Martin Malii-Karlsson

I grew up in Lidköping, a small town in Sweden. As a working class kid I made a lucky escape from the factory floor to manage a B&B in Brighton. The B&B experience and the differences between Sweden and the U.K opened up my eyes for inequality in the World and eventually led me to economics studies at Handelshogskolan in Gothenburg. During and after my studies I was a researcher, strategist and brand builder for affordable housing, Volvo and Din Sko, Sweden’s largest shoe retailer. I advised CEO’s, on strategies including introducing profit sharing to incentivise staff at Järnia, (Sweden’s B&Q).

I took timeout from the consulting to create music and study art one summer at Parson art school in New York. When I came back to Gothenburg I Co-founded BLaO Entertainment with Robert Kiboy. We ran the company for 9 years. Besides being label owners, publishers and managers, we were also creative concept makers, songwriters and producers for local and international artists, achieving Grammy nominations, industry awards and radio hits.

My curiosity for startups, innovation and technology grew and it took me to London where I have lived for 15 years. I have co-launched venture labs and accelerators to support 100+ under-represented groups including We in social Tech, the accelerator for female social tech founders with Deutsche Bank. I have mentored and advised 50+ startups in technology and every time I learn a lot from fantastic entrepreneurs such as Inas Ismail, Omar Massoud, Aniela Hoitink, Hans Sinclair-Sachs and Robert Kiboy. Today I co-venture a small portfolio of startups under BLaO and act as advisor to other Founders.

Can you explain a bit more about the projects and companies you give your time and energy to at the moment?

BLaO is the structure and mother ship for my creative business mind. I spend time reading up about things and researching and testing business ideas and figuring out who is who in the startup landscape. After 20 years as an entrepreneur, things start to make sense. I have a vast, trusted network and can see with ease how to create and put forward stronger opportunities through the potential in connections.

Swedish startups, often with Founders that I’ve known for decades, realize that I’m in London (after being here for 15 years=) and they start to ask for things. I help them with introductions to my network, user testing, deal-making, product/market fit and insight into how things work here in the U.K.  I have an active interest in a handful of startups that I have helped build over a few years.

Why you do what you do?

I’m by nature a very curious person. I recognise there is an unbalance in society. There is power in allowing equality and diversity. In BLaO we are backing a new generation of entrepreneurs from different backgrounds that are purpose driven. I have spent most of my life working for a change. It’s a necessity. 

In our venture Scandinavian loft we see a need for better liveable space in cities. We understand that people are living differently in the 21st century; in new builds that are often small and in older buildings that can be improved to suit people’s modern lifestyles. People want more from their homes, and often a multi-functional, adaptable space can be achieved with some thought. We improve people’s homes and utilise every square meter in a creative, personalised and fun way. We love when our designs have a positive impact on people’s lives.

I am a keen promotor of well being and mental health. As a side project I have trained thousands of children and adults, from beginners who want to learn how to ride a bike, to experienced cyclists who want to be more confident on the road. We set a Guinness World record, when we took over 2,000 children around the Borough of Hackney. It has been very rewarding. It has also allowed me to eat extra cake and cycle it off.

What is the biggest challenge you have overcome? 

Not going completely MAD and running out into the bushes! Bootstrapping multiple businesses takes a lot of courage and consistently challenging how you work can feel a bit bonkers.

The biggest of many big challenges has been self-belief. Continuing to do what we do and do it well, and bring a diverse group of people together to trust the process. We have come to a point where I believe we can be a challenger. That is rewarding progress. Now we need to take this to the next level.

How have you succeeded because of your failures eg: experiences or situations that brought you to where you are now?

Listening to our customers and receiving significant input from our collaborators and network has been vital. We refine as we go along. It ‘s easy to get stuck in traditional thinking and one way of working, doing what everyone else is doing. Rachel has a design and innovation background, and I have an economics and business background. We are also not from the traditional privileged background, with backing from wealthy family money, this has probably helped us see things from a different perspective.To succeed, you need to have built up confidence in your skills, your gut feeling, your business and yourself.

What do you need/want right now that will help you progress in your business and life?

We need to run with our vision towards a sustainable business with a powerful team. We are always connecting with talented and experienced people who can help us drive the vision forward. We are fundraising for our ventures to speed things up. All of this needs to be balanced – we need quality time to think, refine, look after our family and ourselves.

What brings you joy?

• Silly conversations.
• Collaborating with likeminded people on new ideas and ways to solve a problem.
• To start and finish a project.
• Time off the grid to recharge, connect to nature, the sea, the stars.
• Watching our daughter grow.
• Helping others.
• Fika (cups of coffee and cinnamon buns), on the beach.

If you could get a message out to humanity, would it be? 

Open your mind, get involved and give more hugs!