This Much I Know - The Seedcamp Podcast

In the latest episode of “Path to Market,” Natasha and Micah are joined by Fanny Talagrand, Head of EMEA sales for startups and SMBs at Stripe to discuss key sales strategies from startups to enterprises. Drawing from her extensive experience in global tech companies like Google Cloud and Stripe, Fanny emphasizes the importance of understanding user needs and journeys, leveraging user feedback, and the different dynamics between selling to startups versus enterprises.  She also provides advice for hiring the first sales reps, highlighting the need for candidates to be smart, driven, and coachable. She stresses the significance of onboarding processes and embedding new hires with users early on. Additionally, she explores how to balance product-led growth with enterprise sales and shares metrics to optimize sales performance. Tune in to learn about: - how to align sales strategies with the needs and journeys of different types of users; - how PLG and enterprise motions can coexist with careful planning and differentiation in user journeys; - why as companies grow, including a sales team becomes vital to extend market reach and support users who require more comprehensive solutions; - and more practical strategies for founders looking to enhance their sales operations and build successful teams. Show Notes: Fanny Talagrand - linkedin.com/in/fanny-talagrand-a51a81b Natasha Lytton – linkedin.com/in/natasha-lytton Micah Smurthwaite – linkedin.com/in/micah-smurthwaite-2283b49 Overview: 00:00 Introduction to Path to Market 01:17 Meet Fannie Talegrand, Head of EMEA Sales for Startups and SMBs at Stripe 02:13 Fannie's Career Journey 04:29 Comparing Sales at Google Cloud and Stripe 06:58 The Importance of Product and User Feedback 13:31 Sales Metrics and Funnel Optimization 16:32 Differences in Selling to SMBs vs. Enterprises 24:07 Hiring the Right Sales Leader 34:29 Onboarding New Sales Hires 40:09 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In a new episode of This Much I Know, Carlos's guest is Dr Melanie Garson, an associate professor at UCL and expert in cyber policy and geopolitics. Together they discuss critical issues in the current geopolitical and defence systems, including the evisceration of the US civil service, reactive politics, and the role of technology companies as geopolitical actors. Dr Garson emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary approaches, stress-tested technology rollouts, and the holistic view of future defence strategies. She highlights the information domain as another critical area, where misinformation and disinformation can proliferate and destabilize, underpinning the need for robust measures to counteract these threats. The conversation explores the strategic role of tech in geopolitics, the evolving nature of warfare, and the potential for innovation and international cooperation within the defence industry. Dr Garson also shares her views on the importance of building secure digital economies and engaging meaningfully with emerging technologies for long-term future defence capabilities. Looking to the future, Dr Garson predicts the emergence of new industry players and the potential for existing companies to re-engage with defence manufacturing. She remains optimistic that the industry will recognize the value of entrepreneurs and facilitate environments where innovation can thrive alongside traditional primes. Show Notes: Dr Melanie Garson linkedin.com/in/melaniegarson/ Carlos Espinal linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal/ Dr Melanie Garson - profiles.ucl.ac.uk/25481-melanie-garson institute.global/experts/melanie-garson Seedcamp - seedcamp.com

Our “Path to Market” series continues with a new episode in which our Director Natasha Lytton and her co-host Micah Smurthwaite, Partner at Pipeline Ventures, delve into the intricacies of go-to-market strategies with seasoned CRO, Tim Bertrand. Tim shares his extensive experience scaling organisations like Acquia, Project 44, and HAProxy, offering actionable insights for founders and sales leaders on building sales teams, effective onboarding practices, the fundamentals of discovery and qualification in sales, and the nuances of pricing strategies for early-stage companies. Tim also discusses the significance of deal reviews and the evolving landscape of sales tactics, emphasizing the value of compelling events and robust qualification processes. The discussion also covers: - the dynamics of building sales teams; - identifying customer pain points; - the significance of practical sales methodologies like MEDDICC and BANT; - fostering cross-functional collaboration; - the role of open-source communities; - and more. Key takeaways: - Understand product intricacies; - Leverage economic buyers in sales cycles; - Align organizational culture with company values for success; - Make the right hire according to the company's growth stage. Overview: 00:00 Understanding Customer Pain Points 00:22 Introduction to Path to Market Podcast 01:00 Interview with Tim Bertrand: Scaling Startups 01:39 Tim Bertrand's Journey: Acquia to HAProxy 05:07 Advice for Founders on Sales Playbooks 08:11 Hiring the Right Sales Team 16:29 Onboarding Sales Reps: Best Practices 18:31 Effective Sales Execution and Discovery 23:29 Creating Urgency in Sales 23:34 The Role of Compelling Events 25:18 Evolving Sales Tactics 28:53 Effective Deal Reviews 31:03 Pricing Strategies for Startups 32:59 Building a Strong Sales Culture 35:58 Cross-Functional Collaboration 39:17 Open Source Business Models 43:05 Sales Methodologies for Founders 44:30 Hiring the Right CRO 45:47 Conclusion and Key Takeaways

In the latest episode of our “Path to Market” series, our Director Natasha Lytton and her co-host Micah Smurthwaite, Partner at Pipeline Ventures, speak with Gia Scinto, a partner at Cole Group, specializing in go-to-market executive hires for renowned startups like Airbnb and Stripe. Gia shares her extensive experience in building go-to-market teams for top startups across her different roles, including as the first talent leader at Y Combinator and as an executive talent partner at Andreessen Horowitz. She emphasizes the importance of metrics in recruitment, the founder's role in hiring, and key considerations for early-stage companies hiring their first sales leaders. Gia also provides actionable advice on running an effective recruiting process, including aligning on job requirements, conducting thorough interviews, and ensuring a successful onboarding process. Key takeaways: Set a minimum experience threshold for the role In the first interviewing rounds, assess the candidate against the main goals of their roles Set clear expectations and establish attainable goals in the initial months to facilitate a seamless onboarding into the company.

In a new episode of Path to Market, our Director Natasha Lytton and her co-host Micah Smurthwaite, Partner at Pipeline Ventures are joined by Ryan Lieber, an experienced Go-to-Market Leader and one of Snowflake's earliest employees and its first SDR. Together they discuss Snowflake's impressive growth trajectory, the challenges and strategies of category creation, key sales methodologies like MEDDPICC, the best approaches for scaling internationally, and cross-functional sales efforts. Ryan shares his experiences from joining Snowflake when it was an unknown startup in 2014 to its current status as a data giant with over 7,000 employees and a market capitalization of over $50 billion. He also delves into when and how founders should hire their first SDRs and sales leaders, the metrics for measuring their success, and the role of marketing alignment in scaling sales. Moreover, he emphasizes the importance of understanding regional cultural and communication nuances, and how to leverage partnerships in new markets. Key takeaways: - taking an iterative approach to the sales process enables you to transition from broad outreach to focusing on sales-qualified opportunities; - hiring SDRs earlier rather than later is not only cost-effective, but it also enables founders to focus on product development; - choose a sales leader who isn't afraid to "get their hands dirty" and is willing to adapt to the dynamic needs of a growing startup. They are in touch with the pulse of the market and the realities faced by their teams; - international expansion is not a uniform process and differs significantly by region. This is why understanding cultural nuances, leveraging regional partners, and ensuring the market is ripe for entry are essential considerations; - taking a partnership approach to scaling accelerates growth and embeds credibility in the customer's eyes. Overview: 00:00 Introduction and Guest Background 01:00 Ryan's Early Days at Snowflake 03:59 Career Growth and Opportunities 05:01 Building the EMEA Team 07:08 Challenges and Learnings 08:19 Finding the Ideal Customer Profile 13:57 Sales Methodology: MEDDPICC 19:30 Hiring and Building a Sales Team 21:48 The Daily Grind of an SDR 22:01 Key Traits for Sales Success 23:30 Red Flags in Sales Hiring 27:07 Effective SDR Metrics 32:09 Hiring Your First Sales Leader 34:54 The Power of Marketing in Sales 36:49 Scaling Internationally 42:26 Snowflake's Startup Program 45:02 Final Thoughts and Advice

