, and move away from the linear business model. This is just the beginning of the movement. All industries will be affected, and to survive and thrive business leaders have to be prepared to change. The circular movement will have a bigger impact on industries than the Internet revolution,” said Jonas Kjellberg, co-founder and Chairman of the Board at NORNORM.

“The same way Tesla’s electrification of cars has influenced the motor industry, we want to be the catalyst of change to circularity in the workspace industry,” commented Anders Jepsen, CEO at NORNORM.

“NORNORM is well loved by the world’s most innovative businesses, who know that reducing their own carbon footprints is a key part of solving the climate crisis. A systemic shift from single use to circular is needed across the economy; this is a key investment thesis for Verdane. NORNORM aims to extend the lifetime of office furniture from six years to 20, or even 30 years. Given most office furniture still ends up in landfill, this would be a significant step change for the circular economy. We’re delighted to back Anders, Jonas and their excellent team as they scale the Furniture-as-a-Service model globally. We’re excited to see such a strong response from customers – NORNORM are creating a ‘new normal’ that clearly resonates with forward-thinking business leaders,” said Erik Osmundsen, Partner at Verdane.

Drawing upon Verdane’s international network as well as its deep expertise in high-growth and tech-enabled B2B businesses, NORNORM will be able to scale into new markets and increase its digital and sustainability capabilities, helping to contribute to tackling the furniture waste generated by existing, linear models.

The investment was made from Verdane’s Idun I fund, which is classified as “Article 9” under the European Union’s Finance Disclosure Regulation. Idun I makes investments focused on driving impact in three clusters: energy transition; sustainable consumption; and resilient communities. As well as their strong focus on sustainability, Verdane differentiates themselves as a value-add investor, with a team of over 30 in-house operational experts dedicated to working closely with portfolio companies to support their growth.

About NORNORM

NORNORM provides businesses with attractive workplace furniture solutions based on a subscription model. Requiring neither investment nor long-term commitment, it offers flexibility to scale up or down as the company grows or downsizes. The concept is built on circularity, where every piece of furniture is kept in a loop from one workspace to the next, and every product is carefully maintained and refurbished to extend its lifespan. This is good for business, people, and the planet. Backed by Inter IKEA, Verdane, Philian AB and Coen van Oostrom, NORNORM is on a mission to redefine the future of work by creating a fully circular business model for workspace furniture.

NORNORM is not just a concept, a company, or a service — it is a new and circular way of doing business. NORNORM is a multiple award-winning concept and has been generously rewarded within the PropTech industry in both the Nordics, Germany and the EU. NORNORM is operating in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Poland and the expansion continues.

For more information, visit www.nornorm.com

About Verdane

Verdane is a specialist growth equity investment firm that partners with tech-enabled and sustainable European businesses to help them reach the next stage of international growth. Verdane can invest as a minority or majority investor, either in single companies or through portfolios of companies, and looks to deploy behind two core themes: Digitalisation and Decarbonisation. Verdane funds hold over €4.5 billion in total commitments and have made more than 140 investments in fast-growing businesses since 2003. Verdane’s team of over 130 investment professionals and operating experts, based out of Berlin, Copenhagen, Helsinki, London, Oslo and Stockholm, is dedicated to being the preferred growth partner to tech-enabled and sustainable businesses in Europe.

For more information, visit www.verdane.com

Exclusive Insights from NORNORM's Circular Breakfast at Tech Arena 2024

At this year's Tech Arena, one of Scandinavia's largest tech events, NORNORM hosted the Circular Breakfast, bringing together industry leaders, innovators, and forward-thinkers to explore the role of technology in shaping the future of circular companies. We caught up with a few of our expert panellists afterwards to gain exclusive insights on the topics discussed.

