#34 Gerri Kodres 🇪🇪 (United Angels VC) on investments in Bolt & Veriff, how investor’s mind works and what mistakes do founders make when approaching VCs

Tuomo Laine is the Co-founder and Managing director of Twice Commerce. He brings his expertise in digital service design and his commitment to the circular economy to the ecommerce tech industry. 

Having taught at Aalto University and being a part of the Unreasonable Fellows, Tuomo is dedicated to making e-commerce both more sustainable and lucrative by leveraging circular economy principles.

On this episode we talk about:

• Strategies for businesses to adopt sustainable practices effectively
• The significance of simplicity in building and scaling platform businesses
• The current state and consumer demand for sustainability
• The gap between consumers' sustainability intentions and their purchasing behaviors
• Challenges and opportunities in marketing sustainable products
• The role and impact of refurbished products in the market

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Aurimas Bakas and Andrius Minkevicius are the co-founders of CyberUpgrade. They have a proven track record in the tech industry, having built and successfully exited banking core software company Paysolut to global fintech giant SumUp and now they are embarking on their latest venture. 

CyberUpgrade focuses on enhancing cybersecurity for B2B, especially SMEs and fintech companies, underscoring the critical importance of cyber protection in today's business landscape. Their work aims to make cybersecurity a key part of business growth and operations.

On this episode we talk about:

• The Importance of Cybersecurity for Business Sustainability
• How to Sell Complex B2B Products with Long Sales Cycles
• What Companies Can Do Today to Reduce Cybercrime Risks
• Serial Entrepreneurship and Paysolut Story
• How Cybersecurity can Turn from a Cost to an Advantage
• The Future of Cybersecurity

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Marko Kaseleht is the Co-founder and CEO of SensusQ. He successfully transitioned from an illustrious career in the Estonian Defense Forces to leading innovation in defense tech. With six combat tours under his belt, Marko's expertise now boosts NATO's defense capabilities as well as Ukraine's, through advanced intelligence management software.

On this episode we talk about:

• Transition from Military to Defense Technology
• How Military Tech keeps us Safe
• Risks of Surveillance
• Marko’s Leadership Philosophy & Principles
• Why People Need Challenges in Daily Life

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Sampo Hietanen is the founder and CEO of MaaS Global. A civil engineer turned entrepreneur he is recognised as the father of 'Mobility as a Service' concept. 

MaaS Global, runs and operates the award winning Whim app that offers comprehensive and all-encompassing mobility service to people in such cities as Helsinki, Vienna and Tokyo.

Expect to learn:

- How much private vehicles are being underutilised
- Service design principles that meet the demands of modern day users
- How to prosper in API-economy
- How to balance interests of multiple stakeholders/partners
- How all-in-one mobility solution that makes you give up your car looks like

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Fabio Bin and Erika De Santi are the co-founders of WeRoad. They are redefining group travel for millennials by blending unique travel experiences with local culture and social opportunities. Since its inception in 2017, WeRoad has garnered attention for its innovative approach, recently securing significant Series B funding. Their journey, from a bootstrapped venture to a thriving marketplace for travel coordinators and service suppliers, demonstrates their impact on the travel community today and in the future.

On this episode we talk about:

• Community-Based Product Building
• Growth Hacking Tactics
• Selling to Millennials
• Incorporating User Feedback in Product Development
• Future Trends in Travel

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

As promised during some of the previous episodes, we went to Tartu for sTARTUp Day 2024 and brought back a recording of a fireside chat with Kaarel Kotkas.

Kaarel is the founder and CEO of Veriff, one of the more recent Estonian unicorns that raised a 100m$ series C in early 2022 to hit the billion valuation mark. The 2 years that have followed have been very challenging and we sat down with Kaarel to talk about getting through challenging times, making tough decisions and building resilience,

What you can expect to learn from Kaarel:

• What to do when you see warning signs of market slowdown
• Strategies for keeping revenue up and growing during a downturn
• How to manage investor relationships
• The decision-making process and aftermath of doing 2 layoffs in 1 year
• Taking extremely hard decisions and moving on as a leader and a company
• How to define success when you have reached unicorn status

TIMESTAMPS:

• 01:00 sTARTUp Day 2024 impressions
• 10:00 Fireside chat with Kaarel
• 35:00 Uldis & Janis recaps the main lessons from the interview

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Dainis Kruze is the CEO and Co-Founder of Aerones. With a deep passion for innovation, he and his co-founder Janis Putrams started Aerones in 2015. Originating from university projects, their ambition and hard work evolved into a robust company, now boasting over 120 employees catering to markets across Europe, North America, and Latin America. They raised $30M Series-A in 2023.

