CDL-Estonia

The President of Estonia, Alar Karis, has honored one of CDL-Estonia's mentors for his significant contribution to building a smart, science-based digital society. Congratulations to Professor Gert Jervan, Dean of the School of Information Technologies at TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology! President Karis recently awarded him the Order of the White Star IV Class. Professor Jervan has coordinated several national and international research projects, EU networks of excellence, and served on evaluation committees for the Estonian Science Foundation, Estonian Research Council, and the European Commission Directorate-General for Research & Innovation. In addition to all this, CDL-Estonia deeply appreciates his valuable contribution as a mentor. Keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and #BuildSomethingMassive! #CDLMentor #DigitalSociety Photos by Arno Mikkor and Andres Tennus.

Autumn 2024 marks the beginning of CDL-Estonia's third program year, and we’ve kicked it off with an incredible Digital Society Session #1! We are deeply grateful to our dedicated Mentors, Ventures, Partners, Guests, and Student Volunteers, whose efforts helped make this session a success. 🏆 A special thank you to Kadri Ukrainski and Andres Kuusik for expertly moderating the session! 👏 Our heartfelt gratitude to Tom Tugendhat and Scott Tait for sharing their valuable insights and experiences with participants through an inspiring fireside chat. 💡 We are especially proud of our CDL Apprentice Students for their commitment and resilience, standing strong until the end of an intense session day. 💪 None of this would be possible without the unwavering support of our incredible partners, Taavet+Sten, Vabamu, and the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications. Thank you for being with us on this journey! 🙏 Let’s keep pushing boundaries and #BuildSomethingMassive! #DigitalSociety #DeltaManagementSchool

We are proud of our Founding Partner, Vabamu, and the Kistler-Ritso Foundation, for their dedication to enhancing #Estonia’s global recognition. Recently, CDL-Estonia Mentor and Founding Partner, Sten Tamkivi, in collaboration with Stanford University and the Abundance Institute, interviewed former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. In the interview, Kaja Kallas shares the success story of e-Estonia and provides valuable insights into developing a digital society. The discussion will cover how AI and digital solutions have transformed citizens’ interactions with the government and what lessons the USA could learn from this success. Watch the interview here: https://lnkd.in/dQczYfrC #digitalsociety #digitalgovernance

☀ Calling all aspiring female entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts aged 14-18! ☀   Are you ready to peek into the world of international startups and learn from top mentors in the industry? 🚀 💡 Join the Creative Destruction Lab Apprentice Program and apply for the unique opportunity to shadow a mentor at CDL-Estonia's upcoming sessions. 📅 CDL-Estonia Sessions: - November 18, 2024 in Tallinn - January 28, 2025 in Tartu - March 25, 2025 (venue and participation of apprentices to be determined) - May 20, 2025 in Tallinn Here’s what you can expect:  ✅ Listen to real conversations between startups and mentors  ✅ Follow the growth journeys of multiple companies  ✅ Shadow a mentor for the entire day  ✅ Connect with other like-minded, driven young women  ✅ Free meals and an incredible learning experience 🔗 Apply here:  https://lnkd.in/ety_Zhhj 📅 Deadline: October 15th NB! When filling out the application, select DIGITAL SOCIETY in the field “What areas of technology are you interested in?” to ensure your application reaches CDL-Estonia. If you’re passionate about entrepreneurship, tech, or innovation, don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to explore the world of startups and build valuable connections! #CDLApprentice #GirlsInTech #Entrepreneurship #STEM #Startups #DigitalSociety #Mentorship #TechFuture #YoungWomenInBusiness

𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 #𝟱. 𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗦𝗟𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗦 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗢 𝗔 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 Your intro deck should look like this: 1️⃣ The title slide includes a hook (+ size of the round) 2️⃣ The first two slides capture the attention 3️⃣ All slide titles are full sentences Now, read only your slide titles. Does it tell a story? An investor should grasp 70-80% of your startup's story just by reading the slide titles. But why build a story instead of using popular slide deck templates from YC Combinator or Guy Kawasaki (👇 links in comments) A story from slide titles gives you several advantages. ⚡ You can start the story with your strengths ⚡ Your deck can cater to different investor preferences ⚡ Your deck can be 10-20 slides as it is mobile-friendly 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗧𝗛𝗦 in the first 2-4 slides: - super fast early traction - your team - unique insight into solving a painful problem - unique insight into why all startups before you have failed 𝗗𝗜𝗙𝗙𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗜𝗡𝗩𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗙𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗦 In 2021, CDL-Estonia mentor Kalev Kaarna interviewed six investors about what they look for: 📌 Superangel //Marko Oolo 📌 Butterfly Ventures //Ville Heikkinen 📌 Practica Capital //Donatas Keras 📌 Superhero Capital //Ernests Stals 📌 Maki.vc //Paavo Räisänen 📌 NordicNinja VC //Rainer Sternfeld Despite all focusing on early-stage or series-A tech startups in the Nordics, each investor had unique priorities. Telling a compelling story assures that an investor can follow your narrative, even if your slides are ordered differently than they might prefer. 🔑 𝗞𝗘𝗬 𝗧𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥 🔑 📄 Problem’s nature and impact 1-3 slides 📄 Value your solution creates Describe value using the Feature-Advantage-Value logic. Simply listing features isn’t enough. 📄 Traction from customers Pilots or how quickly you acquired your first customers. Speed often trumps the number of customers. What if you need 2-3 years of R&D before piloting? The capability to find customers is expected. Even if your product isn't ready, you can still validate job-to-be-done, secure pre-payments, or sign conditional contracts with a promise to deliver in the future. 📄 You as a market category leader Explain why you’re uniquely positioned to dominate your market category. 📄 Making money Clarify how you’ll make money. What is the price? What is the expected margin? What’s your business model: licensing, recurring revenue, product sale. 📄 Big potential Is it a €1B valuation business? 📄 Why your team? Why is your team the best to solve this problem? 📄 IP ownership Do you own the IP. 📄 Using investment Outline what you aim to accomplish with the money. 💡 Pro Tip 💡 Tailor one or two slides to your top-tier investors. For instance, byFounders looks for the 8 Ts: Team, TAM, Timing, Traction, Technology, Transformative, Transparency, and Tomorrow. Additionally, Eric Lagier appreciates an “ugly slide.” (👇 links in comments).

𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 #𝟱. 𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗦𝗟𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗦 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗢 𝗔 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 Your intro deck should look like this: 1️⃣ The title slide includes a hook (+ size of the round) 2️⃣ The first two slides capture the attention 3️⃣ All slide titles are full sentences Now, read only your slide titles. Does it tell a story? An investor should grasp 70-80% of your startup's story just by reading the slide titles. But why build a story instead of using popular slide deck templates from YC Combinator or Guy Kawasaki (👇 links in comments) A story from slide titles gives you several advantages. ⚡ You can start the story with your strengths ⚡ Your deck can cater to different investor preferences ⚡ Your deck can be 10-20 slides as it is mobile-friendly 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗧𝗛𝗦 in the first 2-4 slides: - super fast early traction - your team - unique insight into solving a painful problem - unique insight into why all startups before you have failed 𝗗𝗜𝗙𝗙𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗜𝗡𝗩𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗙𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗦 In 2021, CDL-Estonia mentor Kalev Kaarna interviewed six investors about what they look for: 📌 Superangel //Marko Oolo 📌 Butterfly Ventures //Ville Heikkinen 📌 Practica Capital //Donatas Keras 📌 Superhero Capital //Ernests Stals 📌 Maki.vc //Paavo Räisänen 📌 NordicNinja VC //Rainer Sternfeld Despite all focusing on early-stage or series-A tech startups in the Nordics, each investor had unique priorities. Telling a compelling story assures that an investor can follow your narrative, even if your slides are ordered differently than they might prefer. 🔑 𝗞𝗘𝗬 𝗧𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥 🔑 📄 Problem’s nature and impact 1-3 slides 📄 Value your solution creates Describe value using the Feature-Advantage-Value logic. Simply listing features isn’t enough. 📄 Traction from customers Pilots or how quickly you acquired your first customers. Speed often trumps the number of customers. What if you need 2-3 years of R&D before piloting? The capability to find customers is expected. Even if your product isn't ready, you can still validate job-to-be-done, secure pre-payments, or sign conditional contracts with a promise to deliver in the future. 📄 You as a market category leader Explain why you’re uniquely positioned to dominate your market category. 📄 Making money Clarify how you’ll make money. What is the price? What is the expected margin? What’s your business model: licensing, recurring revenue, product sale. 📄 Big potential Is it a €1B valuation business? 📄 Why your team? Why is your team the best to solve this problem? 📄 IP ownership Do you own the IP. 📄 Using investment Outline what you aim to accomplish with the money. 💡 Pro Tip 💡 Tailor one or two slides to your top-tier investors. For instance, byFounders looks for the 8 Ts: Team, TAM, Timing, Traction, Technology, Transformative, Transparency, and Tomorrow. Additionally, Eric Lagier appreciates an “ugly slide.” (👇 links in comments).