In this insightful episode, our Director Natasha Lytton and co-host Micah Smurthwaite, Partner at Pipeline Ventures are joined by Alicia Carney, a seasoned product marketing expert with extensive experience at high-growth startups like Deliveroo. Together, they dive deep into identifying and validating Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) in pre and post product-market fit stages. Alicia shares her insights on navigating early market fit through to scaling operations post-product market fit. Key takeaways: - Define and validate ideal customer profiles (ICP) through market needs and user research - Be intentional and thoughtful about who you are serving and the value you offer - Focus on empirical metrics and continuous customer engagement. Show notes: Alicia Carney - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciacarney Natasha Lytton - linkedin.com/in/natasha-lytton Micah Smurthwaite - linkedin.com/in/micah-smurthwaite-2283b49 Interview guide link: http://bit.ly/3tJubmC  ​​Establishing an ideal customer profile (ICP) by Notion VC Market research platforms: userinterviews.com, pollfish.com, gong.io, grain.com

We are excited to announce the launch of our new podcast series, "Path to Market," where our Director Natasha Lytton and co-host Micah Smurthwaite, Partner at Pipeline Ventures dissect the art and science behind effective go-to-market (GTM) strategies for startups and scale-ups. The introductory episode explores essential elements of go-to-market planning, real-world examples of startups overcoming market-entry challenges, and practical advice on avoiding common pitfalls. Highlights include: - understanding the balance between art and science in sales; - the importance of a focused market entry; - the critical nature of making the right hire. What to Expect from “Path to Market” Future episodes will cover an array of topics, from defining your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) to choosing between sales development representatives and product-led growth motions. Whether you're embarking on your startup journey or are further along, there's something beneficial for every stage. The podcast series will feature seasoned marketing, sales, and product experts who have worked for companies such as Stripe, Snowflake, and Deliveroo.

In a new episode of 'This Much I Know,' Carlos hosts Andy Budd, a veteran UX/UI designer and one of our venture partners, to discuss his latest book, 'The Growth Equation: How Early Stage Startups Can Build a Powerful Engine for Growth.' Andy shares his journey from being a tech enthusiast to launching the UK's first UX agency, ClearLeft. The discussion rich with anecdotes and actionable insights explores key themes to help founders navigate the complexities of startup growth. These include: founder-led sales; creating a go-to-market strategy, and the importance of customer retention and onboarding. He emphasizes practical, incremental approaches to building a customer base, crafting effective sales emails, and leveraging community-driven growth. Andy advocates for positioning and language-market fit as critical aspects of early-stage success, suggesting that a focused effort on understanding and connecting with the target audience precedes establishing a strong brand. Show notes: Andy Budd - linkedin.com/in/andybudd Carlos Espinal - linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal Seedcamp - seedcamp.com Andy Budd - andybudd.com/book The Growth Equation: How Early Stage Startups Can Build a Powerful Engine for Growth by Andy Budd is available in bookstores and online.

In this episode, our Managing Partner Carlos Espinal is joined by our Talent Manager James Wright, and special guest Dominic Jacquesson, a veteran VC operator who recently received an MBE for his contributions to the UK entrepreneurship and technology ecosystem. Dominic shares insights from his varied career, including his extensive experience at Index Ventures working with top-tier tech companies, and from his latest book, 'Scaling through Chaos' written on behalf of Index to offer founders a comprehensive roadmap for scaling teams and leadership. The conversation covers key topics, such as: - Building effective teams; - Leadership, and the role of culture and values in scaling a startup; - Risk management, setting up processes, and the applicability of OKRs/KPIs. Dominic also announces his new venture into studying neuroscience after an accomplished career in the startup ecosystem. Show Notes: Dominic Jacquesson MBE - linkedin.com/in/dominicjacquesson Carlos Espinal MBE - linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal James Wright - linkedin.com/in/jdhwright Scaling Through Chaos and other resources from Index Ventures, including the web app TeamPlan, are available for free on Index Press (https://www.indexventures.com/index-press) 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 01:46 Dominic Jacquesson's Career Journey 07:53 Writing 'Scaling Through Chaos' 15:01 Scaling Startups: Key Insights 17:24 Navigating Leadership and Hiring 37:08 Risk Management in Scaling 45:29 Dominic's New Venture 49:50 Conclusion

