Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen: "Europe doesn't need to become Silicon Valley"
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Jul 25, 2025 
Ilkka Paananen, CEO and cofounder of Supercell, the Finnish powerhouse behind hits like Clash of Clans, dives deep into the secrets of successful game development. He reveals how empowering independent teams, or 'cells', fosters creativity and innovation. Paananen emphasizes the importance of learning from failures and urges a balanced approach to merging tradition with new features. He also highlights the transformative role of AI in gaming and shares insights on nurturing European entrepreneurship through investment and community collaboration.
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Team Autonomy Drives Innovation
- Supercell's core structure consists of small, independent teams called cells that act as startups within the company.
- Leadership focuses on building the best teams and cultivating a high-impact culture rather than dictating specific projects.
Hire Bold Risk Takers
- Hire individuals with high ambition who dream big and embrace risk-taking.
- Encourage acceptance of failure as a normal and valuable part of game development.
Celebrate Failures to Learn
- Celebrate failures by sharing lessons learned openly with the entire company.
- Use failure as a safe and constructive way to gain insights and improve future projects.