Shikhar Agarwal’s Post

How does big corporates work with startups? 🤝 That was one of the topics I learned more about yesterday, along with exciting pitches from startups at this year’s industry conference, hosted by Science City Lyngby It’s good to see big local corporations like COWI Novonesis and Topsoe either work, or plan to work, with startups and scaleups, to make valuable solutions. The startups often bring superagile, solution-based setups that can move fast in emerging technologies and markets, while the big corporates bring the organizational “muscles” startups often lack. IF there’s a match, it can really take off!🚀🥇 Also thanks to both my former institutions Copenhagen Business Academy and DTU - Technical University of Denmark for bringing up the importance of education within innovation and entrepreneurship, for an even more innovative Danish future. 💪🏻🇩🇰

Why Startup and Scale-up Founders Should Join our next June EIP Startup Board Academy in Lausanne? ✅ Deep Dive into Board Liabilities: Our academy provides you with the insights and knowledge to navigate this complex topic, reducing risks and ensuring compliance. ✅ Skill Enhancement: Whether you're a seasoned board member or new to the role, our sessions are designed to sharpen your skills and make you aware of special startup board challenges. ✅ Networking Opportunities: Join a vibrant community of founders, investors, and board professionals. This is more than just an academy; it's a networking hub. ✅ Practical Learning: Our curriculum is crafted around real-world challenges and solutions. Learn not just the theory but also the practical aspects of serving on a board, including dealing with personal liabilities and regulatory risks. ✅ Drive Better Outcomes: Knowledgeable and effective boards play a crucial role in startup success. Participating lets you gain insights that can help steer your company toward sustainable growth and avoid common pitfalls. ✅ Proven Track Record: With 9 years of experience and over 2,000 educated members, our program has a proven history of enhancing board effectiveness and fostering successful governance models. ✅ Convenient and compact schedule for busy founders !!! Completing our core curriculum takes only 4 afternoons from 14:00-18:00. Only 5 seats are available with special pricing for startup founders! Where: Lausanne, EPFL Innovation Park on June 4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th (followed by a networking apero) More info: https://lnkd.in/gSaa4HKV To enroll: https://lnkd.in/ezpTpzYH Virginie Verdon Brigitte Baumann Gervais Benedict Stalder Jacques Bonvin Jean de Wolff Jean-Marc Wismer Vincent Dessenne Fulvio Maccarone, CFA

A million thanks to Essex Startups for embracing young entrepreneurs like me 🥰 "The message I want to send to the world is that nothing can limit your abilities or challenge your professionalism. Pregnancy does not slow down my work or affect my productivity; it motivates me even more to prove that all biases against women are unfounded. I’m happy to help any aspiring entrepreneurs to reach out to me on LinkedIn for any kind of business advice or guidance. It’s important to me to be able to be an ambassador for student and graduate entrepreneurs and ‘pay forward’ the support I have received from the University community on my journey. When you’re starting out having a clear vision is not essential, the most important thing is that you act. Make that first meeting to begin the conversations, otherwise you’ll never progress beyond the idea stage. The more you plan the more chance you have of making your business a reality. It’s not an easy process, you must commit. Be proactive, do your research, and understand the demand. You won’t be spoon-fed, but the Essex Startups team will take you through the essential steps needed to create your business plan and make your dream come to life"

Two days ago, I participated in a VCIC challenge hosted by Imperial College London. As a founder, my intention was to learn what VCs are looking for in startups. Based on what I've learned as a founder and as a student, I formed an analytic framework and scoring tool to facilitate our understanding of the startups across different dimensions including their problem definition, product-market-fit and go-to-market strategy. 💡Key Takeaways 💡 - 📈Do your due diligence - research and ask clarifying questions. To get the 10x startup, it is essential the VC understands each pitch. The VC will ask clarifying and deeper questions and when done in a climate of collaboration, they are building a picture of the startups' potential towards their 10x goal. - 🔊🗯️Trust your spidey-sensor - if you or your peer have identified a concern, hone in on it, explore and delve deeper. The risk is quite a steep tumble down 📉 - ⚛️Be holistic- The alignment of the investment with additional creative milestones on the term sheet enables the VC to leverage short-term growth🌱 with long-term profits💸, providing the startup with the runway 🛫 needed to grow while getting reassurance of profit-per-milestone 📶 on each dollar or pound invested. The feedback was (is) invaluable for self and team development and growing stage by stage.💪🏽 Thank you to my team Ufoma Ikede Arshween Kaur Vatsal Bhandari for learning and growing together on the VCIC challenge. Thank you to all those who organised the event and a thank you to the startup founders and all the judges for their time, advice and input.