In the ever-evolving landscape of business communication, platforms like WhatsApp are no longer just messaging apps but have transformed into powerful platforms enabling businesses to connect with their customers in groundbreaking ways. In the latest episode of Startups in Focus, our Managing Director Carlos Espinal and our Principal Felix Martinez, dive deep into this topic with Tarek Khalil and Mohamed Elbadwihi, co-founders of Rasayel, exploring how they are leveraging WhatsApp to redefine business communication. They also explore: - the evolution of WhatsApp as a platform and its impact on business communication, driven by its mass usage and business demand, highlighting the complexities of compliance and global usage variations; - the strategic choice of focusing on WhatsApp due to its global prevalence and trusted infrastructure; - the potential of building a billion-dollar company on platforms like WhatsApp, drawing parallels with Salesforce and Shopify; - how to navigate platform risks. About Rasayel: Rasayel focuses on enabling businesses to interact with customers via WhatsApp, which they see as the future of business communication, offering a more personal and immediate interaction compared to emails and phone calls. Tarek and Mohammed foresee significant business opportunities as WhatsApp evolves, aiming for Rasael to become a leading player on the platform. Show Notes: Tarek Khalil - linkedin.com/in/tarek-khalil-wa/ Mohamed Elbadwihi - linkedin.com/in/amuno Carlos Espinal - linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal/ Felix Martinez - linkedin.com/in/felixjmartinez/ Rasayel - rasayel.io Seedcamp - seedcamp.com Get in Touch with Rasayel: For businesses, investors, or users eager to explore further into Rasayel, the easiest way to reach them is—fittingly—through WhatsApp via their website. Dive Deeper: Betting on WhatsApp - Tarek Khalil, Co-founder and CEO of Rasayel, wrote a thesis for anyone who wants to understand, build, or invest in the future of the WhatsApp platform. [https://justmessaged.substack.com/p/betting-on-whatsapp] Overview: 00:00 Can WhatsApp Sustain a Billion-Dollar Company? 00:25 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests 01:05 Founders' Backgrounds and Journey 03:16 Lessons Learned from Previous Startups 05:29 The Birth of Octopods and Rassayel 08:10 How Rassayel Helps Businesses 10:36 WhatsApp as a Platform 13:34 Platform Risks and Meta's Strategy 21:24 Global Usage of Messaging Apps 23:53 Global Messaging Trends and WhatsApp's Dominance 24:47 Trust and Confidentiality in Messaging Platforms 25:47 WhatsApp's Strategic Development and Market Penetration 27:45 Navigating Multiple Messaging Channels 32:07 WhatsApp Business Platform: Features and Compliance 37:34 Future of Business on WhatsApp 45:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode, Carlos interviews General Stanley McChrystal, a distinguished military leader with 34 years of experience commanding at a four-star level, including significant roles in Iraq and Afghanistan. They discuss General McChrystal's career, including his extensive awards like the Defense Distinguished Service Medal. General McChrystal shares his post-military endeavors, including founding the McChrystal Group and teaching leadership at Yale. The conversation delves into General McChrystal's books, particularly 'Leaders' and 'Team of Teams', exploring how writing these books shaped his views on leadership. Key themes include: - understanding the complexities of leadership; - the interplay between leaders, followers, and context, - and the role of character and self-discipline in effective leadership. The episode also covers practical insights on managing and transforming organizational cultures. General McChrystal shares personal anecdotes and reflections on leadership mistakes, personal development, and mentoring. 00:00 Introducing General Stan McChrystal 01:26 General McChrystal's Career Evolution and Achievements 01:48 Discussion on Leadership 07:15 The Three Myths of Leadership 09:58 The Role of Followers and Breaking the Cycle 13:15 Leadership Evolution and Organizational Dynamics 16:58 Challenges in Leadership and Adaptability 20:52 Team Dynamics in Startups and Large Organizations 23:40 Adapting Leadership Styles and Overcoming Mistakes 30:09 Commander's Dilemma: Vehicle Maintenance and Leadership Challenges 31:48 Leadership in Counter-Terrorism Operations 32:35 The Importance of Character in Leadership 35:42 Defining and Reflecting on Character 39:43 Personal Development and Daily Routines 45:26 Mentorship and Learning from Mistakes 55:54 Military Traditions and Cultural Questions 57:37 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Show Notes: General Stan McChrystal - linkedin.com/in/stanmcchrystal Carlos Espinal - linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal mcchrystalgroup.com seedcamp.com General McCrysyal's books - mcchrystalgroup.com/about/books

The latest episode of Startups in Focus features Leonid Feinberg, founder of Verax, a Seedcamp-backed company that provides enterprise-grade trust solutions for generative AI. Having a strong background in security and cloud services, including a previous company acquired by Amazon, Leonid shares insights on managing AI-related risks and offers practical advice for future customers regarding AI's potential and trust management. In conversation with our Managing Director Carlos Espinal, he delves into the challenges and solutions associated with deploying generative AI in production. He also explains how Verax's Control Center helps enterprises gain visibility and mitigate risks by analyzing and modifying AI responses in real-time. Furthermore, they discuss the current and future landscape of AI data management, the evolving best practices in AI, and the geopolitical implications of AI. Show Notes: Leonid Feinberg - linkedin.com/in/leonidf Carlos Eduardo Espinal - linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal Verax AI - verax.ai Seedcamp - seedcamp.com Overview: 00:00 Introduction to Today's Guest: Leonid Feinberg, Co-founder and CEO of Verax 00:53 Leonid's Background and Journey to Founding Verax 01:33 Understanding Verax: Enterprise Trust Solution for Generative AI 02:48 Architectural Insights: Rolling Out LLMs in Enterprises 05:02 Challenges and Best Practices in AI Deployment 08:01 Future of AI and Data Management 12:16 Verax's Role in Enterprise AI Trust 18:39 Geopolitics and AI: Global Implications 26:15 Advice for future AI Customers 28:21 Conclusion

In a new episode of Startups in Focus, our Managing Partner Carlos Espinal is joined by Ryan Donnelly, co-founder and CEO of Enzai, an AI governance platform that allows organisations to adopt best-in-class AI governance policies and measure against them. They discuss: - the impact of AI as a technological revolution similar to the mobile shift, dotcom boom, and web invention - the importance of regulations and standards in ensuring AI's responsible use and trustworthiness - the challenges and opportunities in AI adoption - Enzai's mission of enabling organizations to leverage AI technology effectively and responsibly, in compliance with emerging regulations - Enzai's vision of enabling trust in AI future regulatory landscapes and the necessary frameworks for AI adoption. Tune in for an insightful discussion on the future of AI governance and compliance. Show Notes Ryan Donnelly - linkedin.com/in/ryan-donnelly-enzai Carlos Espinal - linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal Enzai - enz.ai Seedcamp - seedcamp.com Reach out to Ryan and his team at hey@enz.ai.  Time stamps: 00:00 Introduction to the AI Technological Revolution 00:36 Meet Ryan Donnelly: Co-founder and CEO of Enzai 01:14 The Inspiration Behind Enzai 02:19 Understanding Enzai's Customers 03:13 The Role of Regulations in AI 05:07 The Evolution of AI Regulations 10:26 The Importance of Standards in AI 14:20 Enzai's Vision for the Future 15:49 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

The latest episode of This Much I Know is an in-depth exploration of leadership, personal growth, and the transformative power of understanding one's own history and motivations. Carlos's guest, Jerry Colonna, Co-founder and CEO of Reboot, shares his journey from being a venture capitalist to becoming an executive coach, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and human connection in business and personal development. His reflections on the challenges and complexities of leadership are interwoven with personal anecdotes, and the painful but enlightening process of self-discovery he experienced. Carlos and Jerry discuss the societal implications of leadership decisions, the moral and ethical responsibilities of leaders in today's world, and the potential for venture capital to contribute positively to societal challenges. Central to the conversation is the concept of "Reunion," derived from Jerry Colonna's eponymous book, highlighting the necessity for leaders to confront their own pasts and the "othering" that divides people, to foster more empathetic and effective leadership. Show Notes: Jerry Colonna linkedin.com/in/jerry-colonna-reboot Carlos Espinal – linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal Reboot - reboot.io Seedcamp - seedcamp.com Jerry Colonna's new book Reunion: Leadership and the Longing to Belong - reunion.reboot.io

In the newly launched "Startups in Focus" series, our Managing Partner Carlos Espinal chats with Johannes Keienburg, co-founder and CEO of Cakewalk. Their conversation revolves around the importance of access control, visibility, and security in organizations. Johannes shares insights on the need for access management processes from the early days of an organisation, the challenges of data security, the evolution and future of access controls. Show notes: Johannes Keienburg - linkedin.com/in/johannes-keienburg/ Carlos Espinal – linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal Cakewalk getcakewalk.io Seedcamp seedcamp.com

