A Portrait of Tendro – Their Startup Journey, Vision, and Life as Entrepreneurs 

With key milestones like securing a pilot project with Oslo Kommune and winning awards, Tendro is making waves. Co-founders Ida Elise Sandtorp and Ingrid Brandt share insights on their achievements, experiences, and future vision for Tendro.

By Vilde Falck Husum

The Start of Tendro 

Inefficient manual processes and outdated systems met Ida Elise Sandtorp as a newly graduated civil engineer on construction sites in Oslo. Seeing a need that wasn’t sufficiently met, she decided to act on it and applied to NTNU’s School of Entrepreneurship. 

It was here she met Ingrid Brandt, who originally studied psychology, but went on to NTNU’s School of Entrepreneurship as well. Despite Brandt having no prior experience in construction, they agreed that starting a venture together was the main priority – the specifics would fall into place along the way. Drawing on Sandtorp’s industry experience and knowledge, they started refining their concept even before they had a clear vision of what Tendro was going to be. 

Today, Tendro offers a muti-tenant platform that digitalizes and streamlines contract management, documentation and change processes within the construction industry. Two years after being founded, Tendro consist of three founders, one full time employee, and two more onboarding in January part-time. Further, they have acquired multiple customers and secured a significant collaboration with OsloBygg KF. 

co-founders of Tendro, Ingrid Brandt and Ida Elise Sandtorp
Co-founders, Ingrid Brandt and Ida Elise Sandtorp

A Major Milestone: Piloting Tendro’s Solution with Oslo Kommune

According to a report from Procore and Dodge Construction Network (2023), 32% of project revenue is lost due to poor change management, something Tendro aims to solve. Going back to Sandtorps industry experience, recent milestones show that their solution is delivering real value to the market. Earlier this year Tendro secured a pilot project with OsloBygg KF, part of Oslo Kommune, to implement their product in a construction project valued at over 1 billion NOK. The collaboration came about when Brandt, preparing for a summer in Oslo, contacted StartupLab for potential connections. This led to a meeting with Oslo Kommune and their construction team, bringing with them a whole construction project.

Through the Smart Oslo program, designed to support the development of innovative projects and initiatives for the municipality, Tendro received NOK 800 000 in funding from Oslo Kommune. Together they set some clear goals for their collaboration and product development. “The funding supports direct development for this project, while Oslo Kommune contributes time, expertise, and resources. This collaboration allows us to exchange value effectively,” shares Ingrid Brandt, CMO, and Ida Elise Sandtorp, CEO of Tendro.

The team behind Tendro: Njål Sørland, Ingrid Brandt, Ida Elise Sandtorp, and Thomas Hasvold

They make sure to have frequent check-ins on the product and technical aspects to ensure quality and development that align with the set goals for the project.  They also se a great learning value through their deal with OsloBygg KF, both when it comes to product development, but also processes and practices regarding future collaborations. When it comes to learning, Sandtorp and Brandt have experienced a lot during the last two years, as Sandtorp puts it: “it feels like ten”.

Achievements, Advice and Being Role Models – Their Personal Take on the Experience of an Entrepreneur  

When asked about their biggest achievement this year, Sandtorp explains how Tendro was selected from over 100 startups to pitch at the Nordic Female Investment Summit in Malmö and that the whole pitching experience and context of the event stuck out to her. However, on a more personal level, winning the Young Entrepreneurship award at Gründerdagen last month was an honor.

Getting nominated with people you look up to, and then winning is very rewarding. It shows that people from the outside see us and what we do, and at the same time offer an arena for early-stage startups to meet and show off their work – Ida Elise Sandtorp, CEO Tendro. 

Brandt agrees with her co-founder and goes on to say that business-wise the deal with Oslo Kommune is a stamp of approval. Additionally, she feels it demonstrates their success in identifying a market gap and creating a solution that significantly impacts change management in construction projects.

Ida Elise Sandtorp on stage

Their journey shows that you don’t need to have everything figured out to act on a business idea. Sandtorp encourages people to take the leap, even without a clear vision of the finished product as things will change along the way. Brandt agrees, emphasizing that lacking competence shouldn’t hold you back: «I knew nothing about construction but learned from reading and Ida». Now, she’s not just keeping up in meetings but convincing property developers and builders of their value.

While Brandt is often the only woman in meetings, she doesn’t let it affect her: “That’s the deal”. Together, she and Sandtorp share their experiences through social media and their podcast, Peaker i Startup, to inspire more women to step into these spaces. However, their key advice is to choose your team carefully: “Without a team that’s willing to roll up their sleeves and adapt quickly, I wouldn’t be as confident in meetings” says Sandtorp. Brandt agrees, emphasizing that their team is what makes Tendro both a strong product and a successful company.

The future plans for Tendro 

Many successful business ideas stem from first-hand experiences, as Sandtorp encountered at the construction site. However, it takes an entrepreneurial mindset to pick up the opportunity and “run with it”. Two years later Sandtorp and Brandt have founded their own company and are expanding both their team and customer portfolio.  

Additionally, they aim to expand their team, broaden their market reach beyond national borders, and enhance their product delivery across the value chain. They are already looking at potential market expansion beyond the construction industry. When asked if Tendro has a new year resolution and future vision, both Sandtorp and Brandt agree, it should always be fun to be at work. “We will continue to have fun and we will secure funding”, Sandtorp states.