On this episode we talk about:

• How Dainis pulled off a huge pivot with Aerones
• Building a culture that fosters innovation and adaptability
• What it takes to pitch successfully
• Experiences and learnings from participating in Y Combinator
• The importance and challenges of talent acquisition and nurturing in the Baltics
• The future of renewable energy

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Kalev Kaarna is a Mentor at Creative Destruction Lab and recently became ex-VC at Superangel where for the past 5 years Kalev operated as an investor and startups coach two in one. 

Kalev has specialized in propelling early-stage software and deep-tech startups to significant growth, with a keen focus on AI/ML, robotics, logistics, mobility, and SaaS B2B sectors. His prowess in guiding startups through initial challenges, especially in the Nordics and Baltics, is marked by his success in leading Superangel's accelerator program, where 33 startups collectively raised €40M. 

A firm believer in the power of effective pitching and building investor trust, Kalev combines his extensive intrapreneurial and research experience with a personal philosophy centered on leadership and personal coaching for founders. His journey, marked by both successes and failures, underlines his profound understanding of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and his dedication to shaping the future of tech startups.

This episode is brought to you in cooperation with Tartu sTARTUp day!

Join the 3,500 people taking part at this year's most startup minded business festival on January 24-26 by securing your ticket here  www.startupday.ee

On this episode we talk about:

• VC, Startup Coaching and Why and How Superangel Combined These
• How Can Startup Founders Benefit from Coaching
• Critical Early Sales Lessons for Startups
• The “Sell-Demo-Build” Strategy
• How to Build a Sales Strategy
• How a Founder Must Grow Faster than Their Company

Book references from our conversation:

"Running Lean: Iterate from Plan A to a Plan That Works" by Ash Maurya.

"Demand-Sided Sales" by Bob Mesta.

"The Mom Test" by Rob Fitzpatrick.

"Clear Leadership" by Gervase R. Bushe.

"The Jolt Effect" by Matthew Dixon and Ted Mc

"The Almanack of Naval Ravikant" by Eric Jorgenson.

"Obviously Awesome" by April Dunford.

"Sales Pitch" by April Dunford.

“Tech Powered Sales” by Justin Michael and Tony Hughes

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Märt Lume is a co-founder of Futuclass, a VR startup aimed at enhancing the educational experience for high school students, particularly in STEM subjects like chemistry and physics.

Additionally, Märt serves as the chairman of the board for the Estonian AR-VR Association. His expertise extends into the investment realm as well, being a member of the management board at Ludus Holdings, an early-stage investor that includes notable names such as Bolt, Veriff and Ready Player Me in its portfolio.

Märt's journey in the tech industry started with a gaming background, where he was notably the first employee at a company called Glitch, which later evolved into the widely-known platform Slack. His global experience, having lived in numerous cities around the world, adds a unique perspective to his entrepreneurial insights and learnings​​.


This episode is brought to you in cooperation with Tartu sTARTUp day!

Join the 3,500 people taking part at this year's most startup minded business festival on January 24-26 by securing your ticket here  www.startupday.ee

On this episode we talk about:

• The current state of AR/VR progress
• Märt’s experience as first employee of Glitch that later became Slack
• International experiences and their benefits in entrepreneurship
• How well do we teach STEM overall
• The importance of separating reality and virtual reality 

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/

Priit Salumaa is a serial entrepreneur based in the vibrant tech city of Tartu. He is the CEO and founder of Better Medicine, a company focused on building AI solutions to battle cancer. His entrepreneurial journey began with the founding of a software development company called Mooncascade in 2009, during the aftermath of the global economic crisis. In addition to his business ventures, Priit has been notably active in the non-governmental and non-profit sectors. He is a co-founder of flagship industry events in Estonia, such as Garage48 and Latitude59​​.

This episode is brought to you in cooperation with Tartu sTARTUp day!

Join the 3,500 people taking part at this year's most startup minded business festival on January 24-26 by securing your ticket here  www.startupday.ee

On this episode we talk about:

• Better Medicine and fighting cancer with AI
• Building a medtech product and business
• The value of building non-governmental organizations
• How hackathons contribute to community building
• The potential of a unified Baltic market and identity

===

Find other episodes on >  https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

Watch select full-length episodes on our YouTube channel > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP6ueaLnjS-CQfrMCm2EoTA

Connect with us on Linkedin > https://www.linkedin.com/company/pursuit-of-scrappiness/