# Nicholas Syhler

> Nicholas Syhler is a Danish physician, Executive MBA graduate, and the co-founder and co-CEO of Embla. After working in cardiology and at Novo Nordisk, he started the company with longtime friend Laust Axelsen in 2021. Syhler has since described a bruising lesson in product-market fit: Embla's first consumer model cost far more to operate than bargain competitors, forcing the founders to redirect the business toward US employers and health systems. His public philosophy combines clinical rigor, candid accounting, team-owned decisions, and a willingness to challenge the current.

- **Role:** Co-founder and Co-CEO at Embla
- **Organizations:** Embla, Novo Nordisk, Syhler Consulting ApS, HEMI International ApS, ATAH ApS, SuiWare IVS
- **Nationality:** Danish
- **Education:** Executive MBA with a concentration in digitalisation and finance, Copenhagen Business School
- **Known for:** Co-founded Embla in 2021 and serves as its co-CEO., Helped raise a €10 million Series A for Embla in 2023., Led Embla through a shift from a Danish consumer model toward institutional customers in the United States.

## Career timeline

- **2015-2017** — Served as a director of SuiWare IVS, according to Danish company records.
- **2016-present** — Director and owner of Syhler Consulting ApS, according to Danish company records.
- **2017-2019** — Served as managing director and board member of ATAH ApS, according to Danish company records.
- **Before 2021** — Worked in cardiology and later at Novo Nordisk before leaving to build a company.
- **2020-2022** — Completed an Executive MBA at Copenhagen Business School, concentrating in digitalisation and finance.
- **2021** — Co-founded Embla with Laust Axelsen in Copenhagen.
- **2022** — Appointed a director of Embla Health UK Limited.
- **2023** — Embla raised a €10 million Series A co-led by Seed Capital Denmark and Inovo VC to support expansion.
- **2024** — Discussed Embla's international plans, interest in AI-augmented services, and team-led decision-making in a founder interview.
- **2026** — Publicly described Embla's pivot from Danish direct-to-consumer sales toward US employers and health systems; also became chair of HEMI International ApS.

## Achievements

- Co-founded Embla in 2021 and serves as its co-CEO.
- Helped raise a €10 million Series A for Embla in 2023.
- Led Embla through a shift from a Danish consumer model toward institutional customers in the United States.
- Completed an Executive MBA at Copenhagen Business School while moving from medicine into company building.
- Expanded Embla into the United Kingdom through a registered local company and later pursued the US market.

## Latest updates

- **2026-08** — Appeared with Paul Elsass on the Self-Funded podcast to discuss Embla's US employer strategy.
- **2026-07** — Appeared with Laust Axelsen on the Digital Health Heavyweights podcast to discuss Embla's founding and plans for the next several years.
- **2026-06** — Shared that Embla's move from B2C to B2B had become its most productive strategic change and that US employer demand was growing.
- **2026-04** — Publicly recounted Embla's near-bankruptcy and subsequent pivot toward US employers and health systems.
- **2026-01** — Became chairman of HEMI International ApS, according to Danish company records.

## Links

- Website: https://joinembla.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-syhler

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/nicholas-syhler
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-25