Nanna Gelebo (BCG) on Bridging Linear and Circular Business Models
Nanna Gelebo has been a Partner at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in Stockholm for 12 years, with a strong track record of driving transformative change in the retail sector on everything from strategy to implementation.
Key Insights
Nanna discusses the concept of 'cross-fertilisation' between linear and circular business models. She highlights the importance of transforming transactional customer relationships into relational ones through circular efforts, emphasising that rental and second-hand products can serve as gateways for consumers into more sustainable consumption patterns. This approach not only benefits the environment but also opens new avenues for business growth.
Takeaway
Linear business models do not have to stay linear. You can start to become more circular by gradually integrating a circular business model into your current linear one, through e.g. rental and second-hand products, building a circular set-up that suits your business specifically.
Marcus Linder (RISE) on Evaluating and Ensuring Circular Claims
Marcus Linder is the Director of Business Design at the Research Institute of Sweden (RISE). He holds a PhD in Technology Management and Economics from Chalmers University of Technology, specified in environmental research, with his research having been applied industrially in procurements by industry giants such as Volvo.
Key Insights
Marcus brings attention to the critical aspect of a product's end-of-life plan. He emphasises that being 'potentially circular' is insufficient without a concrete and, preferably legally binding, plan for product lifecycle management. This perspective is crucial for customers evaluating circular claims, pushing companies to not just promise sustainability but to embed it into their actual business practices.
Takeaway
To remain credible towards industry peers and customers, the best practice is to have a clear, communicable, and incentivised plan for your circular business model that customers can trust and rely on. It is important that customers should be able to evaluate and ensure your claim of circularity and end-of-life product plans.
Vojtech Vosecky on Being Authentic when Marketing your Circular Efforts
Vojtech Vosecky is one of the leading circular economy advocates, with experiences ranging from being the co-founder of the successful think-tank Institute of Circular Economy, working for the European Parliament, and the world-leading organisation Circle Economy. In 2022, he was also selected as one of the Top Green Voices to follow in Europe by LinkedIn.
Key Insights
Vojtech stresses the importance of being hyper-authentic in the communication of your circular business principles. For him, it’s about being bold in stating what you stand for, challenging misconceptions, and creating moments of realisation for your audience (think true “aha-moments”). His approach - educate, inspire, and agitate - is a formula that companies can use to effectively market their circular efforts. Vojtech highlights that no matter the format of your marketing, and to avoid the trap of greenwashing, be authentic and stand your ground, whilst always backing up with research. That always wins.
Takeaway
When marketing your circular or sustainable business efforts, especially on LinkedIn, use the three principles of educating, inspiring, and agitating - ideally in one go. Be authentic, use visuals, and create truly educating moments. Use facts whenever you can. However, be careful not to over-do them - and always, always, double check them.
“In the end, what is it about? It's about creating a relationship between the user and this object. I think we all have a strong link to things that are meaningful, that have been charged by accompanying our life.”

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In the end, what is it about? It's about creating a relationship between the user and this object. I think we all have a strong link to things that are meaningful, that have been charged by accompanying our life.

Circular economy leader NORNORM secures €110 million in scale up funding led by Verdane

  • NORNORM helps businesses significantly reduce their environmental impact by moving from single-use office furniture to NORNORM’S circular, subscription-based furnishing service.
  • Today almost all office furniture ends up in a landfill. NORNORM uses a Furniture-as-a-Service model to extend the life cycle of its office furniture by 3x.
  • NORNORM has raised €110 million in a funding round led by Verdane, the European specialist growth equity firm.

Copenhagen, Denmark – European circular scale-up NORNORM today announced a €110 million funding round, led by growth equity investment firm Verdane, alongside Inter IKEA Group and Philian AB.

NORNORM is a subscription-based furnishing service that enables businesses to move from single-use office furniture to a circular model. As well as improving flexibility and cost efficiency for landlords and business owners, NORNORM helps its customers significantly reduce their environmental impact by moving to a circular model that extends the lifecycle of office furniture by 3x.

With the additional support from Verdane, the company will use the funding round as a launchpad for further global expansion. NORNORM is currently operating in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Poland and Austria. The company has also recently entered the UK market, and plans to enter the US in 2023.

NORNORM was co-founded with Inter IKEA Development in 2020. In under two years, NORNORM has sold over 200,000 square metres of office furniture subscriptions. NORNORM’s international customer base includes Volvo, Electrolux, Castellum, IWG, Wolt, Miro, Edge, and Netflix amongst others. NORNORM has taken major steps in setting a new, circular norm for office furniture with over 500 office installations, which means that more than 22,000 people have already joined the circular movement and are now benefiting at work from NORNORM’s circular workspace solutions.

