Henry Nilert
About Henry Nilert
Henry Nilert is a Swedish entrepreneur based in Helsinki. PitchBook says he has lived and worked in France, the US, the UK and Finland. Crunchbase says he attended Dartmouth College.
He describes himself as co-founder and CFO of MCB Finance, which exited to IPF Digital. He built it from idea to a non-bank consumer lender in six markets. He also describes himself as co-founder and COO of iobox, an early European mobile entertainment portal that exited to Telefonica.
Today he is a partner at Founders' Edge, a pre-seed investor that Crunchbase dates to 2015. PitchBook also lists him as chairman of Plain Complex. On LinkedIn he describes himself as an angel investor, venture builder and advisor.
The Finnish Business Angels Network (FiBAN) named him Business Angel of the Year 2022. PitchBook records 11 investments, 7 portfolio companies and 4 exits. CB Insights counts 9 investments. The two databases do not agree, so treat the counts as approximate.
His investments include Nordigen (Series A, 2021), Builderhead (seed, 2022), GoalProfit (pre-seed, 2022, exit in 2023) and Metroc, where Founders' Edge was the first investor. He usually invests alongside his Founders' Edge partners Ali Omar and Pekka Ylitalo.
In May 2026 he co-led Retailgrid's €358K pre-seed round with Ali Omar and Pekka Ylitalo. Innovestor Angel CoFund also took part. Retailgrid builds an AI-powered platform for retail pricing, assortment planning and forecasting, aimed at mid-market retailers and FMCG companies.
Other AI-related holdings are GoalProfit, an AI-driven real-time data platform, and Metroc, which is developing its own AI technology. In a Founders' Edge post, he wrote that the firm looks for teams using innovative technology to create customer value, which today usually means some form of machine learning.
Founders' Edge says it invests €100K to €250K in pre-seed startups, as lead or co-investor. It focuses on Finland, the Baltics and other Nordic countries. That range is the firm's stated range. His personal check size is not public.
His profile on The Hub lists stages from idea to growth and expansion. It lists investment ranges up to €500K, Finland as his investing country, and consumer, company, marketplace and government markets. Press coverage describes him as a B2B SaaS investor.
- Retailgrid: AI-powered workbook for retail pricing, assortment and forecasting. €358K pre-seed co-led in May 2026.
- Metroc: construction-sector company building proprietary AI. Founders' Edge was its first investor and joined its €2M seed round led by Lifeline Ventures.
- Plain Complex: shift planning software for healthcare and related settings. He is listed as chairman.
- GoalProfit: AI-driven real-time data platform for business decisions. Invested in 2022. CB Insights lists an exit in March 2023.
- Nordigen: open banking API. Co-invested in the 2021 Series A. Crunchbase lists it as an exit.
- Builderhead: seed round in January 2022, according to Tracxn.
- pitchbook.com/profiles/investor/126413-47
- cbinsights.com/investor/henry-nilert
- tech.eu/2026/05/19/retailgrid-targets-retail-spreadsheets-with-eur358k
- app.dealroom.co/news/feed/retailgrid-raises-405-000-to-replace-retail-
- linkedin.com/in/henrynilert
- linkedin.com/posts/henrynilert_metroc-secures-2-million-in-new-funding
- crunchbase.com/person/henry-nilert-e04e
- crunchbase.com/person/henry-nilert
Investing activity
Henry Nilert appears in 1 AI deal tracked by the Lounge deals desk, and led 1 of them. The rounds are mostly Pre-seed, with a median round size of $403K. The most recent is Retailgrid (Pre-seed, €358K, May 2026).
Henry Nilert most often invests alongside Ali Omar, Pekka Ylitalo and Innovestor Angel CoFund, and the companies they back on Lounge are mostly in AI.
Deals
Frequently asked questions about Henry Nilert
Does Henry Nilert invest in AI startups?
Yes. He co-led Retailgrid's 2026 pre-seed round and has backed GoalProfit and Metroc. He has said the firm looks for teams using innovative technology, which today usually means machine learning.
What stage does Henry Nilert invest in?
Mostly pre-seed. Founders' Edge, where he is a partner, targets pre-seed startups. His Hub profile also lists later growth stages.
What check size does Henry Nilert write?
His personal check size is not public. Founders' Edge states initial investments of €100K to €250K, as lead or co-investor.
Which countries does Henry Nilert invest in?
Founders' Edge focuses on Finland, the Baltics and other Nordic countries. His Hub profile lists Finland.
Who invests alongside Henry Nilert?
He often invests with Founders' Edge partners Ali Omar and Pekka Ylitalo. They co-led Retailgrid's pre-seed round, which also included Innovestor Angel CoFund.
How can founders contact Henry Nilert?
Through his LinkedIn profile or the Founders' Edge website, foundersedge.vc. He has invited founders on LinkedIn to get in touch with him, Pekka Ylitalo or Ali Omar.
Is Henry Nilert an angel investor?
Yes. Henry Nilert invests personally as an angel.
What AI companies has Henry Nilert invested in?
Henry Nilert's AI investments include Retailgrid. The 1 round on Lounge are listed on this page with amounts, dates and co-investors.
What stage does Henry Nilert invest at?
In the rounds tracked on Lounge, Henry Nilert has invested at Pre-seed, with a median round of $403K. Henry Nilert led 1 of those rounds.
Who does Henry Nilert co-invest with?
Henry Nilert's most frequent co-investors on Lounge are Ali Omar (1 deal), Pekka Ylitalo (1 deal) and Innovestor Angel CoFund (1 deal).