As the world becomes increasingly digitized, we see digital natives stepping up and taking over key leadership positions within companies.
Earlier in March, Turnaround Talk published an article focusing on the leadership agenda and whether younger leaders adopted a different approach from their predecessors. While the general consensus is that there is not much of a difference, younger leaders will most definitely have a different view on digitization and how it can benefit their company.
Forbes recently released an article profiling the 30 under 30 European Leaders who will be shaping the business agenda on the continent. In this article, we will take a look at 21-30.
Cofounder: Tranch
Philip Kelvin (29) Cofounder: Tranch
Tranch is a B2B buy now pay later platform founded in 2021 by CEO Philip Kelvin.
Tranch offers providers upfront payment and customers flexible payment options for up to 12 months, improving supplier cash flow. Tranch has funded millions of dollars of payments since launching in June 2022.
Bastian Larsen (29) Founder: BlackWood Ventures
Bastian Larsen is the founder and CEO of BlackWood, a European early-stage VC that invests in Fintech, Web 3.0, and Cleantech startups. The firm has developed AI technology to help it screen potential bets and co-invests with European angels. Blackwood has $10 million in assets.
Before BlackWood, Larsen worked in M&A strategy at BlackRock and holds an MBA from the University of Oxford.
Jacob Lindberg (29) Cofounder: Vinter
Jacob Lindberg is the CEO and cofounder of Vinter, a regulated index provider specializing in crypto assets for ETF issuers.
The company has received $4 million in funding from Octopus Ventures and has a valuation of almost $21 million after 3.5 years. Vinter constructs calculates and maintains indexes tracked by financial products.
Investment Director: UBS
James Long (29) Investment Director: UBS
Based in London, James Long is a founding member of UBS Next, focusing on investing in early-stage fintech and software companies.
Some of his notable investments in the last year include Endowus, a digital wealth advisor; Trust & Will, a digital estate planning company; Ethic, a sustainable asset manager; and Anthemis, a fintech-focused venture capital firm. In doing so, James has backed companies that make impact investing easier.
Nina Mohanty (29) Cofounder: Bloom Money
Bloom Money provides a savings club for immigrant communities that allows members to save for education or special occasions like a wedding.
To get the business off the ground, Nina Mohanty raised a $1.2 million pre-seed round from mostly female, immigrant, and BIPOC investors.
Natalie Ojevah (28) Vice President: Barclays
Natalie Ojevah created Barclays’ Black Founders Accelerator in 2020, supporting over 115 Black-founded businesses.
She received an MBE in 2022 and serves as Eagle Labs’ Diversity & Inclusion Lead. Ojevah also cofounded ‘The Hustle Table’ podcast to inspire listeners with lessons learned from her and her cohost’s careers.
Vice President: Dawn Capital
Daniela Raffel Torrebiarte (29) Vice President: Dawn Capital
London-based venture firm Dawn Capital backs European founders building next-generation software.
Daniela Raffel Torrebiarte joined Dawn as an Associate in May 2020 and was promoted to VP in the shortest time at the fund to date.
Before joining the firm, she was a growth manager at Capital on Tap, a London and U.S.-based fintech offering working capital to entrepreneurs.
Robin Saluoks (27) Founder: eAgronom
Robin Saluoks grew up in a farming family in Estonia.
His startup eAgronom has raised $12 million to build software that lets farmers manage their carbon footprint and earn, trade, and exchange valuable carbon credits to both improve the sustainability of their farms and earn extra revenue from the carbon credits. To do so, they created a digital token to add transparency and liquidity to the carbon markets.
Claudia Stankler (28) Chief Operating Officer: Connectd
Connectd is a funding platform connecting investors and advisors with startup founders.
The aim is to democratize access to funding and talent for early-stage startups via the company’s SaaS solutions. Connectd currently has an active subscriber base that spans 15 countries and has raised $5.5 million.
Lola Wajskop (29) Principal: Hummingbird Ventures
Upon graduating from London Business School, Lola Wajskop was brought on as a full-time investor at Hummingbird Ventures, the first woman on the team.
Wasjskop’s premier investment was in Automata, a robotics startup in London, which has recently raised a $50 million series B. She also led one of the firm’s first investments in biotech in London-based Basecamp Research at pre-seed. They have since raised $25 million.