“To grow and adapt to the future, all companies need to rethink and fully adopt circular models, and move away from the linear business model. This is just the beginning of the movement. All industries will be affected, and to survive and thrive business leaders have to be prepared to change. The circular movement will have a bigger impact on industries than the Internet revolution,” said Jonas Kjellberg, co-founder and Chairman of the Board at NORNORM.

“The same way Tesla’s electrification of cars has influenced the motor industry, we want to be the catalyst of change to circularity in the workspace industry,” commented Anders Jepsen, CEO at NORNORM.

“NORNORM is well loved by the world’s most innovative businesses, who know that reducing their own carbon footprints is a key part of solving the climate crisis. A systemic shift from single use to circular is needed across the economy; this is a key investment thesis for Verdane. NORNORM aims to extend the lifetime of office furniture from six years to 20, or even 30 years. Given most office furniture still ends up in landfill, this would be a significant step change for the circular economy. We’re delighted to back Anders, Jonas and their excellent team as they scale the Furniture-as-a-Service model globally. We’re excited to see such a strong response from customers – NORNORM are creating a ‘new normal’ that clearly resonates with forward-thinking business leaders,” said Erik Osmundsen, Partner at Verdane.

Drawing upon Verdane’s international network as well as its deep expertise in high-growth and tech-enabled B2B businesses, NORNORM will be able to scale into new markets and increase its digital and sustainability capabilities, helping to contribute to tackling the furniture waste generated by existing, linear models.

The investment was made from Verdane’s Idun I fund, which is classified as “Article 9” under the European Union’s Finance Disclosure Regulation. Idun I makes investments focused on driving impact in three clusters: energy transition; sustainable consumption; and resilient communities. As well as their strong focus on sustainability, Verdane differentiates themselves as a value-add investor, with a team of over 30 in-house operational experts dedicated to working closely with portfolio companies to support their growth.

About NORNORM

NORNORM provides businesses with attractive workplace furniture solutions based on a subscription model. Requiring neither investment nor long-term commitment, it offers flexibility to scale up or down as the company grows or downsizes. The concept is built on circularity, where every piece of furniture is kept in a loop from one workspace to the next, and every product is carefully maintained and refurbished to extend its lifespan. This is good for business, people, and the planet. Backed by Inter IKEA, Verdane, Philian AB and Coen van Oostrom, NORNORM is on a mission to redefine the future of work by creating a fully circular business model for workspace furniture.

NORNORM is not just a concept, a company, or a service — it is a new and circular way of doing business. NORNORM is a multiple award-winning concept and has been generously rewarded within the PropTech industry in both the Nordics, Germany and the EU. NORNORM is operating in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Poland and the expansion continues.

For more information, visit www.nornorm.com

About Verdane

Verdane is a specialist growth equity investment firm that partners with tech-enabled and sustainable European businesses to help them reach the next stage of international growth. Verdane can invest as a minority or majority investor, either in single companies or through portfolios of companies, and looks to deploy behind two core themes: Digitalisation and Decarbonisation. Verdane funds hold over €4.5 billion in total commitments and have made more than 140 investments in fast-growing businesses since 2003. Verdane’s team of over 130 investment professionals and operating experts, based out of Berlin, Copenhagen, Helsinki, London, Oslo and Stockholm, is dedicated to being the preferred growth partner to tech-enabled and sustainable businesses in Europe.

For more information, visit www.verdane.com

Circular economy leader NORNORM secures €110 million in scale up funding led by Verdane

  • NORNORM helps businesses significantly reduce their environmental impact by moving from single-use office furniture to NORNORM’S circular, subscription-based furnishing service.
  • Today almost all office furniture ends up in a landfill. NORNORM uses a Furniture-as-a-Service model to extend the life cycle of its office furniture by 3x.
  • NORNORM has raised €110 million in a funding round led by Verdane, the European specialist growth equity firm.

Copenhagen, Denmark – European circular scale-up NORNORM today announced a €110 million funding round, led by growth equity investment firm Verdane, alongside Inter IKEA Group and Philian AB.

NORNORM is a subscription-based furnishing service that enables businesses to move from single-use office furniture to a circular model. As well as improving flexibility and cost efficiency for landlords and business owners, NORNORM helps its customers significantly reduce their environmental impact by moving to a circular model that extends the lifecycle of office furniture by 3x.

