Reference Story: FCT Sweden AB Aligning Deep Tech into “Hydrogen for the Rebellious”
- Hengameh Mohsenzadeh Rabbani
- Mar 3
- 3 min read
The most effective client relationships share three traits: strong technical conviction, a willingness to challenge internal assumptions, and the discipline to align and co-create. FCT Sweden AB demonstrated all three.
When Matthias Brendel, CEO, and Bert Kehrens, Director Business Development at FCT Sweden, approached me in 2025, their confidence in their Lamina Micro Fuel Cell Technology for micro applications was unmistakable.
Hydrogen applications in the commercial vehicle and bus sector were familiar too me. What was new, however, was the application focus they described: remote surveillance, hydrogen-powered lawnmowers, bus heating systems, to name just a few.
It was immediately clear that this was not another mobility driven hydrogen narrative.
Starting Point: Strong Vision, Fragmented Narrative
Within the management team, strategic intent was clear. Each leader had a strong view of the company’s identity and ambition. The challenge was clarity and alignment.
The existing language lacked the precision needed to communicate a technically complex solution to multiple stakeholders. The objective was therefore straightforward in principle: translate technical strength into a coherent narrative and brand language.
This would serve as the strategic foundation for the new website developed with The Golden Delicious, the Creative Lab based in Hoorn, Netherlands.
Alignment Before External Impact
Before any external expression, we established a structured internal foundation. The objective was clear: define a market aligned basis for FCT’s identity, vision, and mission to enable a strategically grounded digital and offline presence.
Alignment first. Execution second.
Workshop: Brand Positioning Architecture
Through a structured leadership reflection, we refined FCT’s identity, vision, and mission, guided by two central questions:
What does FCT truly stand for
Who is it genuinely built for
We examined brand logic, desired customer and partner relationships, and the personality and cultural traits shaping FCT’s market presence. Particular focus was placed on small-scale, real-world hydrogen applications and where FCT should take a clear position versus remain deliberately open.
Common Output
A shared leadership conviction on what FCT represents and what it must deliberately avoid. This alignment became the backbone for creating a consistent internal and external communication.
Translating Complexity into a Brand Narrative
With leadership alignment in place, the focus shifted to execution.
Together with the FCT team, we developed the brand narrative through several iterations.
The objective was disciplined translation: retain engineering credibility while making the story accessible and compelling.
The result defined:
the core narrative structure
tone of voice and brand personality
visual and cultural cues guiding the creative process
This framework served as the strategic briefing for The Golden Delicious, enabling their creative exploration and the development of the new website.
The Rebellious Were Born
The final articulation captured FCT’s distinctive market posture.
Unboxed. Rebellious. Thrifty.
These principles express FCT’s ambition to challenge conventional hydrogen narratives and focus on pragmatic, modular solutions for emerging micro applications.
They now serve as directional compass for the brand’s communication and positioning.
With this foundation in place, the new website has gone live, marking the first visible outcome of the joint effort and establishing a platform for FCT’s future market presence.
Conclusion
Deep technology does not automatically translate into market clarity. Alignment and narrative precision do.
This project was a true co-creation between the FCT leadership team, The Golden Delicious, and myself. Through structured alignment and iterative collaboration, technical depth was transformed into a coherent brand narrative and communication framework.
The website launch marks the starting point. The potential of micro fuel cell technology is significant, and I look forward to following FCT Sweden’s next milestones as this story continues to unfold.
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