Growth rarely happens without challenges. For Nordic.Partners Group CEO Håvard Lehn, building a successful business has meant navigating rapid expansion, learning from mistakes and constantly looking for new opportunities beyond traditional affiliate marketing.
In a recent Founders Unfiltered interview with iGaming News, Håvard shared his perspective on entrepreneurship, leadership, AI and the future of the iGaming industry, including the ambitions behind Nordic Partners Gaming.
Building a business beyond affiliate marketing
Nordic.Partners’ journey has its roots in RGGNetwork, founded by Jonny Raninen and Fredrik Akerholt during the COVID pandemic.
Håvard joined the business to help take it to the next level, building on its original foundations while expanding into new areas.
Since then, the group has continued to develop its technology capabilities, including the acquisition of AffCollect, investment in proprietary AI technology and the launch of Nordic Partners Gaming.
Despite this expansion, Håvard sees one principle remaining unchanged: at its core, the business is a B2B technology company.
Growing too fast — and learning from it
One of the more candid moments in the interview came when Håvard reflected on the challenges of scaling.
“We grew too fast – with all the issues and challenges that came with it.”
Rapid growth brought operational challenges, but also valuable lessons. Today, the focus is on strengthening the foundations of the business and preparing for its next stage of development.
For Håvard, leadership also means being willing to question decisions, acknowledge mistakes and listen to the people around you.
Rather than expecting everyone to respond to the same incentives, he believes building a strong team requires understanding what motivates each individual.
Why iGaming needs more meaningful innovation
While Håvard sees iGaming as an industry full of entrepreneurial opportunities, he is more critical of its approach to innovation.
In his view, the sector has experienced long periods of limited change, interrupted by developments such as Web3 and cryptocurrency adoption.
But launching another product with familiar features is not necessarily the same as creating something new.
The opportunity now is to challenge established approaches and invest in technologies that genuinely improve how businesses operate.
AI: transformative technology or overhyped trend?
AI is one of the areas where Håvard sees significant potential.
From gaming and CRM to data analysis, VIP management and operational optimisation, AI could change how companies develop products, manage information and serve their customers.
At the same time, he cautions against assuming that adopting AI automatically delivers better results.
The quality of the underlying data, the way technology is implemented and the problems it is intended to solve all matter.
For Nordic.Partners, investment in its own AI technology stack represents an opportunity to improve efficiency, optimisation and internal processes while developing new capabilities across the business.
Connecting esports and iGaming through Nordic Partners Gaming
Another important part of the group’s strategy is Nordic Partners Gaming, its Counter-Strike 2 esports initiative.
The ambition goes beyond building a competitive team.
Nordic Partners Gaming aims to create a connection between two industries that already share audiences, commercial interests and partnership opportunities.
The long-term vision is to provide a platform for esports organisations seeking partnerships within iGaming, as well as iGaming businesses looking to enter esports.
For now, the focus is on developing the concept, building the team and demonstrating how that connection can work in practice.
Preparing for the next chapter
Across the interview, one theme stands out: sustainable growth requires more than ambition.
It takes the right people, the ability to recognise mistakes, a willingness to challenge established thinking and the discipline to build strong foundations before expanding further.
For Nordic.Partners, the next chapter brings together affiliate technology, AI-driven development and new opportunities in esports.
And as Håvard makes clear, the goal is not simply to grow, but to keep learning and improving along the way.
This article is based on Håvard Lehn’s interview with Abigail Welch for iGaming News’ Founders Unfiltered series.
Read the original interview on iGaming News: https://igaming.news/news/2026-10-09/founders-unfiltered-nordic-partners-ceo-havard-lehn-on-scaling-too-fast-ai-innovation-and