Yesterday Sofia was buzzing at the Tuk-Tam Hive. And we couldn't miss it! 🐝 Our Marketing Manager Roberta Tihomirova joined the "buzz" leading a discussion on a topic very close to our hearts- student entrepreneurship. On stage she was accompanied by two past winners of our dear Elevate AUBG Accelerator - Natalia Vasileva from Education + and Martin Nedev from Enthela who shared their experience as student entrepreneurs. Back when we were starting the Elevate Accelerator in 2019, we had the dream and vision of more students starting their own businesses early on with the support of people who’ve already been in their shoes. And we quickly saw that dream turn into reality. Looking at all the 35+ startups that have been part of the program so far, we couldn't be prouder of what they have achieved. ✅ 12 startups are still operating and growing; ✅ 145 students have been involved in the accelerator; ✅ 8 startups have gotten a $10,000 investment; ✅ 3 startups are profitable. Sharing the stage with just two of the teams yesterday and seeing them light a spark in the eyes of the students in the audience, makes us think that we’re on the right path. Speaking of all this, we have to mention that the applications for Elevate Season 6 are now open, so students who want to make their first steps as entrepreneurs can check it out 😉 https://lnkd.in/dyQ24YXG

This must be a Silicon Valley thing. Last week I was invited to be a judge at a pitch fest at the entrepreneurial club at Los Gatos High School. Six high schoolers presented. I was super impressed by the ideas they pitched. But I was even more impressed by their presentations. I could not tell the difference whether they were high school students or real startups presenting at any other pitch fest competition. Their preparation using a standard pitch deck was spot on. Two ideas struck out to me. One was an idea to replace paper price tags in stores with digital tags. Fairly common in Japan and Korea. And this student thought it would be a great idea to bring it to the US as well. A good example of transferring something that works in one domain and putting it to work in another domain. I asked what the main value was which of course he said saving human labor who have to manually update prices. But I recommended the bigger value was dynamic pricing. So stores can change prices during the day, during the week, as many times as they want which is not possible with paper based price tags. More revenue optimization. The second idea I really liked was solving a very common problem we all have. Shoelaces that get undone. I would be the first customer to buy his shoelaces. And his idea was very simple. He changed the shape of the shoelaces from being a straight edged to curved edges which would make It harder to slip through. He also suggested changing the surface of the laces with a new material that is almost Velcro-ish that does not unentangle by itself. A unique idea and a unique solution to a very common problem. But what really struck out to me was how he started his pitch. He narrated the story of his friend who fell while playing a game of tennis because his shoelaces came undone. That's the kind of storytelling that resonates with whoever you are pitching your idea to whether to investors, customers or even employees that you want to hire. And I was really impressed by how he weaved that story into a problem that needed a solution. The why…. My concluding talk to them was - 1. Know your subject and domain really well  2. Clarify your segment and persona, and what problem is being solved  3. Understand the value you are bringing to the customer. It might not be so obvious. 4. Weave story telling A very fulfilling expedition into the startup world. Expect more high schoolers to create startups.

What sets Europe’s most successful founding teams apart? That's what NGP Capital aimed to uncover in its latest research into the unique traits and trends that have shaped Europe’s startup ecosystem over the past decade. The result is a neat report entitled "A Decade of European Startup Founders", and you can find a link in the comments. The early-stage B2B investment firm looked at 31,644 founders and 17,836 European tech startups to explore the factors that drove success in securing investment, diving into aspects like academic background and team dynamics. Some key take-aways from the research: "✅ Degrees Matter: Founders with advanced degrees (PhDs, MBAs) raise significantly more funding—up to 66% more for PhDs! ✅ Four’s the magic number: Teams of four co-founders raise 208% more than smaller teams. ✅ Consulting to Founding: Ex-McKinsey, Bain, and BCG consultants are Europe’s secret startup superpower. ✅ Diversity Wins: Mixed-gender and international founding teams consistently outperform their peers in fundraising." Thanks for sharing Bo Ilsoe, Atte Honkasalo, Christian Noske and Sam Ahmed!

