21 January 2025
Article

4 key lessons from turning a MedTech startup into a successful scale-up

CEO at Symcel Jesper Ericsson turned a two-person startup into a scale up evaluated at SEK 550 million in 7 years. He shares 4 key learnings from the journey!

At DTU Science Park, we believe that we should take the opportunity to learn from other startups’ hard earned experience. As part of the MedTech Growth program, the 13 ambitious MedTech startups were invited to Symcel in Stockholm for an inspiring talk with CEO Jesper Ericsson and CCO Pia van der Zee, who is also a mentor at DTU Science Park. 

Jesper generously shared the ups and downs of scaling a MedTech startup, and here are the key learnings from the masterclass in resilience, leadership, and the fine art of turning failure into fuel for success. 

Burnout isn’t a badge of honor

Running a startup isn’t just hard work – it’s all-consuming. The challenges come fast and furious. “If you don’t have an energy reservoir, you’ll end up making bad decisions,” he says. “That’s why balance is key.” 

For Ericsson, “balance” isn’t just a vague self-care mantra – it’s a discipline. He blocks out time for exercise, family, and simply recharging his mental batteries.  

“Honestly, if I don’t do that, I can’t take the right decisions or get the work done effectively,” he admits. 

His advice to founders? “Prioritize your energy like your company’s cash flow. You cannot afford to neglect either.” 

The loneliness of leadership: “It’s just You, Yourself, and I… and a ton of problems”

If there’s one thing Jesper wishes he’d known earlier, it’s that being a CEO can be really lonely. “As a CEO, it can feel like it’s you against the world,” he says. “And your family? They love you, but they can only listen to so much!” 

The antidote? A trusted co-founder or a strong management team. “It’s so much easier to handle challenges when you’re not alone,” he explains. “If you’re sharing the vision and the workload with even one other person, it makes all the difference.” 

For Jesper, the lesson is simple: Don’t just build a company – build a team you trust to help carry the load. 

How to engage a board that works for you

“Startups need board members for the ride, not for the paycheck,” Jesper says bluntly. His philosophy? Early on try to engage 1-2 key people that can really make a difference in the support of the company to join the Board. Who joins because they believe in you and your vision. “If they’re only there for the money, they’ll just tell you what you want to hear.” 
 
Instead, Ericsson advice is that the owners and Chairman look for board members who bring the right energy, the right skills, and – very importantly – the right connections. “At Symcel, we are blessed with a truly engaged Board: A good board helps calibrate your strategy,” he explains. “But even more importantly, they can open doors. And as a startup, you need those doors to open fast.”  

Wear failures like battle scars

Jesper isn’t afraid to admit his mistakes – he wears them like a badge of honor. “There’s no way to succeed without failing,” he says. “The key is to learn from those failures and not repeat them.” 

For Symcel, those lessons have helped the company not only survive but thrive. And while Jesper has no shortage of stories about the challenges he’s faced, it’s his optimism that stands out. 

“Every challenge is just another problem to solve,” he says with a smile.

“And as long as you’ve got the right team, a decent balance, and a little energy in the tank, you can figure it out.” 

Jesper Ericsson
CEO and founder, Symcels

When Jesper spoke to us, his humor and honesty stood out as much as his success. “It’s impossible to succeed in a startup without making failures,” he admitted with a smile.

“So don’t be shy about sharing them. Always share and try to help other people when you can.” 

To sum the four tips up:  

Prioritize surrounding yourself with the right people – both team and board, take care of yourself, and don’t be afraid to share and laugh at your own mistakes. 
 
We are deeply appreciative that Jesper Ericsson and Pia van der Zee generously took the time to share Symcel’s journey with us and the 13 MedTech startups in DTU Science Park’s MedTech Growth program.