This was part of the thinking behind reMarkable, a Nordic-based unicorn who blends the physical qualities of paper with the storage space and convenience of digital, to offer a tablet that is unique to the market.

Speaking to Henrik Faller, VP of Communications, for this piece provided but a glimpse into the passion, ingenuity, and belief in the transformative power of something new driving reMarkable.

Tackling digital distractions

“It all started with Magnus Wanberg, who has always had a passion for technology,” said Faller, who has been with the company since 2016. reMarkable was founded in 2013, “to solve a critical problem: in a world of so many digital tools and constant distractions, paper remains the best tool for deep thinking.”

This is a particularly poignant point, as concerns over screen time, anxiety and stress linked with social media use, and our dwindling attention spans are converging to raise questions about how much we should be looking at screens, with easy access to an array of apps designed to grab and retain our attention.

However, our world has arguably become increasingly reliant on screens to work, study, and navigate our day-to-day lives, which may mean

a rethinking of how we approach these activities – or, alternatively, creating devices that equal less distraction while carrying out these activities.

“The idea for reMarkable came from a deeply personal experience: Magnus was frustrated by the constant distractions of digital devices during his university studies,” Faller explained. “He found that working with paper allowed him to focus better, but it lacked the benefit of digital storage and organisation.”

Hence, reMarkable was born. According to Faller: “[it’s] a device that combines the best of both worlds: the simplicity and focus of paper with the power and flexibility of digital technology. It’s a concept that resonates with so many people today, especially in our increasingly distracted world.”

Design considerations

reMarkable has two core products: the reMarkable 2, marking an evolution from the first generation – which was launched in 2017 – and the reMarkable Paper Pro.

The considerations behind designing the tablet to feel like you’re putting pen to paper are pretty remarkable (sorry). As Faller posed: “How can

a device capture the immediacy and tactility of pen and paper, and clarity it provides and how can it offer something more – giving it digital superpowers without ruining the paper-like experience?”

Taking these questions in hand were key to the design and development of both the reMarkable 2 and the reMarkable Paper Pro.

“A crucial area of development was the paper-like writing experience,” said Faller, who didn’t understandably dish too much on the specifics of the technology, but shared: “The writing experience has over 20 different dimensions to it, from fiction, to sound to latency. Adding innovation

to the paper-like experience without having a detrimental effect on all those aspects is really hard.”

Its latest offering, the reMarkable Paper Pro, has several updates to charm the digitally-conscious user all while keeping in mind avoiding upgrades that would deviate from its original mission and have a “detrimental” effect, as Faller said.

These upgrades include an 11.8-inch colour display, a reading light, and backlighting. The company is forensic in its attention to details, as Faller alluded to: “Every design choice, from responsiveness to weight

distribution, enhances the user’s ability to focus and create, making the technology intuitive, approachable, and aesthetically beautiful.”

“Our dedication to delivering the best possible writing experience on a digital device means that we sweat every detail to ensure that the writing experience will be instantly familiar,” he explained. “Trying to

achieve this gold standard while simultaneously changing or redesigning almost every single element was the hardest part of designing and developing the reMarkable Paper Pro.”

Key achievements

However hard the design and development, clearly there’s appetite from the public. In the launch of the pre-order campaign in 2016, reMarkable sold 1,500 devices in three days. “That’s when we realised we were onto something bigger,” he said.

The user base was anticipated to be professionals and creatives using the devices for their work, but Faller said the user base is wide-ranging. “They all share one thing in common: a desire to work, think and create without the constant distractions of traditional digital devices.”

reMarkable 2 was launched in 2020, “which earned global recognition, including a place on Time magazine’s ‘Best Inventions of 2020’ […] Today, with millions of sold units, more than $1 billion in aggregated revenue, five consecutive years of profitability, and the recent introduction of reMarkable Paper Pro, our focus remains on helping people think better, free from digital distractions.”

Having this clear vision about creating a device free from distractions has been core to the company’s success, as well as filling a “unique need” and resonating with what people were after.

“Key to our growth has been listening to our users,” Faller stressed.

This makes a change from the early challenges of reMarkable, which revolved around scepticism about the device itself, whether it could be done, and whether it would find a wider audience. Clearly, hindsight is 20/20.

“Reaching unicorn status in 2022 was a key moment […] affirming our vision had struck a chord with users around the world,” said Faller. “Surpassing 2 million sold units in 2023 and launching the reMarkable Paper Pro this September have been incredible achievements.”

As for the unicorn, it is looking to expand operations to the UK, and find the right developers and engineers who will share the company’s vision.

“I want to mention one story I’ll never forget,” Faller said in his final remarks. “A cold winter day in 2018, Magnus and I were invited to meet Prince William and Princess Kate during their visit to Oslo. We asked them to try out the first generation reMarkable paper tablet and after scribbling on it, Prince William turned to Magnus and said: ‘Wow, it’s better than paper!’

“He also got some laughs as he wrote on his tablet, ‘I love Norway!! My toes are numb!’”

This article originally appeared in the November/December 2024 issue of Startups Magazine. Click here to subscribe