Donatas is one of the most well-known investors in the Baltic startup scene. Having hustled in different businesses and investments, he started VC investing 10 years ago and has been part of such success stories as TransferGo, Trafi, Ziticity, Sonarworks, and recent headline maker Interactio

In a super high-energy conversation, we go back in time to compare what the startup scene was like 10 years ago and how far we have come. Donatas also shares many interesting stories from investing and not investing into different companies and principles in VC-founder relationships.

By listening to this episode you will learn:

A brief recent history of the Baltic startup scene and key milestones along the road
That often hugely successful companies don’t look like it in early stages
The societal and psychological benefits of having unicorn level success stories
How in some verticals, the Baltics are setting global trends instead of following
The role of local investors with the increasing presence of international investors
Key things investors like Donatas look for in founders
Some mistakes to avoid in VC-founder relationships
That it is critical to be open and honest about your company going out of business
The role of VC in further investment rounds
How Vinted started and missing the opportunity to invest by 4 weeks
The amazing tenacity, grit, and timing of the Interactio team whom they rejected 2x before making the investment

Find out more on https://www.pursuitofscrappiness.co/

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#15 - Donatas Keras (Practica Capital) on the bright future of the Baltic tech scene, VC-Founder relationship advice, investment in Interactio and global VCs entering the market