Edvin Lindhout, Ville Löthén and Erik Larsson

How has SSE impacted Ebie?

Ville: In short, I don’t think Ebie ever would have existed if we wouldn’t have done our Bachelor’s at SSE. Erik, Edvin and I all started the Retail Management program together, in fact, Edvin was the first person I introduced myself to when I had just walked through the Oak Door on the first day of my SSE education. Even our CTO André, despite studying at KTH, was introduced to us through a mutual friend at SSE.

Erik: And Ebie might have just remained an idea if it weren’t for SASSE’s entrepreneurship competition Guldräven and the SSE Business Lab. The opportunity to pitch a startup idea for a big-name jury is what inspired us to actually make something from the idea we had, and once we had pitched (and not won) we applied to SSE Business Lab where we’ve been members ever since, getting the help we’ve needed to scale our business.

Edvin: And we shouldn’t forget the education we got, of course. The core IP in our business was actually the result of a model we developed in Erik’s and my Bachelor's thesis. Furthermore, management and strategy courses have given us great toolkits to grow our business and execute pivots, while the accounting courses I took in the Master of Accounting, Valuation and Financial Management program were really beneficial in developing the product and its pricing. In fact, the name Ebie comes from the accounting term “EBIE” – Earnings Before Interest Expense.

What motivated you to start Ebie?

Edvin: The idea behind Ebie came in two parts, one of us experienced the problem while another one found the solution. I was working part-time at a startup at the time, and was charged with planning and project leading the relocation from a co-working office to our own, first office. Everything went rather smoothly until the landlord asked for a deposit just shy of 1 million SEK. That was money we couldn’t afford locking up, as we needed to invest in products to boost our growth.

Meanwhile, Erik, who was working part-time for an investment firm, was tasked with researching the US FinTech space for viable business opportunities and came across a company that was offering an alternative to the deposit on the residential market, where the tenant paid a small insurance premium instead of a large deposit. We shared our discoveries over a beer on Sveavägen and realized we had both pieces to the puzzle. Then, we pitched it to our smartest friend (Ville) and shortly thereafter brought in someone who could help us build it (André).

What excites you about your work?

Ville: I think the most rewarding part is seeing your idea slowly but surely take shape, and have a meaningful impact on a real company. It’s been a long process, conceptualizing the product, getting the necessary insurance infrastructure in place, and it’s easy to get stuck with the day-to-day operations. But once in a while I’m able to zoom out and realize a lot has happened since we started.

Where do you think the commercial real estate market is going in the next 5-10 years?

Erik: I think the real estate market is going through some very exciting changes as we speak, most of them largely driven by first the pandemic and then the recession. A conclusion we feel largely comfortable making is that the role of the office has changed. The shift to hybrid work has increased the demand for new and more flexible office solutions, where the focus is more on meeting rather than working. And in terms of the macro economy, increasing interest rates have certainly put pressure on real estate companies through increasing financing costs. The focus will likely shift from purchasing and building real estate to efficient asset management.

What appealed to you about SSE and the BSc in Retail Management program when you were considering where to study?

Erik: What first caught my attention was the school’s academic reputation, but after attending the open house organized by SSE, it was the friendliness of faculty members and students that drew me in. Out of the Bachelor’s programs, Retail Management seemed like the perfect fit for me as I treasured the ability to work alongside companies solving practical problems using theoretical knowledge from the classroom.

Ville: I have always found economics to be both a fascinating and powerful tool for understanding the world. Additionally, I have always sought a wide range of opportunities, and I believe that the Retail Management program has provided me with that. It was not a given that I would be accepted into the program. In fact, I received a call from the school just a day or two before I started and I believe that I am the person with the lowest grades to ever have been accepted into the program through that quota. I couldn't have been more fortunate.

Edvin: When I applied, I was not even confident I’d get admitted, because my grades weren’t the best and I relied on my score on Högskoleprovet. So, I guess the challenge in being admitted was something that appealed to me, except for the fact that SSE seemed like the perfect place to develop and also be inspired to explore different career paths. And then what appealed to me about the Retail Management program was that it was going to be fully taught in English and with international students.

What are three words that sum up your time at SSE?

Erik: “Bunkern”, coffee, friends

Ville: Shaping my future

Edvin: Return on investment