Former Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström recently announced his new role as Director of Strategy and Government Affairs at Nordic Air Defence (NAD), a Stockholm-based defence tech startup specializing in innovative drone counter-measures and other advanced technologies for military and civilian safety.
This is big news, not just because it highlights Billström’s career pivot from politics to the private sector, but also because it sheds light on the fast-changing European defence sector. As someone who has experienced the challenges of bootstrapping a startup, I can’t help but see parallels between this move and what happens in entrepreneurship: leveraging existing expertise to create impact in a new playing field.
Let’s dive into the key aspects of Billström’s appointment, the implications for European startups, and why his example might hold valuable lessons for entrepreneurial women looking to build in traditionally male-dominated industries.
Main Takeaways From Billström’s Career Transition
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From Public to Private Leadership
Billström's pivot to Nordic Air Defence is his first private sector role since stepping away from politics. His expertise in foreign affairs and years of experience navigating complex governmental systems provide a crucial angle for NAD’s mission to enhance Europe’s security.What can we learn as founders? Transferable skills matter. If you’ve built expertise in a seemingly separate industry, think about how to reposition yourself. Whether you’re a lawyer turned startup founder or a teacher moving into edtech, having a clear understanding of your strengths will help you make leaps, and get taken seriously on unfamiliar turf.
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The Rise of Security and Defence Startups
Nordic Air Defence epitomizes a growing trend in Europe: homegrown, tech-driven companies tackling high-stakes problems. Governments are now prioritizing defense capabilities that center on local innovation, especially in light of increased geopolitical tensions and emerging threats (such as drone warfare).A recent Tech.eu report showed that, since 2022, defense tech investments by venture capital firms have grown by almost 40%, with special interest in AI-driven and cost-efficient solutions. The drone interceptor being developed by NAD, known as Kreuger 100XR, is a prime example. Its affordability and autonomous functionality could give it a leading edge, particularly for NATO buyers.
What does this mean for European entrepreneurs? If you’re bootstrapping a niche idea in an industry that feels daunting (examples include AI, blockchain, or cybersecurity), know that timing is half the battle. If the market’s demand aligns with your startup’s solutions, you don’t always need a huge budget, nimbleness and specialized expertise can often outperform larger competitors.
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The Importance of Strategic Partnerships in Leadership
Nordic Air Defence prides itself on a team blended from tech giants like Palantir and SAAB as well as innovators from sectors like quantum systems and robotics. Adding Billström to this mix helps the company build bridges across both technical and political boundaries.Founders like us, especially women founders, should take a similar collaborative approach. Diversifying your leadership team, both in terms of professional background and gender, can make your company agile, credible, and well-rounded.
How Founders in Europe Can Apply These Lessons
If you’re a female startup founder reading this, especially one bootstrapping your business, it’s natural to wonder how these trends could translate into actionable lessons. Here’s a roadmap to consider:
Build Credibility in Male-Dominated Spaces
The defense sector is one of the most male-dominated areas in Europe. Similarly, fields like deeptech and AI, where women often face structural barriers, can feel intimidating. The lesson here is simple: start by leveraging areas you already dominate. Billström didn’t join NAD because he’s an engineer; he joined because he knows the diplomatic channels NAD needs to win governmental contracts.
Position Yourself as the Expert
Don’t wait for validation. Instead, actively position yourself as the go-to authority in your niche. Whether that’s through storytelling, publishing thought pieces, or actively networking, ensure that people associate your name with expertise in your chosen field.
Be Lean but Intentional
Nordic Air Defence’s product, the Kreuger 100XR, stands out because it focuses on doing one thing better than anyone else: creating a portable, low-cost alternative to anti-drone missiles. Female founders often feel pressure to do everything, but that’s a mistake, especially when bootstrapping. Instead, focus on validating one core idea until you dominate a small but profitable niche.
