HD in HD Sebastian's Journey From Flipping Burgers → $17B+ IPO
21 snips
Sep 15, 2025 
Sebastian Siemiatkowski, co-founder and CEO of Klarna, grew up in Sweden as the son of Polish immigrants. He shares his journey from local success to a $14B+ global fintech powerhouse. Sebastian discusses how sci-fi books shaped his entrepreneurial mindset and the pivotal moment of securing Sequoia as an investor. The conversation dives into navigating challenges in a competitive market, leveraging Sweden's strict debt collection regulations to Klarna's advantage, and the evolution of the tech scene in Sweden.
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Sweden's Public Data Enabled Real-Time Underwriting
- Sweden's efficient public data and enforcement made online mail-order underwriting feasible.
- Klarna used real-time public credit lookups and address checks to reduce fraud and collection risk.
Entrepreneurship As A Personal Adventure
- Sebastian read sci-fi and Richard Branson as a teen and framed entrepreneurship as an adventure.
- That mindset pushed him to choose startups over traditional careers at finance firms.
Backpacking Without Flying Sparked Growth
- Sebastian and co-founder Nick backpacked the world without flying and worked odd jobs like bartending.
- The trip sharpened his appetite for change and taught patience and teamwork with his co-founder.