In a new episode of This Much I Know, Carlos's guest is Chris Tottman, General Partner at Notion VC, one of Europe's top-tier VC firms. Chris shares insights on: - his journey as an entrepreneur and Venture Capital investor - the evolution of venture capital in Europe - how founders can become successful in company building. - the role of mentorship in the VC industry. He also highlights the significance of founder-led sales, strategic pricing, understanding customer needs, fundraising challenges, and more. Show Notes: Chris Tottman - linkedin.com/in/chris-tottman Carlos Espinal – linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal Notion VC - https://www.notion.vc/ Included - https://included.vc/ Seedcamp - seedcamp.com Chris's Book 'THE GO TO MARKET HANDBOOK FOR B2B SaaS LEADERS' - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CJ45462M?ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_CBFYWJN41F41CBK033SA

In a follow-up to their Seedcamp Firsts conversation on data, our Venture Partner Devin Hunt and Candice Ren, Founder of analytics agency 173Tech and a member of the Seedcamp Expert Collective, dive deep into A/B testing and good data science practices. With new and exciting AI technology emerging around recommendation engines, how can product leads evaluate which solution is better and how to really measure a “better recommendation”? Focusing on a specific case study - a furniture marketplace, Candice, who worked on A/B testing and recommendation engines for Bumble, Plend Loans, MUBI, Treatwell and many others, shares her thoughts on: - the intricacies of setting up and analyzing an A/B test experiment focused on comparing two different recommendation algorithms - how you set your hypothesis - the best way to segment your user basis - how to select what you are controlling for (e.g. click-through rate) - how to interpret test results and consider broader business metrics impact. Candice and Devin also emphasize the importance of granular testing, proper test design, and documentation of test results for informed decision-making within a company's testing framework.

In a new Seedcamp Deep Dive, Carlos's guest is Di Cook, AI Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), research affiliate at the Center of the Study for Existential Risk at the University of Cambridge, and a doctoral candidate in war studies at King's College in London. Her research interests lie at the intersection of defense, intelligence, and AI. Their conversation revolves around the societal and security implications of Artificial Intelligence (AI), from the existential risks that AI could create, to the role of AI in national and international security. They also explore how AI technologies, and especially synthetic media, are augmenting and exacerbating societal and ethical issues and discuss potential initiatives and policies that can help to address these issues. They also examine the risks, potential misuses, and opportunities presented by AI, especially in the field of open-source intelligence (OSINT). Last but not least, they delve into different stakeholder's roles in re-establishing societal trust. Show Notes: Di Cooke - linkedin.com/in/dcooke34/ Carlos Espinal – linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal Centre for Strategic and International Studies - csis.org Seedcamp - seedcamp.com

In the latest Seedcamp Deep Dive, Carlos is joined by Kyran Schmidt, co-founder of Outverse, a community-first solutions platform; Jonathan Reimer, co-founder of crowd.dev, a developer data platform; and our Partner Sia Houchangnia.  They discuss: - the importance of community-building for tech startups; - why intentionality and fostering a sense of belonging in community development are essential; - types of communities namely product and practitioner communities; - challenges, and strategies in creating and managing communities;  - the community tech stack and specific tools (e.g., Discord, WhatsApp);  - key success metrics and budget management considerations;  - and more. Overview: 00:38 - Introduction to the Power of Communities 06:47 The Role of Community in Product-Led Growth 18:02 Defining Community and Its Importance 26:28 Managing Community Dynamics: Heroes vs Nutters 28:50 The Importance of Community Culture 29:43 Building, Designing and Scaling Community  33:49 Community Segmentation and Success Metrics 37:49 The Role of Founders in Community Building 57:47 Community Building: Tool Stack and Budgeting 1:05:31 Concluding Thoughts on Community Building Show Notes: Jonathan Reimer - linkedin.com/in/jonathimer Kyran Schmidt - linkedin.com/in/kyran-schmidt Sia Houchangnia - linkedin.com/in/siahouchangnia Carlos Espinal - linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal crowd.dev - crowd.dev Outverse - outverse.com Seedcamp - seedcamp.com Resources:  How to build a developer community: a step-by-step guide‍ CrowdDev's blog (includes many articles about community building) [Seedcamp Firsts] How to create and scale an iconic community. Lessons from Sorare – Features Dan O'Kelly, an early Community - - Lead at Seedcamp-backed fantasy sports unicorn Sorare in conversation with our Partner Sia Houchangnia  Appwrite's community and blog [appwrite.io]

In a new episode of Seedcamp Firsts, Candice Ren, Founder of 173Tech and a member of the Seedcamp Expert Collective, talks with our Venture Partner Devin Hunt about how data relates to building a great product at your startup.  Candice, who contributed to building Bumble's data analytics function and team, explains the importance of understanding and utilizing company data effectively in startups. She provides insights into establishing Northstar metrics, user journey analytics, feature analytics, data dictionaries, and strategies for effective data sharing among teams. Learn about:  - the user journey as your source of data; - the difference between product/app and features analytics;  - how to think about your data stack;  - what to track and why you shouldn't track everything; - why you need a master dashboard and what should it include.

In the latest episode of 'This Much I Know,' Carlos's guest is James Wise, Partner at Balderton and author of the newly published book "Start-up Century." They discuss: - the global movement of entrepreneurship and its role in today's world and the decades to come - the evolving nature of work and how AI is accelerating its transformation the Five C's of AI Integration - the new technological frontiers, including health, housing, and energy - James's 'Entrepreneur's Manifesto,' a policy recommendation for governments to better support entrepreneurs - the role writing plays in his day-to-day work as an investor, and how his book has influenced his investment strategies Show Notes: James Wise - twitter.com/jamespaulwise - linkedin.com/in/jamespaulwise/ Carlos Espinal - twitter.com/cee - linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal/ Balderton - balderton.com Seedcamp - seedcamp.com Start-Up Century. Why we're all becoming entrepreneurs - and how to make it work for everyone - https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/startup-century-9781399410595/

The latest Seedcamp Deep Dive focuses on the intersection of art, logistics, and technology. Carlos's guest is Edouard Gouin, co-founder and CEO of Convelio, a tech-led global logistics startup specialised in fine art shipping. They discuss: - the journey and challenges of building Convelio; - Convelio's position in and interactions with key players within the art ecosystem; and its innovative value proposition; - the critical elements of customer service; - the importance of forming cultural alignments in business partnerships; the integration challenges after acquiring a 'brick and mortar type' logistics company; - Edouard's appreciation for art and his regret of missing out on promising investment opportunities in the early stages of his favourite artists' careers. Show notes: Convelio is recruiting for multiple roles. Check out openings here: https://jobs.lever.co/convelio Edouard Gouin - linkedin.com/in/edouardgouin Carlos Espinal - linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal Convelio - convelio.com Seedcamp - seedcamp.com

In a new episode of This Much I Know, Carlos and his guests Aaron Rosenberg (Radical Ventures, previously at DeepMind) and our Partner Tom Wilson explore the current state and impact of AI innovations and future developments, as well as AI's broad-ranging impacts on society, job market, and geopolitical landscape. They also reflect on the ways machine learning reshapes the dynamics in various industries, such as law and software development, and how AI-powered interfaces, like Humane's AI pin, could change how people interact with technology. The conversation also covers investment trends in AI startups, the role of venture capital in prioritising Responsible AI, and regulatory frameworks needed as the technology evolves. Aaron also shares his experience and ideas learned from his tenure at DeepMind. Show Notes: RESPONSIBLE AI STARTUPS (RAIS) Framework Aaron Rosenberg - linkedin.com/in/aaronrosenberg12 Tom Wilson - linkedin.com/in/tomwilsonseedcamp Carlos Espinal - linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal Radical Ventures - radical.vc Seedcamp - seedcamp.com

