Henrik is an entrepreneur and the co-founder of ENVOY, the content referral engine for subscription apps.
In your own words, what’s your role in the app business right now?
Breaking down the barriers between content and potential users in apps with a paywall. App stores are an uninspiring storefront for a multi-billion dollar industry.
How did you end up working in apps? / get started?
I started back in 2004 when I tried to bring sports betting and casino games to mobile. Then satellite TV to desktop streaming apps in 2007, then music to smartphones in 2014. I started ENVOY two years ago to solve the user acqusition and engagement issues we’ve been facing as content app services for over 15 years.
What are you most excited about in apps right now? (tech, trends, people, verticals)
Seeing apps wean themselves off their past addiction to paid acquisition marketing in walled garden data ecosystems. I’m excited about seeing a balance in effort applied to all parts of the funnel from retention, in-life engagement, top-of-funnel growth, and brand marketing.
What other companies in the app space do you rate/ inspire you and why?
On the publisher side, I’m inspired by Alex Norström and his growth team at Spotify. The relentless focus on content at The Othership breathwork app, and the ninja moves AppsFlyer and other attribution software companies have had to perform to navigate the Apple and Google ecosystem changes.
What do you like most about working in apps?
I’m fortunate enough to work with content apps and I’m a total content junkie myself, so living and breathing their product makes every day an adventure. Nothing bad about insure-tech or the like but I do love problem-solving for publishers of great content products in the video, audio, news, sport, and gaming space.
What one thing would you change about the app industry / market?
I would like to see ecosystems like Apple, Google, Facebook (or a challenger like Microsoft) start thinking like the tech startups they once were – allow for third parties to build products and solutions on top of their APIs and I mean specifically app discovery, attribution, data… I’m not saying full-on WeChat “god mode” without data integrity, but certainly a more flexible ecosystem to build on top.
Where do you think there’s an opportunity for apps / or unmet needs?
The space ENVOY is in (that’s why we started the company in the first place) – discovery and engagement. Many apps need a solution for engagement-led acquisition channels with a positive return on investment as well as tools to increase engagement and retention once users are in.
If you weren’t working in apps what would you be doing?
I’d be an architect in Stockholm, London or Palm Springs. I’d try to build cool stuff that makes you go “wow, I love that, bring me inside, light the fire, and let’s jump in the ice bath/ beer keg/ pool!”
iOS or Android?
What app(s) have been most useful to you over the last year?
StellaSleep, Othership, Moments of Space, Shinner, Zeed
What’s on your Spotify / Music party playlist?
Iron Maiden Live at Rock In Rio
Any Netflix/ TV show recommendations?
FAUDA, Stutz, Pamela – A love story, Babylon Berlin, A Handmaid’s Tale
Is there anything else we should know about you?
Hit me up on LinkedIn, we’re based in Camden Town with the team across Europe and soon the US. We brew good coffee for visitors and take the MEDNI challenge 8 days a week. It’s a marathon, not a sprint… keep going. 🏃🏻♀️
Do you know someone driving change and growth in the app industry? Nominate an app leader here.