With the additional support from Verdane, the company will use the funding round as a launchpad for further global expansion. NORNORM is currently operating in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Poland and Austria. The company has also recently entered the UK market, and plans to enter the US in 2023.

NORNORM was co-founded with Inter IKEA Development in 2020. In under two years, NORNORM has sold over 200,000 square metres of office furniture subscriptions. NORNORM’s international customer base includes Volvo, Electrolux, Castellum, IWG, Wolt, Miro, Edge, and Netflix amongst others. NORNORM has taken major steps in setting a new, circular norm for office furniture with over 500 office installations, which means that more than 22,000 people have already joined the circular movement and are now benefiting at work from NORNORM’s circular workspace solutions.

“To grow and adapt to the future, all companies need to rethink and fully adopt circular models, and move away from the linear business model. This is just the beginning of the movement. All industries will be affected, and to survive and thrive business leaders have to be prepared to change. The circular movement will have a bigger impact on industries than the Internet revolution,” said Jonas Kjellberg, co-founder and Chairman of the Board at NORNORM.

“The same way Tesla’s electrification of cars has influenced the motor industry, we want to be the catalyst of change to circularity in the workspace industry,” commented Anders Jepsen, CEO at NORNORM.

“NORNORM is well loved by the world’s most innovative businesses, who know that reducing their own carbon footprints is a key part of solving the climate crisis. A systemic shift from single use to circular is needed across the economy; this is a key investment thesis for Verdane. NORNORM aims to extend the lifetime of office furniture from six years to 20, or even 30 years. Given most office furniture still ends up in landfill, this would be a significant step change for the circular economy. We’re delighted to back Anders, Jonas and their excellent team as they scale the Furniture-as-a-Service model globally. We’re excited to see such a strong response from customers – NORNORM are creating a ‘new normal’ that clearly resonates with forward-thinking business leaders,” said Erik Osmundsen, Partner at Verdane.

Drawing upon Verdane’s international network as well as its deep expertise in high-growth and tech-enabled B2B businesses, NORNORM will be able to scale into new markets and increase its digital and sustainability capabilities, helping to contribute to tackling the furniture waste generated by existing, linear models.

The investment was made from Verdane’s Idun I fund, which is classified as “Article 9” under the European Union’s Finance Disclosure Regulation. Idun I makes investments focused on driving impact in three clusters: energy transition; sustainable consumption; and resilient communities. As well as their strong focus on sustainability, Verdane differentiates themselves as a value-add investor, with a team of over 30 in-house operational experts dedicated to working closely with portfolio companies to support their growth.

About NORNORM

NORNORM provides businesses with attractive workplace furniture solutions based on a subscription model. Requiring neither investment nor long-term commitment, it offers flexibility to scale up or down as the company grows or downsizes. The concept is built on circularity, where every piece of furniture is kept in a loop from one workspace to the next, and every product is carefully maintained and refurbished to extend its lifespan. This is good for business, people, and the planet. Backed by Inter IKEA, Verdane, Philian AB and Coen van Oostrom, NORNORM is on a mission to redefine the future of work by creating a fully circular business model for workspace furniture.

NORNORM is not just a concept, a company, or a service — it is a new and circular way of doing business. NORNORM is a multiple award-winning concept and has been generously rewarded within the PropTech industry in both the Nordics, Germany and the EU. NORNORM is operating in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Poland and the expansion continues.

For more information, visit www.nornorm.com

About Verdane

Verdane is a specialist growth equity investment firm that partners with tech-enabled and sustainable European businesses to help them reach the next stage of international growth. Verdane can invest as a minority or majority investor, either in single companies or through portfolios of companies, and looks to deploy behind two core themes: Digitalisation and Decarbonisation. Verdane funds hold over €4.5 billion in total commitments and have made more than 140 investments in fast-growing businesses since 2003. Verdane’s team of over 130 investment professionals and operating experts, based out of Berlin, Copenhagen, Helsinki, London, Oslo and Stockholm, is dedicated to being the preferred growth partner to tech-enabled and sustainable businesses in Europe.

For more information, visit www.verdane.com