In the latest Seedcamp Deep Dive, our Managing Partner Carlos Espinal chats with Thomas Knowles, Head of Security Operations at ClearBank about all things cybersecurity - from essential cybersecurity foundations for early-stage companies to cybersecurity certifications and threat intelligence management. Show Notes:  Thomas Knowles - linkedin.com/in/thomas-knowles-77a3509/ Carlos Espinal – linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal ClearBank – clear.bank Seedcamp – seedcamp.com Cybersecurity Certifications mentioned in the episode: SOC2 Certification (https://secureframe.com/request-demo/demo-secureframe) CyberEssentials (https://cybersmart.co.uk/cyber-essentials-certification/) Cybersecurity Framework | NIST (https://www.nist.gov/cyberframework) Official PCI Security Standards Council Site - Verify PCI Compliance, Download Data Security and Credit Card Security Standards (https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/)

Listen to a wide-ranging conversation about scaling engineering and technological innovation, between Meri Williams, CTO at Seedcamp-backed Pleo (previously CTO at Healx and Monzo, a.o.) and our Managing Partner Carlos Espinal. They cover: - Meri's career journey from building satellites as a teenager in South Africa to becoming one of Europe's most renowned CTOs; - The importance of applied learning and deliberate practice in keeping up with the fast-paced changes in technology; and how to create a "culture of learning"; - How to create the conditions and the environment for the success of your team as a CTO; - The importance of diversity, values fit, and culture add; - The current state of Generative AI, and the opportunities and risks it brings along; - How to adapt to and mitigate Cybersecurity challenges; - The role of Open Source in tech startups and scale-ups, and giving back to the OS community; and more.

In a new Seedcamp Firsts podcast episode, our Partner Sia Houchangnia chats with Dan O'Kelly, an early Community Lead at Seedcamp-backed fantasy sports unicorn Sorare. They cover all things community building, including: - the importance of community in a fast-growing startup; - founders' key role in setting up the vision and building the foundations of an authentic community; - the early tactics Sorare used to build their community; - how to kickstart and nurture your community; - how to nurture organic initiatives by community members; - why it is important to put resources into community building; - mistakes and lessons learned in scaling community in the hyper-growth phase.

This episode of This Much I Know, features Paul Jozefak, co-founder and CEO of Seedcamp-backed receeve, a Germany-based end-to-end debt collection and recovery platform. In conversation with our Managing Partner, Carlos Espinal, Paul reflects on: - his career trajectory in VC and entrepreneurship; - the current state of SaaS businesses; - reeceve's role and vision in the debt recovery and collection ecosystem; - the importance of luck and good timing in business;  - how receeve navigatigated the COVID crisis;  - how to build a strong relationship with your co-founder(s);  - and more. Tune in on your favourite platform or watch on Youtube. Show Notes: Paul Jozefak - linkedin.com/in/pauljozefak/                        - twitter.com/pjozefak Carlos Espinal - linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal                           - twitter.com/cee receeve - receeve.com Seedcamp - seedcamp.com

Listen to an excellent conversation between our Managing Partner Carlos Espinal and Philippe Boteri, Partner at Accel and a co-investor in companies such as UIPath (NYSE: PATH) and Synthesia. Philippe shares the story of his foray into tech during the dotcom boom, how he became an investor and the key learnings of his 15+ years-long career in VC. He also reflects on some of the most iconic investments he has made over the years, including UIPath and DocuSign. Philippe and Carlos explore the potential of Generative AI and discuss our co-investment in Synthesia, an AI video creation platform Accel has recently backed.

In this new episode of This Much I Know, our Managing Partner Carlos Espinal chats with serial entrepreneur Rogier Fischer, Co-founder and CEO of Hadrian, about the global state of cybersecurity, how companies of all sizes can mitigate risks, and how AI might change the game for the cybersecurity industry. Show notes: Rogier Fischier - linkedin.com/in/rogierfischer/ Carlos Espinal -  twitter.com/cee Hadrian - hadrian.io Seedcamp -  seedcamp.com

Welcome to Seedcamp VI! We are incredibly excited to invest at the earliest stage in the next 100 most ambitious European companies, from Angel to Seed rounds. The power of Seedcamp truly comes from the impact and reach of the ever-growing Seedcamp Nation. Now with a portfolio of 460+ companies including 9 unicorns that span different sectors and originate from all over the Continent, our belief that European entrepreneurs can compete on a global scale has never been truer. If you're looking for pre-seed funding, we want to hear from you. Tell us what you're building. In this special episode of This Much I Know, our leadership team shares what you can expect from Fund VI. Tune in! Show Notes: Seedcamp Announcement: seedcamp.com/introducing-seedcamp-v/ Looking for Funding?: seedcamp.com/looking-for-funding/ Seedcamp: seedcamp.com Fundraising pitch deck: sdca.mp/SeedcampVI_Deck

In a post-pandemic world, early-stage founders have multiple options for building their teams and choosing their ideal work mode(s). However, the decision between on-site, hybrid, and remote can be a complex one, involving multiple factors; such as access to talent, legislation, and people operations. While remote work became the default at the height of Covid-19, post-pandemic life has seen many organisations revert to old behaviours, pulling people back to offices and causing a fair deal of controversy in the process. April Hoffbauer, Vice President of People at Maze, Seedcamp-backed global and fully distributed startup Maze, still believes that remote and fully distributed offers an excellent opportunity for early-stage startups to tap into the global talent pool from day one. In conversation with our Director, Natasha Lytton, April shares her insights on everything that goes into how to think about and set up building a remote, fully-distributed, and asynchronous team. Tune in! Show notes: April Hoffbauer - linkedin.com/in/aprilhoffbauer Natasha Lytton - linkedin.com/in/natasha-lytton Maze - maze.co Seedcamp - seedcamp.com

In the latest Seedcamp Firsts episode, Joanna Christie, a VP of Brand & Marketing at Seedcamp-backed company Gaia, shares her best insights on how to lay the foundation for your startup brand and think strategically about the brand as you scale up. In conversation with our Head of Brand and Network, Natasha Lytton, Joanna emphasizes the essential role Brand plays in company building, from customer acquisition to retention. Key takeaways: 1. Brand is the first building block for anything you do as a business, not just marketing.  2. When done right, the brand plays an important role in customer acquisition and retention. 3. Brand equity is built on consistency and it evolves 4. Ideally, you want a brand guardian in-house. 5. Brand equals recognition equals trust. 6. For B2B2C marketplaces, you don't need different brands (e.g., supplier-focused vs. demand-focused). It is one brand, and you just have different audiences Show notes: Joanna Christie - linkedin.com/in/joanna-christie-60104b15/ Natasha Lytton – twitter.com/Natashalytton Seedcamp – seedcamp.com

