Rethinking Startups: Inside the Venture Studio Model with Thorbjørn Rønje

Nerding Out With Viktor

In this episode, Viktor Petersson sits down with Thorbjørn Rønje, founder of Bifrost Studios, to unpack the venture studio model and why he believes it’s a smarter, faster way to build startups.

Thorbjørn explains how Bifrost applies a playbook-driven approach to validate product ideas quickly, reduce risk, and bring businesses to life without wasting time or capital. He shares how they’ve used frameworks like Purple Ocean and Apollo to launch companies such as Scaleup Finance, and why separating the early build team from the long-term operators makes their model scalable.

They also explore how this model applies to acquiring legacy businesses, turning them around with tech and brand upgrades. If you're thinking about startups, product-market fit, or the future of micro private equity, this one is worth your time.