Risto Siilasmaa co-founded F-Secure in 1988 at just 22, and later became Finland’s richest person during the dot-com bubble. As chairman of Nokia, he led the transformation of the company from a struggling handset maker to a global leader in network infrastructure. He has one of the best startup investment track records, with multiple unicorns in this portfolio.
In this episode, Risto shares 30+ years of insights on entrepreneurship, leadership, and tech.
Learn more:
https://generogrowth.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/siilasmaa/
(0:00) Introduction
(0:55) Starting F-Secure: early challenges and IPO
(8:50) The dot-com bubble and how money changes people
(24:50) Tough decisions and building resilience
(34:20) Nokia: crisis, disruption, and transformation
(58:53) Investing in unicorns and how to spot great founders
(1:12:35) Future tech trends: AI, quantum computing and clean energy
The Growth Pod