12:00
.:ALL
IN
SCENE1
FROM STARTUP TO STOCK
What happens between the early startup phase and becoming a publicly listed company?
In this fireside chat, we follow the journey from uncertainty and capital pressure to profitability and IPO. Drawing on Zaptec’s growth story - from its early years of experimentation and ownership challenges to becoming one of the stock market winners in 2025 - this session takes a closer look at the financial side of scaling.
We explore how fundraising shapes strategic direction, how ownership structures evolve over time, and what it takes to build investor trust while maintaining long-term ambition. What changes when a company prepares for the stock market? How do capital partners influence growth? And how do you balance expansion with financial discipline?
This is not a blueprint, but a real story of building momentum over time, and what it means to go from startup ambition to stock market reality.
EIRIK FJELLSÅ HÆREM
CFO, Zatec
Eirik Fjellså Hærem is CFO and Deputy CEO of Zaptec, responsible for the company’s financial strategy, funding, and capital markets engagement. He brings broad experience from finance and energy, including private equity and cross-border capital market transactions. Since joining Zaptec in 2022, Eirik has been a key driver in strengthening the company’s financial platform, optimizing its capital structure, and supporting its evolution from scale-up to mature listed player. His focus is on ensuring that Zaptec’s scalable, sustainable technology is matched with robust governance, quality financial reporting, and a clear equity story for investors.
KURT ØSTREM
CEO, Zatec
Kurt Østrem is the Chief Executive Officer of Zaptec, where he has led the company’s journey from early-stage Norwegian tech start-up to a listed European EV charging player. With a solid finance background and nearly a decade in Zaptec’s leadership, he has been central in shaping the company’s growth strategy, international expansion, and preparation for the capital markets. Previously, Kurt played a key role in scaling the Norwegian retail chain Europris from 20 to over 200 stores, giving him deep experience in building profitable, scalable business models.
MODERATOR
FREDRIK HARESTAD
Founder and CEO, Unlisted
Fredrik Harestad is the founder and CEO of Unlisted. In addition, he holds several board positions, including at NAST – the Norwegian Alliance for Startups and Tech, which works to promote strong framework conditions for startups and technology companies.
Fredrik also has experience as an angel investor and previously served as a Senator at the World Business Angel Investment Forum. He founded Unlisted to help entrepreneurs succeed on their journey by giving them better control and the right tools for managing ownership and capital structure in their companies. He is also the host of the Venture Capital Unlocked podcast