In late September, I packed up my remote workspace and flew to Norway to attend my first Northern.tech’s all-company summit. As someone who works remotely, this was a chance to meet colleagues face-to-face, many of whom I’d only known through video calls and Slack conversations. Around 50 of us, representing 11 different nationalities, gathered in Svarstad, a beautiful town nestled among mountains, forests, and farmland. Driving there was an experience in itself—passing through stretches of open farmland and dense forest, surrounded by Norway’s breathtaking natural landscape.
The mix of business sessions, hands-on projects, and quality time spent together in this setting felt like the essence of Northern.tech’s approach—focused, connected, and intentional.
Beyond devices: Embracing the journey together
Our CEO, Thomas Ryd, often emphasizes, "The journey is the goal." While delivering solutions that empower customers is our mission, we also strongly believe that the way we work together—our approach and our culture—matters just as much. This summit clearly reflected that philosophy.
At Northern.tech, our strategy centers around providing best-in-class solutions for device management and security, helping customers focus on their own innovations. But beyond the discussions about our mission and products, this summit was about connecting in person, sharing ideas, and building the kind of collaborative, inclusive culture that’s hard to foster over video calls—especially for someone like me, who is remote for most of the year.
Engineering together: Innovation and fun with Arduino
The week was packed with updates, including a company “state of the union” from our CEO and a vision workshop for 2035. This workshop was a great opportunity for teams to present their ideas on the company’s future direction and think creatively about what’s possible as we pursue our mission to secure the world’s connected devices.
One of the week’s highlights, though, was our Arduino team-building challenge. We had to come up with something creative, functional, and, ideally, just a little outside the box—all in a limited amount of time.
My team went all-in on designing a “wake-up clock” with a catch: the alarm escalates in volume until it’s turned off, making for a very persuasive start to any morning. We brainstormed, tested, and refined our idea, working through technical snags as we went. By the end, it was rewarding to see the project come together, and even more fun to present it to the group and see the clock in action. Awards for best collaboration, most functional, and best game, added a fun, competitive edge and capped off an exercise that blended technical skills with creativity and teamwork.
As a remote worker, this hands-on collaboration reminded me how effective in-person brainstorming and creating can be. There’s a strong ideology here of “thinking like an owner,” where everyone is encouraged to contribute ideas, no matter how unique or niche. It’s a place where merit matters more than titles, and the summit gave everyone a chance to put those values into action, creating a space where individual strengths and perspectives could shine.
The balance of work and connection
Between sessions, we had ample opportunity to engage with our global coworkers in open and candid conversations. Every night, we took turns cooking, shared meals together, and enjoyed unwinding over late-night board games and friendly banter. One afternoon, a group of us set out for a hike up to the highest nearby point—a great way to step away from work and just be present with the team. The trail led us through a mix of dense forest, with tall trees casting soft, filtered light that made the whole hike feel like a peaceful escape. Reaching the top, we took in the view of the valley below—a great spot to pause, snap a few photos, and chat with teammates outside of our typical work environment. It was these moments that showed me what makes Northern.tech different.
The emphasis is on creating an environment where people can bring their full selves to work, where everyone is treated as an equal, and where collaboration feels natural, not forced.
What makes Northern.tech unique
Returning from Svarstad, I felt more grounded in my role and connected to our mission. Northern.tech may be a tight-knit team, but the culture here is big in ways that matter. We are encouraged to think like owners, bring our ideas forward, and “find the purpose in the work.” This summit wasn’t just an event on the calendar; it was a reminder that we’re all part of something bigger. Working remotely, it’s easy to feel like you’re just one piece of the puzzle. But here, you’re trusted to contribute, to grow, and to help shape the direction we’re headed. As Thomas often says, “The journey is the goal”—and this summit was a meaningful part of that journey.
