Emil Sjölander

Don’t sleep on the legend that is Emil Sjölander. This guy is the real deal when it comes to tech and startups. Swedish, super sharp, and he’s been around the block in some of the coolest places in the tech world. His story? It’s basically about jumping into the deep end, crushing it, and then building stuff that actually changes how we work and design.

So, Emil started out with a solid background, got a Master’s in Computer Science and Interaction Design from Umeå University. Pretty much the perfect combo for someone who wants to make tech that’s not just functional but also user-friendly. From there, he jumped into the game, working at places like Facebook as a Software Engineer, which is no small feat. Plus, he’s done stints at Flipboard, Screen Interaction AB, and Syrligt, all about engineering and interaction, so he’s always been deep in the trenches of making tech better.

But what really sets him apart is his entrepreneurial streak. In 2018, he co-founded Visly, a super slick developer tool that lets you build React components visually. Think of it like making coding easier and faster, more visual, less bullshit. They went through YC’s Winter 2019 batch, that’s the real deal in startup circles, and crushed it. The big win? They got acquired by Figma, one of the coolest design tools out there. That’s not just luck, that’s Emil doing what he does best: spotting a gap, jumping in, and making something that’s actually useful.

And at Figma, he didn’t just coast. He led the Dev Mode workstream, basically bridging the gap between designers and developers. He’s all about making collaboration smooth, cutting out the bullshit, and making tech work harder for us. That’s his vibe: building tools that enable creators, whether it’s through open-source projects like Yoga, Litho, React Native, or Flipper, he’s contributed to all of them.

What does this all say about Emil? The guy’s fueled by one thing: making tech better, more accessible, and more integrated. He’s not just about building for the sake of it, he’s about solving real problems and pushing the limits of what’s possible. Starting Visly, jumping into YC, getting acquired, that’s a story of diving headfirst, getting your hands dirty, and smashing past expectations.

He’s now based in London, but his impact is global. Emil’s the kind of guy who sees a problem, then builds the tool to fix it, no bullshit, no ego, just pure hustle and brains. If you’re into startups, design, engineering, or just cool tech that actually makes a difference, Emil Sjölander is someone you wanna keep your eyes on.