From Funghi to Funding with Ram Nair

In this week’s episode of In the Head of a Founder, your host Jonas Hagman meets Ram Nair, the Indian researcher who moved from the beaches of southern India to the rainy streets of Sweden — and ended up building one of the Nordics’ most talked-about foodtech companies, Mycorena.    Ram shares how a single patent grew into a global venture that attracted over SEK 200 million in funding, industry recognition, and partnerships with some of the biggest names in food — before market shifts, war, and scaling challenges forced a hard reset.    But this isn’t a story about failure.  It’s a story of reinvention — of how to take what you’ve built, learn from it, and let it evolve into something even stronger.    Today, Ram is back with Smaqo — a bold new food brand born from his learnings, blending science, taste, and resilience.    You’ll hear about:  🍄 The journey from researcher to founder  💡 How intellectual property shaped investor trust  🌍 Why Sweden risks losing innovation to other countries  🧠 What founders can learn about timing, patience, and persistence    Want to explore more?   👉 Check out smaqo.com and sign up for future product testing.  💡 Ram also supports other startups with funding — connect with him on LinkedIn.   Want to learn more about IP? Sign up for the IPsteading newsletter here.