How to identify unicorn founders when they’re still early-stage
Johan Brenner Contributor Share on Twitter Johan Brenner, general partner at Creandum, early backer of iZettle, Klarna, Trade Republic, Vivino, Neo4J and many more. As
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For those who turn imagination into reality
We back visionaries who take bold steps to create the future they believe in. Blue Nova Capital partners with founders at the early stages of their success.
Blue Nova Capital is a venture capital firm focused on positioning global founders for large-scale business success. We support aspiring entrepreneurs who reimagine industries, existing markets and business practices in taking their first steps.
Our seed and early-stage investments aim to back young companies in some of their most decisive moments. These include defining their target market, developing their final products and getting them off the ground. Based in London and Brussels, we take a global stand and offer start-ups access to international markets.
Founded in 2009 by Thomas Jacobs, we have invested in over 150 companies in the US, Asia, South America and Europe. Our investment strategy is driven by specific expertise in identifying ideas at their inception and growing them into global leaders. Through a strong focus on start-up and connecting them to our network of global strategic partners, we are able to stay ahead of the latest market trends and address the most relevant consumer needs.
We are a group former CEOs, unicorn founders, life-long entrepreneurs and company-builders, bringing to the table deep area expertise. We are passionate about facing and overcoming challenges and challenging convention. We are driven by an innate desire to help ground-breaking founders achieve their vision. With a set of diverse professional backgrounds, the Blue Nova Capital team is unified by a distinct sense of purpose to transform visions into reality.
Blue Nova Capital commits to giving equal opportunities to founders. We ensure this by following a general set of steps throughout our selection process.
Review
We review your materials and decide that you are a good fit for our portfolio. Now we want to get to know you on a more personal level and learn more about your idea.
Initial Meeting
We arrange an initial meeting with the founding team where you get the chance to pitch to us and answer our questions. This is the time for you to showcase your qualities as founders and specify your vision.
Internal Discussion
If you have passed the second stage, you have aroused our interest to invest. We now consult with internal members from our team and external industry experts to inform our decision-making.
Final Decision
As the last step, we invite you to discuss specific concerns and expectations with our committee. After carrying out due diligence, we vote to finalise our investment.
Start-up Focus
We provide entrepreneurs with a unique advantage to accelerate their success while transforming their enterprises. Taking technology companies to market success is an exciting but unpredictable process. Entrepreneurs lack access to resources, critical services and professional know-how. Our capital alone won’t be able to solve these challenges. We believe that if we improve the odds for our start-ups, financially and commercially, there is a higher chance that they will surpass expectations and achieve their target goals. We achieve this by connecting start-ups to related companies, services and platforms that will enhance their operations and final product. Gaining insight from our network of providers, we promote mutually beneficial relationships that lead to long-term growth.
Insights
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