Launching
@PluralPlatform
where experienced company builders come together to invest and build the future of Europe. The investor I wish I had when building
@Wise
โฆ more below โฆ 1/
30 years ago 2M people formed a 600km long human chain as a peaceful political demonstration. This was part of the events that led to collapse of communism and the USSR.
Found this amazing footage of myself and my family in the chain that day.
#BalticWay30
Really glad to have completed the
@wise
listing on
@lseplc
- biggest listing of a UK company ever. Direct listing as a method worked v well for everyone first time in Europe.
Total belief that the team will tackle the remaining ยฃ150bn problem in the next decade.
Weโve just raised a โฌ400M fund to back the most ambitious founders on a mission to change the world through tech. 18 months in, this is a massive endorsement of the first 26 teams weโve backed and the quality of companies emerging from Europe
Incredibly proud of these past ten years building on this mission and irreversibly changing the way money moves around the world.
Weโve come far, yet the finish is nowhere near. Today is an important step forward as we announce our intention to direct list
@Wise
in London!
Weโre 10 years into this mission of building a much better way for people to move money around the world โ faster, cheaper, easier and transparent.
Today, we have some big news that will not change, but enhance this mission weโre on.
Eestis on tรคna puudu tuhandeid IT-spetsialiste ja IKT sektori kasvuga vajadus aina suureneb. Eesti haridussรผsteem ei suuda neid piisavalt koolitada, talentide mujalt toomine ka ei lahenda muret, seega avame jรคrgmisel sรผgisel Jรตhvis uue tรคiskasvanute programmeerimiskooli.
1/ Almost 25 years in the makingโฆ I'm teaming up with
@seikatsu
on all things investing related going forward. We've both been angel investors for a while, next investments will be coming from the two of us together.
Nรผรผd saad kandideerida Jรตhvi kooli esimesse lendu! Esimesed 500 inimest on seda juba teinud.
* Kool alustab septembris
* Tasuta
* 18-24 kuu pรคrast valmis asuma tasuvale tรถรถle
Our new coding school opened admissions in Estonia go to and read more here
Free for students, job guaranteed* in 18-24 months.
And did I say its in Estonia? First 500 folks have applied already :)
Knowing this, 10 years into our mission, is a good reminder of why
@kaarmann
and I first started this business.
Todayโs a huge milestone. But looking ahead, thereโs still a ยฃ150bn problem to solve.
Market is open,ย
#MissionUnfinished
Just doing our national duty - helping robots deliver goods! Cc
@StarshipRobots
In the past I did think that robots will help us, but seems a lot has been turned on itโs head recently ;)
Founded by immigrants, built by immigrants, used by immigrants. I'm proud we're bringing the
@TransferWise
debit card to the US to help more people live without borders. ๐๐บ๐ธ๐ญ
And so another star is born. I dont love the unicorn word too much, but when another one is born in Estonia its allowed to celebrate! Well done to the team behind
@pipedrive
for becoming the 5th one in Estonia.
Excited to have led
@skel_tech
โs Round D3 of โฌ38M with T+S. Skeleton has become a big part of Europe's deep tech push with over โฌ200M EUR invested. This investment is about growing a European cleantech champion that helps solve the challenge of our lifetime. How? 1/
Today, Iโm thrilled to say that weโre teaming up with
@GoCardless
to build the first global network for recurring payments โ most importantly, that together weโre bringing low cost, convenient and transparent pricing to more businesses around the globe.
Weโre excited to co-lead a $90M investment in
@StarshipRobots
โ latest funding round. Starship is a true pioneer of autonomous driving and one of the best examples of European grit, ambition and innovation. 1/5
Having helped to build 2 companies, I know that people from different backgrounds expose you to more of the world, help you see more sides of the coin, help you be more creative. And create more opportunities for everyone. I'll always
#StandWithImmigrants
Happy 105 independence day Estonia! ๐ช๐ช
Celebrated with other Estonians and supporters with an early morning swim in the Serpentine in Hyde Park.
And never take freedoms for granted. Slava Ukraini! ๐บ๐ฆ
โฆ and horrible to wake up on this Independence Day morning to rocket-fire backed invasion of Ukraine.
The world will stand with Ukraine. ๐บ๐ฆ๐๐
Millions of people around the world are counting on the democratic worldโs response to Russian actions. Cannot be left unanswered.
And so another star is born. I dont love the unicorn word too much, but when another one is born in Estonia its allowed to celebrate! Well done to the team behind
@pipedrive
for becoming the 5th one in Estonia.
