Scaling Globally: A Discussion with Tech Leaders Rainer Sternfeld and Sten Tamkivi

Sten Tamkivi is the co-founder of Plural Platform, a venture fund established in 2021 with a focus on investing in early-stage technology startups across Europe. With his extensive experience as an entrepreneur and executive at companies such as Teleport and Skype, Sten is a firm believer in the importance of a tolerant, open, and creative society that fosters entrepreneurship. Through Plural Platform, Sten seeks to identify and invest in the most promising and innovative companies across the European continent, that have the potential to become market leaders. Rainer Sternfeld is an engineer and entrepreneur turned investor with over two decades of experience building technology businesses and products across Silicon Valley, Europe, and Japan. He was the co-founder & CEO of Planet OS (acquired by Intertrust) and moved to Estonia in 2019 to build NordicNinja – the largest Japanese VC fund in Europe – to help founders scale globally. Rainer is passionate about sustainability, empowering communities, and backing mission-driven founders tackling global challenges.

In this session, we'll cover some of the most prominent topics and questions that start-up founders face today, including: How to make your first hires a success? How to grow your initial team from 0 to 100 employees? How to hire talent globally from the beginning? What are the make-or-break decisions that will lead your start-up to success? When to hire your first external C-level expert?