Meet Carolina and Victoria Fransen, Co-Founders at Alvica Medical

Tell us about yourselves

Carolina: We’re two sisters who founded Alvica Medical in 2023  – a medtech company with one clear mission: to bridge the gap between groundbreaking innovations and the people who need them most. Personally, I’m a passionate nerd at heart, obsessed with science, technology, self-development, and entrepreneurship—and I’m a huge fan of Stoic philosophy.

Victoria: And I’m Victoria, 25, with a love for all things medicine, history, and psychology. I was on the path to becoming a doctor, but as we launched Alvica, I realised I could make a far bigger impact by helping grow this company. That’s why I decided to fully dedicate myself to it.

Carolina: Family is at the heart of everything we do. Our parents, both doctors, have always been our inspiration. Honestly, we couldn’t imagine our entrepreneurial journey without their support – and, of course, each other. Victoria and I have been business partners since we were 9 and 10 years old!

Victoria: Our first venture was a catering business. We hated the cafeteria food at school, so we created our own menu and took orders from classmates. Eventually, the school caught on when no one was eating in the cafeteria, and we got into trouble – but our parents were so encouraging afterwards.

Carolina: That’s when we realised we had the entrepreneurial spark. After that, we started all kinds of creative projects. We wanted to get rid of broken toys but figured we could sell them if we added value. So, we created a theatre show where each toy had a story – like the one missing an eye became a villain with a cool backstory. After the show, kids would buy the toys, and we always sold out! It worked great until some angry parents complained their kids were bringing home what they saw as ‘trash.’

Victoria: Lesson learned! Our next venture was a mermaid business in Greece, and that was a game-changer. The profits from that business helped us launch our first medical company. We trained to swim in professional mermaid costumes and offered our services to luxury resorts, from beach days to boat trips and birthday parties. Our summers were packed, and we loved every second of it.

Carolina: All of those early ventures may seem sweet and innocent now, but back then, they taught us some serious entrepreneurial skills – storytelling, delegating, resource management, budgeting, and even finance. We had to be sharp about managing our funds to reinvest in our businesses, whether it was for the next performance or better equipment. Those lessons laid the foundation for everything we do today.

Victoria: Looking back, we didn’t fully realise how those small ventures were the push we needed to start our first implant delivery business in Germany after high school. At the time, we were both pursuing medicine and doing internships in hospitals back home. It quickly became clear that there was a real demand for German medical products, but second-hand retailers were charging almost double the price. So, we saw an opportunity and set up a delivery service to offer hospitals a more affordable alternative. Now, we’re chasing an even bigger dream – Alvica Medical.

How did you overcome adversity in your entrepreneurial journey?

Carolina: It’s easier said than done, but I believe that overcoming adversity starts from within. It’s about changing the narrative we keep telling ourselves. Our brains naturally default to self-pity and victim mode. But that’s where self-awareness comes in. You take a step back, reflect, and realise, “Wait, I really can control my thought patterns.” Every time something tough comes my way, I just tell myself, “Alright, we’ll figure it out.” And the funny thing is, we always do.

Victoria: Another key ingredient is laughter. Honestly, not taking things too seriously, cracking jokes, and bringing humour into difficult situations has worked wonders for us. I’ve noticed that humour sparks creativity—it switches on a part of your brain that’s suddenly firing in all directions. More often than not, that leads to solutions you’d never even considered.

What is the best lesson you’ve learnt as an entrepreneur?

Carolina: “Perfectionism is procrastination disguised as quality control.” When I first heard this quote, it hit me hard. I realised that my obsession with doing everything perfectly was actually the very thing holding me back. I used to think, “Well, I’m just a perfectionist, it’s who I am.” No! I wasn’t a perfectionist – I was a procrastinator.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that entrepreneurship is all about proactivity. It won’t always be perfect; you might fail a thousand times, you might embarrass yourself, and you’ll definitely make mistakes. But none of that matters because you’re taking action. And that is one of the most crucial ingredients for success.

Victoria: We always joke that this business is our baby – and it really is! It needs constant attention, and we’re always thinking about it. Being an entrepreneur is so multi-dimensional; you can’t just rely on one skill. I’ve learned that you need to be ready to wear multiple hats and handle different areas all at once. It’s also about playing to your strengths and understanding your weaknesses. Carolina and I know each other so well now that we don’t even have to say anything – we just instinctively know who should take the lead on what. It’s all about recognising your strengths and using them to the fullest whether that’s with your business partner, or your team. That’s been a game-changer for us.

Tell us about the company you have built

Carolina: Alvica Medical is the result of a talented team effort with years of experience in the field. The initial spark for our company came while attending exhibitions. We were shocked to discover an entire world of medical technology that most people will likely never have access to. It’s not democratised, even though these devices were created by people, for people. That’s the mission. We were also frustrated by how difficult it is for medical startups to get their products to end users, and that’s when our first vision for Alvica Medical was born.

Victoria: Then, when the war in Ukraine started, we went back to our hometown to deliver humanitarian aid and volunteer. While we were there, we experienced firsthand how outdated rehabilitation and pain therapy systems are for people. The hard truth is, this isn’t just a problem in war-torn countries—it’s like this everywhere. You don’t realise it until it affects you or someone close to you. We saw the lack of support, especially with increasing demand and ongoing staff shortages. That’s when we knew we had to introduce medical technology to tackle this issue, and we decided to focus on movement medicine as our starting point.

Carolina: We’re just getting started, but in the past year and a half, we’ve already built partnerships with top medical technology startups and secured exclusive distribution rights. We’ve introduced our products to leading medical institutions, opened a showroom in Sweden, attended multiple exhibitions, and are about to launch our mobile showroom – a sleek, spacious expo for cutting-edge medical technology on wheels that brings innovation directly to people’s homes, offices, and workplaces. We have plans to turn it into a mobile clinic in the future.

When people think of robotics and medical tech, it often feels distant – something far off that they won’t interact with. But why should it be that way? With the rise of AI and the incredible advancements happening around us, we’re here to start bridging the gap between these incredible innovations and the patients who need them. Alvica Medical is becoming the much needed one-stop hub where startups can showcase their latest innovations, and clients and patients can experience them firsthand.

Victoria: We have big plans and even bigger goals, but at the heart of it all, it’s about people. I’m deeply grateful for everyone who has invested their time and energy into turning our vision into reality, step by step, we are getting there.

What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?

Carolina: One of my favourite quotes is “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” A lot of entrepreneurs give advice like, “just start” or “just do it,” but I believe that’s a good way to get stuck swimming against the tide. Taking the time to write out a plan, prepare, and set out your next steps makes acting on them so much easier.

To me, the key word in that quote is “meets.” It’s about letting your preparation meet the world. Whether it’s learning a new skill, mapping out your plans, or setting your goals – once you’re ready, it’s time to step out, network, pitch relentlessly  and seize the opportunities life throws your way. Don’t be ashamed or embarrassed—those who’ve been on the same journey will never judge you.

Victoria: Sometimes as entrepreneurs, we fall into the trap of thinking, “The more I work, the better.” In the beginning, Caro and I had a terrible routine—we’d sleep at the office for just a few hours, and our amazing team, just as dedicated, worked long hours alongside us. We were over consumed, and our lifestyle was unhealthy and, honestly, pretty bizarre.

It took a wake-up call – literally an ambulance trip – for us to realise what overworking can do to your health. You can only push so far if you’re neglecting proper sleep, nutrition, exercise, and socialising. We need those key elements as humans to be mentally and physically at our best. Now, we make it a priority to ensure that our team has a healthy work-life balance, encouraging them to rest and take care of themselves.