In this Seedcamp Deep Dive, Carlos is joined by Virgile Raingeard, co-founder and CEO of Figures, a Seedcamp-backed company providing the only compensation benchmark product for European start-ups and scale-ups. Carlos and Virgile discuss the current trends in hiring, talent retention and development, local vs. global pay, as well as compensation transparency. Virgile emphasizes the factors that lead to more compensation transparency in the tech industry. Furthermore, he shares why early adopters have a first-mover advantage from an employer branding perspective. Show notes: Virgile Raingeard - twitter.com/vrraingeard Carlos Espinal - twitter.com/cee Figures - figures.hr Seedcamp - seedcamp.com This episode is brought to you by Stripe. Stripe is a financial infrastructure platform for businesses. Millions of companies—from the world's largest enterprises to the most ambitious startups—use Stripe to accept payments, grow their revenue, and accelerate new business opportunities. Headquartered in San Francisco and Dublin, the company aims to increase the GDP of the internet. Contact their team to learn more: https://bit.ly/39TVMrT

In our latest Seedcamp Firsts edition, Victor Riparbelli, co-founder of our portfolio company, Synthesia, speaks with our Venture Partner, Devin Hunt, about making big bets, how to get comfortable with long-term product decisions, and learning from mistakes. Synthesia is the world's largest AI video platform. Using anthropomorphic AI avatars, the company helps people make video content without the need for cameras, studios, actors, and any other physical recording process. Key Takeaways: - The early days are about survival and getting to product-market fit. As the company grows, you can take bigger bets. - Think about new markets as opposed to an incremental solution in an existing market. - Plan and think out the potential scenarios before starting to code. Learn more here: https://sdca.mp/Big_Bets Show notes: Victor Riparbelli - twitter.com/vriparbelli Devin Hunt - twitter.com/hailpixel Synthesia - synthesia.io Seedcamp - seedcamp.com

In Part II of our Seedcamp Firsts series on customer operations, Rona Ruthen and Natasha Lytton delve into Scaling - a phase when change is the only constant. Rona shares her incredible experiences scaling operations across various roles, including VP of Customer Operations at Monzo, where she helped the company grow from 1 million to six, all largely over the Covid pandemic. With more than 15 years of experience in FinTech financial services and payment solutions in companies in Israel and the UK, she is a seasoned expert in scaling up customer service and operations. Learn why communication, clear goals, and single-threaded leadership are essential and how to get buy-in from people across the company. If you missed Part I, catch up here: sdca.mp/Customer_Operations_Podcast Show notes: Rona Ruthen - twitter.com/RonaRuthen Natasha Lytton - twitter.com/Natashalytton Seedcamp - seedcamp.com Check out our growing Seedcamp Firsts Content Library here: sdca.mp/SeedcampFirsts

In our latest edition of Seedcamp Firsts, our Head of Brand and Network, Natasha Lytton, speaks with one of our fantastic mentors, Rona Ruthen, about setting up customer support and operations in early-stage startups. Rona is one of the best possible people to learn from on this topic following her experience scaling Fintech unicorn Monzo among other well-known startups, including Seedcamp portfolio company Curve. Learn why setting up customer operations is a strategic decision, why customer experience is critical for every product that we use and care about, and why you want customers to engage with the product and make that whole experience easy, end to end. Furthermore, find out why, as you start scaling customer support, you need more consistency and standardisation in how you respond to customers and how you interact with them. Read our Deep Dive Q&A with Rona: sdca.mp/Customers_Operations Stay tuned for Part II, where Rona will join us to go much deeper into everything around scaling, where change is the only constant. We'll be delving much more into how you can bring teams on the journey with you and whole companies and embrace change, which becomes different challenges, but no less change as you go on that scaling journey. Show notes: Rona Ruthen - twitter.com/RonaRuthen Natasha Lytton - twitter.com/Natashalytton Seedcamp - seedcamp.com

Learn all things content from the masterminds behind Juro's and tl;dv's content strategies - from why content was first determined to be an essential part of the business and shaping the early strategy to execution measurement and key learnings for early-stage founders. For Juro and tl;dv, content has been an integral part of their strategies from the early days. Find out why and how they set the ground for successful content strategies. Show Notes: Raphael Allstadt - twitter.com/rallstadt Tom Bangay - twitter.com/tombangay Natasha Lytton - twitter.com/Natashalytton tl;dv - tldv.io Juro - juro.com Seedcamp - seedcamp.com Read our written Q & A - sdca.mp/Content_QA

We're excited to kick off our new Seedcamp Firsts series with Jo Widawski, co-founder and CEO of Maze. In conversation with our Venture partner, Devin Hunt, Jo shares the founding story of Maze and his top insights into early-stage product development. Our ultimate goal with Seedcamp Firsts is to help support the next generation of exceptional entrepreneurs navigate those critical first steps in building a business. We want to open up the hard-won knowledge and insights across the Seedcamp Nation – from the exceptional founders we've backed to our mentors, Experts in Residence, Venture partners, and our core team. Stay tuned!

In the latest Seedcamp Deep Dive, Carlos is joined by Itxaso del Palacio, Partner at Notion Capital and Sammy Rubin, Co-founder of YuLife. Their discussion revolves around making employees healthier, happier, and more productive. Sammy shares his inspiration to build the world's first lifestyle insurance company to have personal well-being at its core. He also emphasizes why it is essential to enable companies to build a well-being culture and help employees live their best selves. Itxaso highlights why she backed Sammy and his co-founders and explains the difference between product-led and customer-centric businesses. She also emphasizes how YuLife's well-being challenges have been transformative for the Notion Capital team. Itxaso del Palacio - twitter.com/ItxasoLondon Sammy Rubin - twitter.com/SammyRubin Carlos Espinal - twitter.com/cee Notion Capital - notion.vc YuLife - yulife.com Seedcamp - seedcamp.com Further reading: Game Changers: The impact of hiring amazing people - and how to hire them by Notion Capital [https://www.notion.vc/resources/game-changers-the-impact-of-hiring-amazing-people-and-how-to-hire-them]

In this episode, Carlos Espinal is joined by Karel Obluk, a cybersecurity expert, former CTO and interim CEO at AVG Technologies (a cybersecurity software company listed on the New York Stock Exchange and ultimately acquired by Avast Software) and now a Partner at Evolution Equity Partners. They kick off the conversation with Karel's early career in tech, his leadership roles at the cybersecurity firm AVG and the history of the cybersecurity industry. They then discuss the risks and opportunities in the cybersecurity space, his firm's investment strategy, and what it takes for high-growth companies to expand internationally. Show notes: Karel Obluk - twitter.com/karelobluk Carlos Espinal - twitter.com/cee Evolution Equity Partners - evolutionequity.com Seedcamp - seedcamp.com Recommended read: Spam Nation: The Inside Story of Organized Cybercrime-from Global Epidemic to Your Front Door, by Brian Krebs