😴 Innovation never sleeps... Neither do we! Fishburners is thrilled to announce the Tech for Good Festival, proudly sponsored by the City of Sydney! Join us for a series of inspiring events designed to connect students, startups, and investors, and explore the transformative power of tech-driven solutions for social and environmental impact. We lined up: 📅 20th of August - Students meeting Startups: Kick off the festival with an amazing networking opportunity! Connect talented interns with innovative startups and discover new paths to success. 📅 21st of August - Impact Investors Panel: Engage with visionary investors and entrepreneurs as they share insights into the world of impact investing and explore strategies to drive meaningful change. 📅 6th of September - Tech for Good Pitch Night: Witness groundbreaking solutions as pioneering founders pitch their tech for good innovations. Network with the leading Australian entrepreneurship community and enjoy a night of inspiration and collaboration. Why you should join: 👨👨👦 Networking Opportunities: Connect with industry leaders, investors, and like-minded peers. ⭐ Skill Development: Enhance your pitching, networking, and entrepreneurial skills. 💎 Access to Talent: Startups can meet talented interns, and students can secure real-world experience. ✨ Inspiration and Insight: Learn from successful impact investors and pioneering entrepreneurs. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to be part of a vibrant community dedicated to making a difference! 📌 Register now and join us in shaping the future of tech for good: https://lnkd.in/gE9YYkcS Let’s drive innovation and create positive change together! 🌟 Keriana King Jade Fennell Kylie Wiik Martin Karafilis Majella Campbell Sharon Li #techforgood #innovation #startups #impactinvesting #networking #entrepreneurship #fishburners #cityofsydney

Why Startup and Scale-up Founders Should Join our next June EIP Startup Board Academy in Lausanne? ✅ Deep Dive into Board Liabilities: Our academy provides you with the insights and knowledge to navigate this complex topic, reducing risks and ensuring compliance. ✅ Skill Enhancement: Whether you're a seasoned board member or new to the role, our sessions are designed to sharpen your skills and make you aware of special startup board challenges. ✅ Networking Opportunities: Join a vibrant community of founders, investors, and board professionals. This is more than just an academy; it's a networking hub. ✅ Practical Learning: Our curriculum is crafted around real-world challenges and solutions. Learn not just the theory but also the practical aspects of serving on a board, including dealing with personal liabilities and regulatory risks. ✅ Drive Better Outcomes: Knowledgeable and effective boards play a crucial role in startup success. Participating lets you gain insights that can help steer your company toward sustainable growth and avoid common pitfalls. ✅ Proven Track Record: With 9 years of experience and over 2,000 educated members, our program has a proven history of enhancing board effectiveness and fostering successful governance models. ✅ Convenient and compact schedule for busy founders !!! Completing our core curriculum takes only 4 afternoons from 14:00-18:00. Only 5 seats are available with special pricing for startup founders! Where: Lausanne, EPFL Innovation Park on June 4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th (followed by a networking apero) More info: https://lnkd.in/gSaa4HKV To enroll: https://lnkd.in/ezpTpzYH

Why Startup and Scale-up Founders Should Join our next June EIP Startup Board Academy in Lausanne? ✅ Deep Dive into Board Liabilities: Our academy provides you with the insights and knowledge to navigate this complex topic, reducing risks and ensuring compliance. ✅ Skill Enhancement: Whether you're a seasoned board member or new to the role, our sessions are designed to sharpen your skills and make you aware of special startup board challenges. ✅ Networking Opportunities: Join a vibrant community of founders, investors, and board professionals. This is more than just an academy; it's a networking hub. ✅ Practical Learning: Our curriculum is crafted around real-world challenges and solutions. Learn not just the theory but also the practical aspects of serving on a board, including dealing with personal liabilities and regulatory risks. ✅ Drive Better Outcomes: Knowledgeable and effective boards play a crucial role in startup success. Participating lets you gain insights that can help steer your company toward sustainable growth and avoid common pitfalls. ✅ Proven Track Record: With 9 years of experience and over 2,000 educated members, our program has a proven history of enhancing board effectiveness and fostering successful governance models. ✅ Convenient and compact schedule for busy founders !!! Completing our core curriculum takes only 4 afternoons from 14:00-18:00. Only 5 seats are available with special pricing for startup founders! Where: Lausanne, EPFL Innovation Park on June 4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th (followed by a networking apero) More info: https://lnkd.in/gSaa4HKV To enroll: https://lnkd.in/ezpTpzYH