Humans are innately community-seeking. It's why we section off into groups on playgrounds, congregate around political leaders, and build families, biological or otherwise. Communities add value, and membership goes far beyond group identity; it even drives purchasing decisions. From clothing and bottled water to open-source software, community is a powerful tool for company building, and one that no founder should underestimate.

"No two communities are the same," Seedcamp's community manager Precious Oyelade tells us. "Yet there are repeatable steps and actions you can do to make one work." And this is what Seedcamp's newest series, "Precious on Community" seeks to dive into. Over the few episodes, Precious will be interviewing community builders from all walks of life to share findings and document key learnings about how to build an effective community. 

Welcome to Precious on Community.

Shownotes and links:
- Carlos Espinal - twitter.com/cee
- Precious Oyelade - twitter.com/preciousolade
- Seedcamp - www.seedcamp.com
- Seedcamp's This Much I Know with GORUCK: seedcamp.com/podcasts/this-much-i-know-founder-ceo-of-goruck-jason-mccarthy-on-building-community-and-walking-the-harder-path
- Tribes, Seth Godin - goodreads.com/book/show/3828382-tribes
- How to build a community with people - www.gettogether.world

Introducing Precious on Community: What does community mean?

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!

Setting-up product and tech teams

“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

The Power of Consumers and The Future of Sustainable Materials

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)

Why Sequoia came to Europe, with Sequoia Partner Matt Miller

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

Welcome to Seedcamp VI

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.

Pleo's CTO Meri Williams on Scaling Engineering, Open Source and Risks and Opportunities of GenAI

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

Notion VC's Chris Tottman on company building, strategic pricing, and understanding customer needs

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

The Evolution and Future of Access Control Management

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

Jerry Colonna on What Makes the Best CEOs and How to Foster More Empathetic & Effective Leadership

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

Building Trust in Enterprise AI: A Conversation with Leonid Feinberg of Verax

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

From the Battlefield to the Boardroom: Leadership Lessons with General Stan McChrystal

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

Rasayel: Revolutionising Customer Engagement via WhatsApp

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

Scaling Through Chaos: A Deep Dive into Entrepreneurship with Dominic Jacquesson

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.

Building Powerful Growth Engines: A Conversation with Andy Budd

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.

Path to Market: The art and science behind effective GTM strategies for startups and scale-ups

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

Path to Market: Defining and Validating Your Ideal Customer Profile with Alicia Carney

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.

Show notes:
Ryan Lieber – linkedin.com/in/ryan-lieber-8aa59a62
Natasha Lytton – linkedin.com/in/natasha-lytton
Micah Smurthwaite – linkedin.com/in/micah-smurthwaite-2283b49


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

Navigating Growth: Sales and Scaling Strategies from Ryan Lieber, Snowflake’s First SDR

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.

Show notes:
Gia Scinto – linkedin.com/in/giascinto
Natasha Lytton – linkedin.com/in/natasha-lytton
Micah Smurthwaite – linkedin.com/in/micah-smurthwaite-2283b49

Overview:
00:00 Introduction to Gia and Her Extensive Experience
00:54 Working with founders at Andreessen Horowitz and Y Combinator
08:13 Advice for Early-Stage Sales Hiring
12:25 Running a Successful Recruiting Process
20:35 Interview Questions for Sales Leaders
24:35 Assessing Culture Fit in Early-Stage Companies
26:31 Hiring Challenges and Lessons Learned
28:17 Pitching to Senior Candidates in Startups
29:09 Importance of Product Differentiation
30:03 Segmentation and Market Strategy
34:09 Onboarding and Setting Expectations
38:03 Back-channeling and Reference Checks
41:16 Onboarding Best Practices for Success
43:17 Common Pitfalls in Hiring
46:40 Building Go-to-Market Systems
50:41 Advice for Go-to-Market Candidates

Path to Market: How to Build Highly Effective Go-To-Market Teams

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. 

Show notes:
Tim Bertrand – linkedin.com/in/timbertrand
Natasha Lytton – linkedin.com/in/natasha-lytton
Micah Smurthwaite – linkedin.com/in/micah-smurthwaite-2283b49

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

Path to Market: From Zero to Market Leader, A CRO’s GTM Playbook

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

Decoding Modern Challenges: AI, Cyber Policy, and Global Politics with Dr. Melanie Garson

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

Path to Market: Adapting Sales Strategies for Startups and Enterprise with Fanny Talagrand of Stripe

We had to sit down with Sales and Partnerships guru and Seedcamp mentor, Daniel King to ask him about how to start thinking about building out a Sales organization within a startup. Daniel is also an Non-Exec Director in Seedcamp Company Profitero.

