In this week’s episode of In the Head of a Founder, your host Jonas Hagman meets Ram Nair, the Indian researcher who moved from the beaches of southern India to the rainy streets of Sweden — and ended up building one of the Nordics’ most talked-about foodtech companies, Mycorena. 

Ram shares how a single patent grew into a global venture that attracted over SEK 200 million in funding, industry recognition, and partnerships with some of the biggest names in food — before market shifts, war, and scaling challenges forced a hard reset. 

But this isn’t a story about failure. 

It’s a story of reinvention — of how to take what you’ve built, learn from it, and let it evolve into something even stronger. 

Today, Ram is back with Smaqo — a bold new food brand born from his learnings, blending science, taste, and resilience. 

You’ll hear about: 

🍄 The journey from researcher to founder 

💡 How intellectual property shaped investor trust 

🌍 Why Sweden risks losing innovation to other countries 

🧠 What founders can learn about timing, patience, and persistence 

 

Want to explore more?  

👉 Check out smaqo.com and sign up for future product testing. 

💡 Ram also supports other startups with funding — connect with him on LinkedIn.

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