Meet our LUMA
Kinnevik has a long history of taking in trainees, LUMAs, who work closely with the management team. Read more about Amanda Hillström, our LUMA #39
What made you decide that Kinnevik was the right fit for you?
At first, I was intrigued by the legacy of Kinnevik. Many historic companies cling to their trusted path, whilst Kinnevik continues to reinvent itself. This ability to challenge conventional ways of working and consistently innovate, alongside its history and heritage, reveals much of Kinnevik's culture.
Once I met the people at Kinnevik, I became certain that I would like to work here. Every single person I have met so far has accomplished impressive feats and is sincere with a good sense of humor.
What aspects of your role are you particularly enthusiastic about?
I must say shadowing Georgi in his day-to-day work. I cannot think of a better opportunity to gain a firsthand view of boardroom operations this early on in my career, allowing me to understand the rationale behind how and why decisions are made.
Can you share a bit about your background and previous experiences that led you here?
I have spent my past years in Lund studying Industrial Engineering and Management. Between student-life shenanigans, I have had the opportunity to intern at startups, consulting firms, and investment companies. I came to appreciate the fast pace and openness to new ideas in startups, the problem-solving approach in consulting, and the ownership in decision-making at investment firms. The combination of these experiences made me interested in Kinnevik. With its close collaboration with ventures, Kinnevik offers the opportunity to solve problems, actively participate in decision-making processes, and follow the journey from discovery to divestment.
What excites you about a career in venture capital?
A successful VC manages to balance attention to detail with a broader perspective. One-half of it is to understand the core of the businesses you're working with and think about how they can improve on a daily basis. The engineer in me loves to get down to the nitty-gritty and dig down to each digit. On the flip side, you have to keep the pulse of the macro environment and see how each business plays a part in the larger ecosystem. A career in VC is one of the few places where you get to do both!
What about joining our team intrigued you the most?
Although cliché, what genuinely impressed me were the people and their commitment to equality and sustainability. The Kinnevik team is a collective of smart, hardworking, and humble people. Their dedication to gender equality and climate change extends beyond Kinnevik and trickles down to each of their investments. This kind of forward-thinking responsibility is what we should see in all companies today, but unfortunately, most talk the talk rather than walk the walk.
Last but not least, if you were given the chance to grab a cup of coffee with a founder of your choice (past or present), who would you choose and why?
I was asked this question in an interview once - I completely choked and said the first name that came to mind. On second thought, I would like to meet Henry Ford. He’s a classic, school-book example of someone who managed to reinvent ways of thinking and completely transformed how the world manufactures. I wonder what he would think about a Starbucks frappuccino.
Here's what some of our previous LUMAs are doing today
#38 William Jaeckel
#34 Viktor Grell
Head of Box at Budbee
#33 Karin Blommegård
Head of Business Development & Partnership at Mathem