Collaborate Across Disciplines
Billström’s appointment shows how important it is to collaborate across boundaries. In startups, this means combining technical innovation with strategic storytelling, two things that solo founders often underestimate. Dragging engineers and marketers into the same conversation isn’t just good practice; it’s essential when you’re self-funding your venture.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Moving Into Complex Industries
Let’s face it, many brilliant founders self-sabotage simply by underestimating the complexities of their chosen ecosystem. Avoid these common mistakes:
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Ignoring Market Education
Not all cutting-edge products solve problems people understand. If potential customers don’t know they need your product, educating the market must be part of your strategy. Billström will likely be tasked with this for NAD, convincing European governments to make room for startup-led solutions instead of buying exclusively from legacy suppliers.Tip: If you find yourself struggling to explain your product, focus on its tangible benefits. For instance, NAD doesn’t sell “anti-drone interceptors”, it sells safety, security, and peace of mind.
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Underestimating Policy Gatekeepers
Whether you’re dealing with EU regulations or state laws around emerging tech (e.g., AI or medical devices), don’t underestimate how much red tape can slow down your progress. Make sure you bake legal strategy into your business plan early on.
Why This Matters, Especially for Female Entrepreneurs
We can’t ignore the gender factor here. Only a small number of women in Europe currently lead startups in industries like defense, AI, or blockchain tech. And while solving this gender imbalance will take time, women founders have a unique advantage: we’re often better at creating services or products that reflect real needs, not just theoretical markets.
Billström’s move to NAD underscores that even in high-pressure, male-dominated fields, leadership is evolving to value diplomacy and cross-sector problem-solving. This is excellent inspiration for founders like us who already operate in spaces where empathy, adaptability, and specialist knowledge are huge assets.
Tobias Billström’s transition from government to a Swedish defence tech startup isn’t just an interesting career story; it’s also a case study on leveraging expertise strategically. Successful startups like Nordic Air Defence remind us that the combination of niche innovation and diverse leadership has the power to reshape entire ecosystems. For us female founders here in Europe, taking these lessons on board could mean the difference between burning out in the struggle and thriving by focusing on what truly matters.
FAQ
1. Who is Tobias Billström and why is his career transition significant?
Tobias Billström is the former Swedish Foreign Minister who transitioned from politics to the private sector, joining Nordic Air Defence (NAD) as Director of Strategy and Government Affairs. His public service expertise aligns with NAD's goal of innovative AI-driven defence solutions. Read more about his move
2. What does Nordic Air Defence specialize in?
Nordic Air Defence focuses on creating innovative, AI-powered defensive technology, particularly for counter-drone systems and military-civilian safety solutions, including its flagship product Kreuger 100XR. Learn more about NAD's mission
3. What is the Kreuger 100XR anti-drone interceptor?
The Kreuger 100XR is NAD's flagship product, offering features like an AI-driven autonomous anti-drone capability, affordability, and portability, making it a disruptive force in the defence sector. Explore Kreuger 100XR
4. Why is the European defence sector experiencing a shift?
Geopolitical tensions in Europe, coupled with growing drone threats and infrastructure vulnerabilities, have prompted increased investments in local, tech-driven defence startups offering scalable and cost-efficient solutions. Understand Europe's defence landscape
5. How does Billström’s political background benefit Nordic Air Defence?
Billström's diplomatic insights and experience navigating government systems are expected to bolster NAD's credibility and facilitate partnerships with EU and NATO defence entities. Read about Billström’s appointment
6. How is AI shaping defence innovation in Europe?
AI has become central to European defence tech for streamlining intercepts, enabling autonomous operations, and promoting cost-effective manufacturing, like NAD’s Kreuger 100XR. Learn why AI is vital
7. What makes NAD’s approach to technology unique?
NAD combines hardware-software integration, mass manufacturability, and AI-driven solutions centered around affordability and operational efficiency, setting itself apart from traditional defense suppliers. Explore NAD's innovation approach
8. How are strategic partnerships evolving in defence startups?
NAD demonstrates the importance of blending tech and political expertise, with its team comprising former employees of Palantir, SAAB, and other global tech leaders, to excel in cross-sector collaboration. Discover strategic collaborations
9. What challenges do startups face when entering heavily regulated industries like defence tech?
Defence tech startups must navigate legal complexities, secure governmental trust, and educate stakeholders on new technologies to compete with established players. Diving into startup hurdles
10. What lessons can female entrepreneurs take from this story?
Women in traditionally male-dominated sectors can leverage their unique strengths by targeting niche markets, collaborating across disciplines, and positioning themselves as experts, exemplified by NAD’s strategy. Explore entrepreneurial lessons
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
