Quantum Physicist Turned VC Partner, with Sasha Vidiborskiy, Partner at Atomico

“The most successful companies are the ones that went against what is considered the status quo.”In our inaugural episode of our latest VC feature series, we’re joined by someone who is inspired by Founders that don't see limits in what could be achieved with the help of technology…Today, we’re joined by Sasha Vidiborskiy, a quantum physicist turned VC Partner at Atomico.  Atomico is a $5bn+ AUM VC fund, investing in ambitious tech Founders at Series A and beyond, with a particular focus on Europe.  Founded in 2006, Niklas Zennstrom, former CEO and Co-Founder of Skype, Atomico has partnered with over 100 ambitious teams, including those at Klarna, Supercell, MessageBird, Pipedrive, Hinge Health, Ben, and many more.  In today’s episode, we dig into Sasha’s background, his move into VC and tons of advice for aspiring investors, including:  ➡️ The effects of sending out rejections [05:36]  ➡️ An overlooked area in VC [07:43]  ➡️ From electrical engineering and quantum physics to VC [09:13]  ➡️ A taster of Founder life & lessons for investors [14:54]  ➡️ Why Atomico & how Sasha works with Founders [19:09]  ➡️ The Partner role explained [26:10]  ➡️ Pitching advice for Founders [29:01]  ➡️ Purposeful investments that get a good return [33:24]  ➡️ Advice for aspiring Investors [37:47]    ⛳ Helpful links: ➡️ Connect with Sasha: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vidiborskiy/ ➡️ More about Atomico: https://atomico.com/   ⭐Enjoyed this episode?⭐️ Keep up to date with all our latest episodes, by hitting the subscribe button on your favourite podcast platform. And for any feedback on what you enjoy the most and ideas on what we can do to make 40 Minute Mentor even better, please leave us a review on https://ratethispodcast.com/40mm   🏆 Want to partner with us?  Do you want to get your brand in front of leading Startup Founders, Investors and C-Suite decision-makers, and attract some of the sharpest talent in the Startup/Scaleup scene? Get in touch with our Head of Marketing and Producer, Hannah to find out more about how we can co-produce content that will help you stand out and engage with over 40,000 loyal monthly listeners. You can reach her on [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices