Founder of the Year Honorary Award - Darko Pervan, Välinge

Darko Pervan, founder of Välinge, was awarded the Growth Rings in Gold for the Founder of the Year Honorary Award 2021. Darko was awarded at the Founders’ Gala held at Stockholm City Hall on September 16, for his lifelong contribution of sustainable and long-term company building.

- Over the years, I’ve received many awards, but this one is different. This award was given to me by my peers — other founders and entrepreneurs — and that makes it extra special, says Darko Pervan.

Darko Pervan had already worked some years at Tändsticksbolaget and then at Perstorp laminate, where he came up with the idea for the world's first laminate floor, before he founded Välinge in 1993. The company started the development of the world’s first mechanical locking system that enables installation of wood and laminate flooring by combining angling and snapping. The principles for locking floorboards mechanically gradually developed to a world standard and thus eliminating the use of 100 million bottles of glue. In 2007 a new paper-free Wood Fibre Floor technology was born. A thin wood veneer is combined with wood powder and bonded to a board using high heat and pressure. This creates a surface three times harder than traditional flooring, and ten times more flooring can be produced from the same amount of lumber.

Välinge´s mission is to change how flooring, furniture and wall panels are produced and used, by introducing new technologies that provide better, more cost effective and more environmentally friendly solutions. All new technologies are protected by 3,400 patents.

Founder of the Year Honorary Award is Founders Alliance most prestigious accolade and is presented annually at the Founders Gala. By rewarding particularly successful founders who have made a lifetime contribution, Founders Alliance wishes to inspire sustainable company building and inspire other founders to act as similarly great role models.Each year, the Founders Alliance Exemplary Council nominates the winners of the award.

The Growth Rings
What all founders have in common is that they themselves are a seed that grows into a successful company. Just like trees in a forest, founders are the most important organism in the ecosystem that creates growth in the world.

The symbol that pays tribute to these successful founders we call The Growth Rings.

“It starts as a seed in the founder’s mind. For it to grow strong, patience is required and real perseverance. During a company's development, strong years with good conditions alternate with meagre and tough years without development. The Founders Awards annual growth rings symbolize this story”

Learn more about Founders Alliance here

Before using the pictures, please contact Nina Hahn at Founders Alliance, nina.hahn@foundersalliance.com