Founder of the Year Honorary Award: Patricia Olby Kimondo Awarded for Her Passionate Journey - From Pioneering Recruitment to Revolutionizing Talent Sourcing, Empowering Women, and Making a Global Impact

Patricia Olby Kimondo, founder of People Productions, received the Growth Rings in Gold as Founder of the Year Honorary Award for being a changemaker and her work for equality among founders. Patricia was awarded at the Founders Awards Gala at Nalen in Stockholm on September 19.

”I am deeply honored to receive this award among so many brilliant fellow entrepreneurs. This recognition not only celebrates my journey but also the dedication and hard work of my amazing team, mentors and supporters who believe in our vision. Entrepreneurship is not a solo trip; it’s about collaboration, resilience, and learning from both success and failure. Now I look forward to continuing to work towards making a positive impact in society”, says Patricia.

Founders Alliance Motivation
“For over twenty years, Patricia has successfully led her company with a mission to revolutionize the Talent Sourcing Industry sector through innovative solutions. She advocates for women, particularly female founders, and works to improve their conditions worldwide. Her leadership and dedication make her a true changemaker, and we are honored to recognize her remarkable achievements with this award”, says Niclas Carlsson.

The Passionate Journey of Patricia Olby Kimondo, Founder of People Productions
Building a company can feel magical, bringing a unique euphoria as you see your ideas come to life, knowing you’ve made a difference. Yet, it’s also challenging, demanding the courage to venture into uncharted territory.

Patricia embodies that courage. In 1999, she founded Lärarförmedlarna, Sweden's first recruitment agency in the education sector - and still a market leader. In 2020 Pamoja was launched - Sweden's largest digital platform for on-demand work. These ventures annually process more than 10 000 applicants and employ over 2000 people, redefining the landscape of life and work.

With her husband as a key partner, Patricia has skillfully scaled the business, balancing visionary ideas with practical execution. She believes in building businesses step by step, grounded in a solid foundation and self-reliant for long-term success. For her, success is always about business growth and creating value for society.

Driven by her passion for empowering women in business, Patricia founded Double Up Impact, to harness the capacity of women as entrepreneurs and community builders. Double Up ImpAct believes in solving problems as an entrepreneur - by taking small clear steps towards deep and lasting change.

She is also a board member for UN Women Sweden, advocating for global gender equality. Additionally, she is the co-author of the book The People-Centered Economy, published by the Silicon Valley-based think tank Innovation for Jobs.

Always eager to learn, Patricia pursued executive education at both the Stockholm School of Economics and Stanford Business School to gain new insights and learn innovative methods to drive her company forward.

For Patricia, the true magic lies in transforming ideas into action, fueled by collaboration with engaged and creative minds. Her journey is a testament to the power of vision, determination, and a commitment to making a positive impact, proving that it’s possible to build businesses that thrive, while making the world a better place.

How the Winner Is Chosen as Founder of the Year Honorary Award
The Founder of the Year Honorary Award, honors exceptional founders who have made an enduring contribution and a lasting impact through sustainable and long term company building and serve as exemplary role models.

The award criteria includes founding a company with annual revenue exceeding 10 million euros and contributing to societal well-being, and not required to be currently active in the company's operations.

Evaluated and selected by the Founders Alliance, the winner of Founder of the Year Honorary Award receives The Growth Rings in gold.

Photo: David Thunander and Evan Pantiel