In the newest Seedcamp Deep Dive, Sophie Adelman, co-founder of Multiverse and The Garden, and Siadhal Magos, co-founder of our portfolio company Metaview, join Carlos and our Talent Manager Alex Lewis to discuss all things talent in early-stage startups - from hiring to motivating and transitioning during market downturns. Tune in to learn best practices for interviewing and selecting candidates, why and when expertise is needed in startups, and why compassion is essential when letting employees go. Show notes: Sophie Adelman - twitter.com/Adelbadge Siadhal Magos - twitter.com/smagos Carlos Espinal - twitter.com/cee Alex Lewis - twitter.com/AlexLewisTalent The Garden - onegarden.com Metaview - metaview.ai Seedcamp - seedcamp.com Recommended resources: Who: The A Method for Hiring by Geoff Smart and Randy Street [https://whothebook.com] How to build an interviewer training process that raises the bar by Metaview [https://resources.metaview.ai/interviewer-training-playbook]

In the latest episode of 'This Much I Know,' Carlos is joined by David Singleton, the CTO of Stripe. David shares valuable insights and lessons from his decades-long career at global technology companies such as Symbian, Google, and Stripe. In a vivid conversation, he and Carlos explore: - the essential nature of timing in technological innovation; - the fast-paced changing financial world; - the importance of putting customers first; - the evolution and definition of the CTO role; - Stripe's mission and operating principles; - developer productivity; - attracting and growing talent; - building a learning organization; - and more. Show notes: Carlos Espinal - twitter.com/cee David Singleton - twitter.com/dps Seedcamp - seedcamp.com Stripe - stripe.com Seedcamp is Europe's seed fund, identifying and investing early in world-class founders attacking large, global markets and solving real problems using technology. The Seedcamp Nation includes over 440 startups building breakout businesses that change the way people live, interact and buy and includes publicly listed UiPath, Wise, and unicorns Revolut, Hopin, Sorare, Pleo, wefox, Grover, and viz.ai along with fast-growing businesses such as Primer, Peppy and Ezra. Stripe is a financial infrastructure platform for businesses. Millions of companies—from the world's largest enterprises to the most ambitious startups—use Stripe to accept payments, grow their revenue, and accelerate new business opportunities. Headquartered in San Francisco and Dublin, the company aims to increase the GDP of the internet. Contact their team to learn more: https://bit.ly/39TVMrT

In this Seedcamp Deep Dive, Carlos speaks with author and farmer Sarah Langford and Sward's Co-founder and CEO Reuben Saxon about the crucial role of regenerative farming in food supply and carbon capture. Carlos kicks the conversation off with an insightful review of Sarah's upcoming book "Rooted: Stories of Life, Land and a Farming Revolution." They also trace the evolution of farming in the UK from the post-war era to Brexit and the current generational shift in farming. They are later joined by Reuben Saxon, co-founder and CEO of Sward, a startup enabling farmers to take control over their natural capital assets alongside their stewardship and food production. Together they discuss the digitization of agriculture, harmonising financial and environmental incentives, and how young farmers embrace technology to increase productivity and connect with fellow farmers globally. Tune in to learn about the importance of natural capital and why regenerative farming plays a pivotal role in a more sustainable future. Show notes: Carlos Espinal - twitter.com/cee Sarah Langford - twitter.com/wigsandwords Reuben Saxon - linkedin.com/in/reuben-alexander-saxon-78273328 Seedcamp - seedcamp.com Sarah Langford's book "Rooted: Stories of Life, Land and a Farming Revolution" - amazon.co.uk/Rooted-Stories-Life-Farming-Revolution/dp/0241503744 Sward - sward.io

In this Seedcamp Deep Dive, Carlos is joined by Dan Bladen, Co-founder of Kadence, and Tushar Agarwal, Co-founder of HubbleHQ as they share their founder stories and experiences with pivoting their businesses during the Covid -19 pandemic. Listen in to learn more about the latest trends in hybrid workspaces and the commercial real estate market along with what it means to create employee-centered work environments. Show notes: Carlos Espinal - twitter.com/cee Dan Bladen - Co-Founder & CEO - Kadence - twitter.com/danbladen Tushar Agarwal - Co-founder & CEO - HubbleHQ -twitter.com/iamtoosh Seedcamp - seedcamp.com Kadence - kadence.co HubbleHq - hubblehq.com

In this episode of This Much I Know, Carlos Espinal is joined by Matt Miller, a Partner at Sequoia Capital. Matt started his entrepreneurial journey at a young age, first as an avocado seller and eventually when he took two years off university to work on a restaurant tech product. Today, he helps lead Sequoia's initiative in Europe, where he works on finding great companies to partner with. Throughout this episode, Matt talks about his favourite sectors, shares some stories about working with companies like Tessian, and explains how the investment in Graphcore spurred on Sequoia's decision to approach the European ecosystem. Show notes: Carlos Espinal - [twitter.com/cee](http://twitter.com/cee) Matt Miller - [twitter.com/mcmiller00](https://twitter.com/mcmiller00) Seedcamp - [seedcamp.com](https://seedcamp.com/) Sequoia Capital - [sequoiacap.com](https://www.sequoiacap.com/) A Fireside with Matt Miller & Luciana Lixandru - [youtube.com/watch?v=tnjPCtG87dU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnjPCtG87dU)

In this episode of This Much I Know, Managing Partner Carlos Espinal speaks with Emi Gal and Diego Cantor, co-founders of Ezra, about how digital healthcare will become. Every year, 20 million people are diagnosed with cancer, 10 million of which are detected late. Ezra's core mission aims to change this equation through their next-generation cancer screening technology that uses AI & MRIs. Carlos kicks the discussion off with an observation: healthcare solutions are now increasingly moving from reactive to proactive, as the ability to predict medical diagnoses ahead of time is growing. This statement translates well into some of Ezra's findings: while 13% of their scans suggest a potential cancer patient, a whopping 70% of their findings are clinical findings (ie. liver disease, aneurysms, etc.). The three also cover the balance between data privacy and medical progress within the field of medical imagery, as any kind of algorithm requires data to be trained on. Finally, Emi and Diego touch on their long-term aspirations for Ezra, and what it is going to take for the world to have equal access to such technologies. Tune in to this episode — it's a really good one.

“Consumers of today like to have a dialogue with their brands...consumers can now ask the harder questions.” Ingvar Helgason, Co-Founder of VitroLabs In this week's TMIK, Managing Partner Carlos Espinal and Seedcamp team member Polina Stavrovski chat with two very exciting guests, Ingvar, and Joy Howard who are both building companies in the sustainable fashion space. Ingvar's mission with VitroLabs is to decouple the leather industry from the meat industry by creating a new source of leather from animal cells. Their technology allows high-end fashion brands and creatives to have a new source of leather with all the same properties and no compromise on quality. Joy's mission with Early Majority is to build a technical streetwear brand that makes outdoor gear for all eventualities, by operating in categories that have traditionally left out the woman's point of view. The four delve into a discussion on the shifting nature of consumer behaviour and how they're in turn empowering brands from a top-down approach, changing traditional notions of shareholders and stakeholders. Joy offers her take on greenwashing, explaining how she has two minds about companies that can seem ‘performative' with their sustainability branding. “Over time, it *does* lead to a change in consumers' perceptions and their behaviour, but at the same time it's tough for people who are building something radically different and true to the ideals of sustainability,” she comments. Ingvar nods to the importance of companies being transparent, and that “it's really telling to see which companies are answering the questions and which companies are brushing them away.” He also mentions the importance of the role governments play in creating carbon emission taxes or at least levelling the playing field by removing subsidies from companies emitting a lot of carbon. “For everything we are consuming, we are not paying the real price,” Ingvar notes. Joy and Ingvar also discuss the transfer risks associated with migrating from the usual suppliers with decades of experience (but that are way more wasteful), to a more sustainable supply chain that has the same quality of timeline, delivery, and product. Although there has been an increase in demand for sustainable materials, this can also prove quite challenging for startups in competition with more established brands. Finally, Carlos asks Joy and Ingvar what science fiction book they recommend that will most likely represent our future. Tune in to hear their answers and the full discussion, it's a good one! If you're interested to learn more about Ingvar and Joy's respective ventures, check out VitroLabs and Early Majority. Show Notes: Vitro Labs: vitrolabsinc.com Early Majority: earlymajority.com/ Ingvar Helgason: twitter.com/ihelgason Joy Howard: twitter.com/joyehoward Carlos Espinal: twitter.com/cee Polina Stavrovski: linkedin.com/in/postav/ Seedcamp - seedcamp.com