Daniel is an executive leader with more than 15 years experience in Senior Management, with a focus on Digital and Online Media, Retail and eCommerce technology, Data, BI, Analytics, SaaS platforms and Market Research. Extensive knowledge in investing, advising, and scaling high-growth companies including international expansion. Hands-on experience in building, managing, developing and retaining teams. Daniel is on the board of many companies and has an amazing track record of companies he's helped scale. You can learn more about him and get in touch with him here:

uk.linkedin.com/in/danielking1

Daniel King on the Startup Sales Process and Scaling

In this episode we were joined by Joel Gascoigne, Founder and CEO of Buffer. He discussed his background, the story behind Buffer, and the importance of creating a values driven culture from early days and growing the team with a culture fit in mind.

Joel Gascoigne is a co-founder and CEO of Buffer, a web-based platform that helps users share social media content. Prior to Buffer, he co-created OnePage where he learned a vast amount about the realities of running a web startup, worked as a web developer at Priority Research and as a web designer and developer at joelg.co.uk. Joel obtained a degree in computer systems from the University of Warwick.


Joel Gascoigne, Founder and CEO of Buffer

In this episode, Carlos was joined by Yodit Stanton and Verena Wimmer, to unpick exactly what we mean when we talk about Data Science, the role of the Data Scientist, how startups can think about using data and when to consider hiring for the role, which tools are best and what we'd like to see in the future. If you're ready to learn more about the power of data, this podcast provides a great place to start.

Yodit Stanton is Founder of new Seedcamp company Open Sensors, the Internet of Things startup providing public and private infrastructure for real-time data, she is also the organiser of Women in Data Meetups in London.

Verena Wimmer is Lead Data Analyst at Hassle, the online cleaning marketplace recently acquired by Helpling. Verena also organises Data Mates, which brings together data-wizards, journalists, and data-driven designers to tell beautiful stories with data every eight weeks in London.

Seedcamp Dives into Data Science

Seedcamp Partner Carlos Espinal had the chance to sit down with Playfair Capital founder, Federico Pirzio-Biroli, to discuss his background prior to starting Playfair and Co-Working space Warner Yard. 

In this episode, Federico shares with us his passion for frontier markets, and his views on the opportunity to move the needle in those areas for the better, leveraging his experience in building Playfair and seeing the EU ecosystem develop over the years.

For more on Federico's latest move, check out the Business Insider piece covering his departure:

http://uk.businessinsider.com/playfair-capital-founder-federico-pirzio-biroli-is-moving-to-africa-and-warner-yards-coworking-space-is-closing-2016-6

https://twitter.com/fede_r1c0
https://twitter.com/cee

Founder of Playfair Capital, Federico Pirzio-Biroli, on the future of investing in Africa

In this episode, Seedcamp partner, Carlos, is joined by Josh Nussbaum, Principal at the New York-based venture capital firm Compound, formerly known as Metamorphic Ventures. Compound, who rebranded earlier this year while raising a new $50 million fund, invests in early-stage technology startups disrupting or enabling traditional industries in New York and across the States.

Josh’s route into VC began early, spearheading Startup Week while a student at NYU and hosting hackathons for several years before joining Compound, initially as an intern. Since joining forces with David in 2012, he has become an integral part of the Compound team. Prior to joining Compound, Josh worked in business development for startup, JustDecide, a social decision-making company. Prior to JustDecide, Josh worked in digital marketing and branding at Bayard Advertising.

Carlos and Josh discuss how a rebrand enabled Compound to freshen its story for the future and how the best startups tell a story about how the future is going to be. Josh meditates on learning from missed investment opportunities and how to identify patterns for future investment decisions.

Also discussed is Compound’s philosophy. Raising its first fund shortly after the iPhone came out, the firm favoured investments in so-called ‘transactional media’, at the intersection of digital media and digital commerce (Indiegogo, Tapad, Movable Ink) – but is now looking more towards AI-focused startups.

Learn more about New York’s tech ecosystem, the rebranding of a venture firm, and lessons from missed opportunities.

Show notes from the episode:
Carlos Website: www.carlosespinal.com
Seedcamp: www.seedcamp.com
Compound: www.compound.vc
Get it on Product Hunt: https://www.producthunt.com/podcasts/seedcamp-podcast-josh-nussbaum-principle-at-compound

Related bio links:
Carlos: uk.linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal / twitter.com/cee
Josh: on medium at http://sdca.mp/2e9k6GX  / twitter.com/josh_nussbaum

Josh Nussbaum, Principal at Compound, on rebranding and learning from missed opportunities

There’s no better way to kick-off 2019 than with an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the story of portfolio company and fintech unicorn, TransferWise, as told by Co-founder and CEO,  Kristo Käärmann. As part of the first ever Seedcamp podcast recorded in a sauna, Kristo tells us the story of how two Estonian friends went from exchanging money over a Skype chat to sending more than €3 billion across the world every month. Now valued at more than $1.5 billion, TransferWise has received backing from leading venture capitalists like Index Ventures, Valar Ventures, IA Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, IVP, Baillie Gifford, and Sir Richard Branson, among others.

