How One Visionary is Reshaping the Future for Diverse Founders

Fearless Founders
Feb 6
4 min read

Women and non-binary founders face systemic barriers in funding, networks, and tailored support. In 2023, female-led startups received only 2.3% of global venture capital funding (PitchBook, 2023). This inequity isn’t due to a lack of talent but rather systemic gaps that hinder underrepresented founders.

For Victoria Sandberg, this reality was unacceptable. As co-founder of The House, an innovation hub focused on fostering diverse talent, she is creating a future where underrepresented founders thrive—backed by funding, education, and authentic connections.

**Victoria Sandberg, Co-Founder of The House. Photo by Christoffer Lomfors. Montage by Fearless Founders.**

The Journey of a Visionary

Victoria’s journey spans continents and industries, but her mission remains deeply personal. Born in Moscow during a challenging USSR era, she grew up in Warsaw and lived in five countries before moving to Sweden a decade ago—for a Viking, as she says.

Her career began at Sony Lund, where she earned the nickname “Engineer Whisperer” for her ability to bridge complex technologies with global markets. Since then, she has dedicated herself to building inclusive ecosystems that empower women and diverse founders.

“I’ve always been about creating, connecting, and evolving,” she shares. “But when I saw how many women and diverse founders were excluded from the ecosystem, I knew something had to change.”

Experience the Soundtrack Now!

Victoria is also neurodivergent, a trait she only began viewing as her superpower last year. A 2022 Harvard Business Review study found that nearly 35% of entrepreneurs are neurodivergent, compared to 15% of the general population. Their ability to think differently, hyper-focus, and approach problems creatively gives them an edge in innovation and business development.

Her ventures—The House, She Told Me a Story, and Pirates of Impact—reflect her passion for fostering spaces where innovation and inclusivity intersect.

The House: A Hub for Diverse Founders

The House was co-founded by Victoria Sandberg, Laura Patel Smith, and Poliana Dias.

Laura, an expert in operations, people, and culture, leads The Ground, a co-working space that serves as a launchpad for some of southern Sweden’s most notable startups.
Poliana brings expertise in marketing, media, and communication, coupled with co-founding experience from She Told Me a Story.
Together, they built The House—an innovation hub where inclusivity and collaboration drive meaningful impact.

“It’s a space built by the community, for the community,” Victoria explains. “We’ve bootstrapped it from the start, allowing it to grow organically based on what the community truly needs.”

The Challenges Women and Non-Binary Founders Face

The obstacles are well-documented:

Only 2.3% of VC funding went to female-led startups globally in 2023 (PitchBook, 2023).
Less than 1% of Nordic funding supports diverse founders (Nordic Innovation Report, 2023).
Women are over-mentored and underfunded, with most initiatives offering advice rather than tangible resources (McKinsey, 2023).

Victoria’s approach directly addresses these gaps by prioritizing funding and actionable support.

“Women don’t need more advice. We need resources that translate into growth,” she asserts.

The House’s Impact

The work of The House extends beyond individual success, creating ripple effects across industries:

Economic growth: Diverse startups generate 35% higher ROI than non-diverse counterparts (Harvard Business Review, 2022).
Workplace innovation: Inclusive teams are 1.8 times more likely to innovate (Deloitte).
Social empowerment: A sense of belonging enables founders to challenge systemic biases and inspire others.

The Power of Collaboration

Launching The House wasn’t without hurdles. Gaining traction and funding in a space that often undervalues diversity-focused initiatives was a challenge.

“Believing in my vision and letting go of processes that no longer served it was tough,” Victoria shares. “But trust in the process and the right partners made all the difference.”

Collaboration is a constant in Victoria’s life. As Co-Founder of Pirates of Impact alongside Karolina Mazetyte, Victoria has consistently built unconventional spaces for meaningful connections.

In 2024, she and her team organized one of Slush’s most successful side events—on a pirate ship in Finland. This innovative gathering fostered impactful conversations and collaborations between founders and investors, showcasing the growing demand for human-centered approaches to entrepreneurship.

The Nordic Edge

Victoria sees the Nordic region as a global leader in sustainability and innovation but recognizes areas for improvement.

“The Nordics prioritize collaboration and long-term thinking, but we still need better immigration laws and more open spaces for diversity in tech,” she says.

With 89% of Swedes regularly using e-health tools and €500 million invested annually in digital health (OECD, 2023), the region has a strong foundation to lead inclusive innovation.

What’s Next for The House?

Victoria has big plans for the future:

Expanding partnerships: Collaborating with global organizations to amplify impact.
Scaling the model: Bringing The House to other regions to support diverse founders worldwide.
Launching a VC fund: Creating a fund specifically for underrepresented founders to provide the resources they need to thrive.