In this Seedcamp Deep Dive, Head of Brand Natasha Lytton speaks with Maria, Head of Product at Spill about the intersection of technology with mental health, and the growing opportunities that exist when offering accessible mental health services moving forward for both patients and clinicians. Spill's mission is to “put high quality talk therapy in the pocket of every person on Earth” by not using a traditional finger-wagging approach. Maria and Natasha dive into discussing what it means to build trust across a product for users. Maria suggests that the most actionable way of viewing trust in a product is through ‘consistency over time.' She advises that PMs need to stop thinking about users' interactions with product as a snapshot in time, but rather expanding their outlook to a series of interactions. The two also discuss the shocking fact that the financial industry is more regulated than the mental health industry. The episode finishes off with Natasha and Maria hypothesising around how tech will evolve in its intersection with mental health in the years to come. Listen in, it's a good one! This is a part of the Health series, stemming from our recent Deep Dive on Health within the Seedcamp portfolio. Show notes: Maria Boghiu - twitter.com/MariaBoghiu Natasha Lytton: twitter.com/Natashalytton Spill - spill.chat Finger-wagging: nytimes.com/2019/05/06/well/family/doctors-is-it-ok-if-we-talk-about-why-finger-wagging-isnt-working.html Health blog post: seedcamp.com/the-future-of-healthcare-and-the-tech-companies-out-to-improve-it/

Seedcamp EiR David Mytton and VP Devin Hunt have both been successful, technical founders (Server Density, Lyst). As they scaled respective internal teams, they gathered a plethora of experiences on the matter. On this week's TMIK, our Managing Partner Carlos Espinal chats with David and Devin about "Unpacking the Stack", and the various angles to consider across product, engineering and design teams. The three dig into a range of topics, starting with hiring, and whom to hire first for both technical and non-technical founding teams. Then, they break down the terminology and various responsibilities of the different functions. Taking the example of product, Devin explains that the Chief Product Officer (CPO) is there to set the product vision, whereas a Product Manager (PM) manages an aspect of that vision. Furthermore, he explains that product teams are responsible for delivery, as well as working hand in hand with engineering and design teams. On that, David points out the importance of building cohesiveness within teams to better the communication (and shares a couple cues, including the power of show & tell meetings) Finally, Carlos asks Devin and out different reasons for early start-up killers. Some answers covered the balance in technical know-how in founding teams, the bias in prioritising engineering problems (vs. actually helping the business) or the difficulty to fire wrong hires early-on. We've been lucky enough to have both David and Devin with us at Seedcamp. This episode (un)packs a lot, so definitely tune in - lots of valuable insights shared!

“Technology alone is not enough. Without the right governance, it may still lead us down the road of overconsumption and environmental catastrophe.” — Azeem Azhar, Author of Exponential: How Accelerating Technology Is Leaving Us Behind and What to Do About It Azeem Azhar knows a thing or two about what direction exponential technology is heading toward, and how it's challenging our well-established social, economic, and political systems. On this week's TMIK, Managing Partner Carlos Espinal chats with Azeem on his newly published, must-read book, ‘Exponential: How Accelerating Technology Is Leaving Us Behind and What to Do About It.' Neither the conversation nor the book is about a dystopian future, but the two definitely dive into some dystopian outcomes! The two discuss a range of themes that technology has transformed, particularly around the changing landscape of labour, increasing levels of local productions, and transport. In regards to the labour market, Azeem brings up the contradicting nature and impact that one single business model and economy can have in developed countries versus developing countries. The gig economy model is one interesting example. In developed countries where labour markets are formalised, the gig model creates flexibility, but more insecurity; however, in less established countries, the model provides *more* certainty to the labour force. The two also highlight the importance of not shying away from ML and robots. One fun tidbit: in 2020, the companies that had most heavily invested in robots and ML, also hired the most people (Amazon, Netflix, JD.com). Finally, Carlos asks what investment themes Azeem is currently looking at. “I rely on the founders to tell me,” Azeem states, but he does share a few he's keeping an eye out for. Think smart car batteries, protein engineering, and bio-manufacturing. This episode packs in a lot, so definitely tune in; it's a really good one. Shownotes Azeem Twitter: twitter.com/azeem Azeem Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/azhar/?originalSubdomain=uk Exponential book: amazon.co.uk/Exponential-accelerating-technology-transforming-business/dp/1847942903 How the Gig economy could drive growth: forbes.com/sites/groupthink/2017/03/23/how-the-gig-economy-could-drive-growth-in-developing-countries/?sh=1b1783104a49 Carlos Espinal - twitter.com/cee Seedcamp - seedcamp.com

“Keep it simple. Be brilliant at the basics”. This is the advice that Andrew Bartlow, Founder of Series B Consulting gives to small, high-growth organisations looking to scale rapidly on this week's This Much I Know episode. Managing Partner Carlos Espinal chats with Andrew about Andrew's recently published book, “Scaling for Success: People Priorities for High-Growth Organizations.” The two discuss common challenges related to rapid growth, including the brilliant jerk' phenomenon, along with the merits of when a company should define a proper HR function. Regarding the latter point, in super early stages of a company, HR encapsulates payroll, employee benefits, and recruiting. But when a team starts to have around 20 employees, Andrew suggests that a CEO should hire a dedicated recruitment role. “You want a dedicated internal recruiter once you're hiring 10-12 people a year,” Andrew says. “The recruiter will easily pay for themselves.” They also discuss how to find the right advice from the right people for founders. It's important to prioritise context over content and to not go shopping across a bunch of different people for advice - it's better to find the targeted advice that fits a founder's own context better. Tune into this week's episode to hear some of the secrets to scale your high growth startup successfully! Shownotes: Andrew Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/bartlow Series B Consulting: seriesbconsulting.com Carlos Espinal - twitter.com/cee Seedcamp - seedcamp.com Book, Scaling for Success - amazon.co.uk/Scaling-Success-Priorities-High-Growth-Organizations/dp/0231194447](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scaling-Success-Priorities-High-Growth-Organizations/dp/0231194447 Brilliant Jerk Phenomenon - hbswk.hbs.edu/item/can-the-brilliant-jerk-be-managed-effectively