Tune in for a unique insight into one of the flagship companies in the fintech ecosystem and hear first hand from Kristo as he shares some of the challenges faced along the way in building a global giant in the currency exchange category. And if you want to be a part of TransferWise's mission to create money without borders, there are more than 130 openings at the company around the world!

Links:
Kristo - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kkaarmann
Kristo - Twitter: https://twitter.com/kaarmann
Kristo - Website: http://kaarmann.com
Carlos - LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal
Carlos - Twitter: twitter.com/cee
Carlos - Medium: sdca.mp/2entVR3
TransferWise: https://transferwise.com
Seedcamp: www.seedcamp.com

Kristo Käärmann on building TransferWise, the 'Robin Hood' of currency exchange

The mistake many Western tech giants have made is seeing China as just another country where they could easily get a few million users instead of focusing on localising their product offering.

Carlos is joined in the studio this week by one of our very own partners, Sia Houchangnia, who has recently returned from a month-long deep dive of exploring the venture landscape in China and south-east Asia. 

In this episode, Sia unpacks the key differences in approach between VCs in the far East and those in the West - from investment strategy and portfolio construction all the way to the differing perceptions of what investor value-add looks like. He also provides unique insights into the challenges faced by European companies when entering the hyper-competitive Chinese market (and vice-versa), the rise of Chinese ‘super-apps’, how to address the gaps in engineering talent coming out of the region today as well as why the prospect of more EU-Chinese collaboration is one we should be excited about. 

Links: 
Sia Houchangnia - twitter.com/siahouchangnia 
Carlos Espinal - twitter.com/cee
Seedcamp - seedcamp.com

Sia Houchangnia, partner at Seedcamp, on navigating the venture landscape in Asia

Carlos is joined this week in the studio by Daniel Korski, co-founder and CEO of PUBLIC, a London-based VC fund that invests in tech startups transforming the way public services are run and delivered. Daniel is also the Chairman of the GovTech Summit, the largest global event for the Govtech sector hosted annually with French President Emmanuel Macron, and has 20 years of experience in senior positions in government across the UK, EU, and US. Most recently, Daniel served as the Deputy Head of Policy at No. 10 Downing Street and Special Advisor to David Cameron. He has also been an advisor to the Vice-President of the European Commission and has previously worked for the UN and Foreign Office in Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen. 

Tune in to hear Daniel sharing his unique story - from embarking on a career in diplomacy, politics and journalism before using his expertise to back Govtech startups tackling largely traditional and undisrupted sectors the UK economy still largely depend on. Daniel also delves into the shaping of the UK government’s ‘digital revolution’ and how it thinks about delivering its services, to how governments are thinking about the role of entrepreneurship and the broader startup ecosystem on the national economy. 

Links:
Daniel Korski - twitter.com/DanielKorski
PUBLIC - public.io
Carlos Espinal - twitter.com/cee
Seedcamp - seedcamp.com

Daniel Korski, co-founder and CEO of PUBLIC, on the bright future of Govtech

In 2012, super-angel investor Chris Sacca launched Lowercase Capital, a new fund focused on the intersection of media and technology. To ensure its success, he hired one of the best-networked business development executives in the LA area: Matt Mazzeo. Within just a few months, Matt proved his tremendous aptitude for venture investing.
Over the next four years, Matt  and the Lowercase team invested in Instagram, Twitter, Slack, Kickstarter, and Medium to name just a few.

Today, Matt is a Partner at Coatue Management, where he heads up the firm’s venture arm. By continuously learning, following your interests, and giving more than you get, Matt has differentiated himself as one of the top VCs in the industry.

Tune into this week’s thought-provoking podcast where Carlos and Matt discuss Matt’s path into VC and his approach to advancing the startup ecosystem. You’ll also discover whether Matt is a huge gamer or not (spoiler: he is). 

Links
Matt Mazzeo - https://twitter.com/Mazzeo 
Carlos Espinal - twitter.com/cee
Seedcamp - www.seedcamp.com
Coatue - https://www.coatue.com

Coatue Management Matt Mazzeo’s path into VC and his philosophy on being helpful

This Much I Know is the podcast from Seedcamp, Europe’s seed fund.

Tune into hear the inside story from startup founders, investors and leading tech voices: the people who’ve built businesses, scaled globally, failed fantastically and learnt massively.

Seedcamp invests early in world-class founders attacking large, global markets and solving real problems using technology. Seedcamp provides the infrastructure to fast-track a founder’s vision and create value through immediate access to smart capital, a lifelong community of support and a global network built upon a decade’s experience backing exceptional talent.

The Seedcamp Podcast

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