Is it worth it for a European startup to travel to Canada? Yes, if you participate in Creative Destruction Lab’s Super Session and Collision Conf. Five CDL-Estonia alumni startups ResQuant, Paul-Tech, Quantem Analytics, Cyber Insight, and Geneial participated in these two events. Here are their 6 reasons to go to Canada. 1️⃣ Spotlight Exposure The exposure to investors and partners at these events is unmatched. For example, ResQuant had the opportunity to present on the main stage at Super Session, and Paul-Tech was recognized among the top 50 🔥 hot startups out of 1,500 participating startups at Collision Conf. 2️⃣ Access to High-Quality Mentorship The Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) provides startups with access to top-tier mentors. The CDL Super Session elevates this experience, bringing together the most distinguished and experienced mentors in different industries, ensuring startups receive the highest quality guidance and insights to accelerate their growth and success. 3️⃣ Networking Opportunities Networking takes energy. Collision 2024 featured over 36,000 attendees, including 1,500 startups and 1,000 investors from 118 countries. ResQuant's insight was that one team member could not do both Super Session and Collision. Paul-Tech divided their team: two networked at Super Session and two at Collision. 4️⃣ Exposure to Innovative Ideas Workshops and panels at these events provide cutting-edge insights. Highlights from Creative Destruction Lab Super Session included 💡 Rhiannon Davies (she/her)’s talk on IPO strategies, 💡 Allen Lau's insights on how to think about an exit 🚀 inspiration and wisdom from Chris Hadfield - the man who went to space 3 times: “Don't build just something Massive that is profitable but we need to build something Massive which will help the future of humanity.” 5️⃣ Market Insights and Expansion CDL-Estonia mentor Mihkel Tombak organized for agritech startup Paul-Tech a visit to Woodrill Farms Ltd in Ontario to get firsthand insights into the needs of farmers in North America. Quantem Analytics used the opportunity to visit one of their long-time customers, whom they have seen only online so far. 6️⃣ Learning from Peers Creative Destruction Lab’s Super Session and Collision Conf provide an environment where startups can learn from each other. There is always somebody who has been facing problems like yours and can save you time by showing a shortcut.

Congratulations to CDL-Estonia alumnus GScan for winning Builtworlds startup competition. 👏🚀

𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 #𝟒: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐃𝐄𝐂𝐊 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐁𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐄-𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐋𝐘 50% of investors will first view your pitch deck on their mobile phones. On average, they complete the swipe in 2:18 minutes (see INSIGHT #3). What can you realistically read from a slide on a mobile phone without zooming in? 👉 𝐀 𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐋𝐄 👈 The title is the most important part of a slide! Old-school recommendations suggested that slide titles should be labeled as "Problem," "Solution," "Market," "Traction," etc. In a modern mobile-first world, this approach no longer works. Investors can't swipe through such slides and understand what the startup is about. Instead, your titles should be full sentences summarizing the main idea of the slide. You can still include "Problem," "Solution," etc., in smaller print in the upper corner of the slide. Take a look at the sample decks of recent successful fundraisers listed on Pitch page. Most of them use full-sentence titles. (link 👇) 𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐊: 1️⃣ Email your pitch deck to yourself. 2️⃣ Open it on a mobile phone. 3️⃣ Determine what text you can actually read. In the next episode, we will provide guidance on the story that full-sentence titles should tell. ♻️ Please repost to assist more deep-tech founders in their fundraising efforts. --- This is the fourth insight of the micro-course "Building an Impressive Pitch Deck for Deep-Tech Investors"  Links to previous insights are 👇

𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 #𝟑. 𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐃𝐄𝐂𝐊 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐀𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐃 Investors spend an average of 2 minutes and 18 seconds reviewing a pitch deck!!! Some decks were reviewed in under a minute, others received more than 3 minutes of attention. How to make sure that YOUR DECK gets the maximum attention? The new realities demand updated rules for a pitch deck: 1️⃣ The title slide should include a hook. 2️⃣ The first two slides must capture attention. We've created a carousel with examples (see below). -------------- This is a third episode of micro-course “Building an impressive pitch deck for deep-tech investors” 1st “Get into the head of a deep tech investor” https://bit.ly/3Ku8snV 2nd “Pick the right type of pitch deck” https://bit.ly/3Kw9yj9 ♻️ Repost this to help more deep-tech founders in their fundraising efforts.