And so another star is born. I dont love the unicorn word too much, but when another one is born in Estonia its allowed to celebrate! Well done to the team behind
@pipedrive
for becoming the 5th one in Estonia.
Eesti teeb endale karuteenet kiirtestide keelamisega (samal ajal teised riigid muudkui lubavad ja kasutavad). Test early, test often on รผks viis edasi liikumiseks. รkski test pole perfektne, sellest peame aru saama ja juhinduma.
We pride ourselves for being close to our customers
@TransferWise
. Spent some hours today answering emails. Pretty cool what our support rockstars get to deal with in terms of the variety of wonderful questions coming in globally.
WFH mode
@TransferWise
, city of London seems quieter, I have no travel plans for months (first time since 2004 when I started shuttling the globe for
@Skype
) - a brave new world we live in!
When the pandemic started we started playing with the ideas around different ways of testing and different tests. Trying to find out how that could help people return to work safely, go to mass events, see their families, etc. 1/n
Don't miss this one! Two giants of European tech
@collision
(
@stripe
) and
@taavet
(
@TransferWise
) come together to share their startup journey and explore what it will take to make Europe the most entrepreneurial continent.
๐๏ธ Get your free ticket now:
Turns out even taxi drivers use
@TransferWise
in Helsinki. Mine sends money to Thailand. And to girlfriend in Philippines too. And he has a borderless card as well.
How to answer this? -- "I am reaching out as I would love to connect with you, or someone else at Taavet Hinrikus to discuss XYZ. Would you be the right person, or could you steer me in the right direction??"
"The result is that, despite the revolution in technology, itโs still quicker to take a suitcase of money by plane to many parts of the world." -- amazing that its still this way in 2018... That's why we will stay busy for a long time
@TransferWise
to change this.
40% of our London team is filling in their EU Settlement Scheme application right now, and we know our customers are doing the same - โฆ
@TransferWise
โฉ we're opening our doors to EU citizens to help
#thatssettled
#brexit
NOW THIS IS WORLD BEATING TEST & TRACE...
1. Flew safe & distanced to Estonia. Landed 10:15pm
2. Digital democracy welcomes visitor from country with COVID on rampage
3. Choice: 14 day quarantine or โฌ69 test
4. Swabbed (nicely): 10:29pm
5. Result (sms): 08:30am
6. Now: Coffee :)
Fintech is coming home I guess the alternatives to the old system are real now
@monzo
@Chime
@n26
@TransferWise
and others that all have million(s) of people using them. This time its for real.
Esimene Haridusfond lรคks meil tรคitsa hรคsti - kokku toetasime 15 algatust, mis jรตudsid 80% Eesti koolidest ja neist sai osa ligi 40 000 รตpilast. 1/
Just had a phone conference. The good old kind where you type in pin codes and stuff. And ask "who just joined"? It was sooo painful. Back to the future pls!
And I realise that I worked at one (
@Skype
), co-founded one (
@TransferWise
) and invested in the other two (
@boltapp
and
@pipedrive
). Maybe I should go to the casino for the first time to try some of Playtech goodies too?
Lots to be hopeful for - climate, covid, Europe, etc and of course America. Congrats to President-Elect
@JoeBiden
@KamalaHarris
! Its time to (re)build!
That's the right level of ambition for Europe for now. Lets go and get it! โTo achieve all that, Iโll follow your ambition โ 10 technology companies that are worth โฌ100 billion or more by 2030,โ Macron said
When some of the most prominent researches say that "most likely result of ... is that literally everyone on Earth will die" it makes sense to pay attention. There are *huge* dangers around the arms race in AI and we're playing with hot hot fire.
Super excited about continuing to support
@join_ef
. What
@Alicebentinck
and
@matthewclifford
are doing is really outstanding - a rare example of innovation in the category. And a great way of increasing supply in the sector.
Need some help - can you fill these 7 questions please about your attitude to sharing illness/immunity status regarding COVID-19? this is for the immunity passport idea we're working on for Estonia/Saaremaa
@theglobalhack
@CovClear
Excited to be launching
@TransferWise
in Malaysia today! Thanks to Dr Ong Kian Ming (Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister) and Natalie Black (Her Majestyโs Trade Commissioner) for launching us!
@imokman
@natalieblackuk
Great chat with President
@KerstiKaljulaid
yesterday about the future of education and more - video here
Last 10 days to apply to
@KoodJohvi
school, we already have 2000 applications, the test may be hard, but its the crazy ones that try who will succeed!
About 3 years ago we came together to start thinking of a new tech educational pillar for Estonia -
@koodjohvi
was born.
Today there are 500 students studying in the school.
And this week we opened our new building.
Cant wait to see what we do in the next three years!