Martin Gren – From Inventor to Investor

On April 24th, we have the privilege of hosting Martin Gren, one of the original co-founders of the Ideon company, Axis Communications. Martin will share his journey – from the early startup days in Lund to building a global company known for innovation, quality, and culture.

Martin Gren is a Swedish inventor, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Axis Communications – the company that revolutionized the surveillance industry by introducing the world’s first network camera in 1996.

With a passion for problem-solving and product development, Martin helped transform Axis from a small startup into the global market leader in network video.

Axis Communications was formally founded in 1984 by Martin Gren, Mikael Karlsson, and Keith Bloodworth. The was a perfect match, combining Mikael’s expertise in international business, Keith’s talent for global sales models, and Martin’s deep technical insight.

Together, they built one of the world’s leading companies in network connectivity and video technology. In the early days, Axis was a world leader in protocol converters and printer interfaces, later pivoting toward network printing and, eventually, pioneering IP-based surveillance solutions.

Today, Martin continues his journey as an active investor and mentor, supporting the next generation of deep tech and hardware startups. His unique perspective, combining engineering excellence, business model innovation, and global scaling experience, makes him a sought-after voice in the Swedish and international tech ecosystem.

In this session, Martin will share key moments from his journey, from the kitchen table to a global tech company, and now into the world of early-stage investment, innovation ecosystems, and the future of smart technology.

Everyone is welcome — just make sure you register to attend >>