Post D-Congress 2025 Review & Wrap-up

A milestone moment for HDL Commerce

D-Congress 2025 marked a powerful moment for us at HDL Commerce. Not just because of the attention we received, but because it reflected the momentum we’ve built up over the past year and the direction we’re heading.

But before we dive into the highlights from the event, let’s take a step back.

2024: Our first full commercial year

Last year was a game-changer. 2024 was our first real commercial year with HDL Commerce, and we signed 7 new e-commerce clients. That brought our total to 10 individual customers and 15 live e-commerce sites, generating an impressive online annual revenue of just under 900 million SEK through our platform.

That milestone didn’t just validate our technology, it validated our vision.

In 2024, HDL Commerce also evolved into a more standalone SaaS application. We signed our first agency partner, who is now actively developing client sites on top of our platform. That was a turning point proof that we’re not just building products; we’re building an ecosystem.

D-Congress 2025: More than a booth

This year’s D-Congress wasn’t just about showcasing HDL Commerce; it was about connecting deeper.

We brought our customers with us. That created real conversations, fresh insights, and closer collaboration. We got to see firsthand how our platform is impacting their businesses. We engaged with new faces, too potential customers who shared their current challenges and gave us space to explore how HDL Commerce could fit into their journey.

And here’s what we learned…

The e-commerce landscape is shifting

One thing was crystal clear: the industry is shifting.

There’s a growing demand for streamlined, cost-efficient solutions. Composable architecture is still top of mind, but many business decision-makers are unsure about whether they really need full composability.

Platforms like Shopify kept coming up, but the sentiment was clear: many want something more flexible, less boxed-in.

That’s exactly where HDL Commerce shines.

We’ve built a headless, API-first, composable platform, what we like to call a “Shopify, but without the boxes.” It’s fully flexible, without forcing unnecessary complexity.

But flexibility can both reduce and increase costs depending on how it’s used. That’s why we’ve always focused on giving the right level of flexibility for the customer’s actual needs, not just what looks shiny on paper.

Real insights from real conversations

Over the last year, we’ve conducted 70+ interviews across the e-commerce ecosystem, from small shops to major enterprise players. ERP teams, search partners, recommendation engines, marketing tools—you name it. These insights helped shape HDL Commerce into what it is today.

At D-Congress, these themes kept repeating:

– Customers want to build for the long term. The old mindset of changing platforms every 3 years is being replaced by a 5–10 year vision.

– ERP is a bottleneck. Most companies start their journey looking for a new platform, but the real challenge lies in their ERP setup.

– ERP should not be the hub. Many want to move marketplace integrations and business logic from ERP into the e-commerce platform to streamline operations.

– Platform switching is a long game. Most companies are “window shopping” now, planning to switch in 2026. We expect dialogues to heat up in Q3/Q4 this year.

– ERP always comes up—even when it’s not your focus. While HDL Commerce isn’t an ERP provider, we offer native integrations with Business Central and Fortnox two of the most commonly discussed systems at the event.

– Our new licensing model landed well. Simple pricing. No hidden fees. That clarity got a lot of attention.

– Partners are knocking. Several partners shared that their clients have already been eyeing HDL Commerce—many of whom we’ve never even spoken to yet. That’s huge.

A community in the making

To wrap it all up, we hosted our first HDL Commerce Dinner with Friends. We brought together customers, potential clients, partners, and people who simply believe in what we’re building.

It was a major success and it’s something we’ll keep doing.
Because HDL Commerce isn’t just a platform. It’s a community.

Final thoughts

D-Congress 2025 was a milestone in many ways. We met future partners, welcomed potential new clients, and deepened our relationship with existing ones. The event confirmed that we’re not only on the right path—but also at the right moment in time.

If you’re looking for a flexible, future-proof platform with a real partner behind it—you know where to find us.

Until next time,
The HDL Commerce Team