Taavet Hinrikus

Current Firm: Plural

Location:

Bio:

Taavet is a partner at Plural, the early-stage fund that backs the most ambitious founders on a mission to change the world through technology. He co-founded Wise in 2010, where he was CEO and later Chairman, which went public in the first-ever direct listing in Europe in 2021. Prior to that, Taavet was Skype’s Director of Strategy until 2008, having joined as its first employee. He’s been an active investor for more than a decade, looking for 10x better solutions to huge problems that have impact globally. He also co-founded Jōhvi Coding School to help increase the number of people with coding skills in Estonia. Taavet sees technology, education and entrepreneurship as the most potent agents of positive change and progress, and his commitments reflect his dedication to that.

Fredrik Cassel

Current Firm: Creandum

Location: Sweden

Class: KF 12

Bio:

Fredrik is one of Europe's most experienced investors and one of the most trusted advisors to the Creandum portfolio companies. Fredrik is an early backer of several companies that have grown to dominate their respective markets, such as Spotify (NYSE:SPOT), KRY / LIVI, depop, and Kahoot! (KAHOOT:NO). Focused on B2B and B2C companies disrupting large markets, often with marketplace models, he also leads or has led Creandum's work with Virta Health, Shapr3D, Xeneta, Careship, Soundtrack Your Brand, Cint (sold to Nordic Capital), Videoplaza (Ooyala), 13th Lab (Facebook) and Autobutler (PSA Group).

Saul Klein

Current Firm: Phoenix Court

Location:

Bio:

Saul is co-founder and Executive Chair of Phoenix Court, the home of LocalGlobe, Latitude, Solar, Basecamp venture capital funds and the Phoenix Court Works foundation. He is a serial entrepreneur, operator and investor with over 30 years experience starting, building and exiting innovative startups in the UK, US, Israel and Europe.

Before founding Phoenix Court, Saul was a General Partner at Index Ventures for eight years. In his previous lives he was co-founder and original CEO of LoveFilm (acquired by Amazon), part of the original leadership team at Skype (when it was acquired by EBay) and more recently the co-founder of Platoon (acquired by Apple). He has also co-founded some of Europe’s pioneering venture programs including Seedcamp (Europe’s first accelerator), Zinc with the LSE and the Newton Venture Program with London Business School.

Saul sits on the Prime Minister’s Council for Science and Technology and was a founding NED for the UKs new department of Science Innovation & Technology (DSIT). He has also recently become a member of the government’s Creative Industries Taskforce, supporting the budding of a long-term plan to grow the UKs creative industries. He serves on Camden’s STEAM Commission and Economic Renewal Commission and works closely with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority on its regional innovation strategy. Saul was also a trustee of Comic Relief for six years.

As his X handle has noted since March 2007, Saul is first a husband and second a father to three children aged 18, 17 and 10 before being a founder, operator and investor.