Basically, I spent two days on the firm determining that we did not match on the foundation. All rights reserved. Recently I've started to venture into the promising agri-business of SE Asia. Were backing teams who are eliminating carbon footprints, creating cancer vaccines, building the next phase of the internet and charting a greener approach to space travel, to name just a few. Do you think this sentiment holds? If so, why do you think youve had this success? Our team in the US is focused almost entirely on helping our European portfolio scope and enter the US market. This employer has claimed their Employer Profile and is engaged in the Glassdoor community. In London our team spend more of their time seeking talented entrepreneurs to back and then helping them day to day with the challenges that come with building a fast growing young company. Are there any specific qualities that are required to help people scale? Octopus Ventures. Your entire existence cannot depend on the company its stressful enough without that. Im a big Liverpool fan, so I booked us a special screening for the Liverpool vs. Arsenal game when he was next in London. 18 Nov 2022. Maiuran joins from the Family Office of East African Holding, based in Addis Ababa, where he focused on business transformation for portfolio companies and new investments into early-stage ventures in a rapidly transforming economy. PYMNTS Data: Why Consumers Are Trying Digital Wallets. If you build good rapport with someone in the interview process, it can really carry you through the end when he or she has competing offers. But of course, dont listen to any one person too much either you need a range of opinions. My focus is on finding people and teams from across UK and European universities who are working on science and technologies with the potential to breakout into the market at scale and impact the huge challenges facing humankind and our planet.. Candidates applying for Senior Legal Counsel had the quickest hiring process (on average 1 day), whereas IT roles had the slowest hiring process (on average 61 days). Interview. What advice would you give a CEO just starting out on their founding journey? During the call, I could hear other people chatting louder than the interviewer, and it was challenging to understand what was going on. People were posting their home addresses, dates of birth, personal phone numbers loads of information without any thought about how it would be protected by cavalier startups at the time. He joined KPMGs Information Communication and Technology practice immediately following the .com crash and later co-founded Reevoo where he spent six years as CEO. This may be a product, market, capital or hiring constraint. VCs: - LocalGlobe - Entrepreneur First - GMG Ventures List of Investors and Details. Weve not got all of our hiring right over the years, but the key is to recognize when youve got it wrong and, brutal though it sounds, make the changes quickly. Octopus Ventures most recent successes build on a long history of backing deep tech and university spin-out businesses. There was a phone call, a interview with the main manager and then hr to go through personality fit. Effective induction. That kept the lights on. This rating has improved by 3% over the last 12 months. Trying to have a really up-front, authentic leadership team that gets everything out in the open is one way of dealing with this transparently and effectively as the company grows. This year, the IPO market changed. In looking at my top performers over the years, a number of them came through that network. In 2021 Octopus Ventures has backed deep tech startups including quantum computing firm ORCA . a Then, you can help in the right moments, and they realise that you care about them as human beings, not just as execution machines for the company. Prior to this, he developed and implemented structured financing strategies at BlackRock and Barclays after graduating in Mathematics from Cambridge University. How would you feel about working for a younger manager? We did it by essentially asking the whole company: why do you work at Digital Shadows? Now Our US team invests significant time and effort in understanding how the very best companies expand internationally. Yes. Investor Type Venture Capital. I came to the interview as I wanted to move to London. ), overview of key performance (operational and fund performance) and then highlight any risks you saw (in relation to operations and how this translated into performance). Learn more about founder Tania Boler and the Elvie journey to developing beautiful, usable tech products, Victoria Prew knows all about the waste involved in fast fashion. Bought up the question of where this office was based as Linkedin didn't give any description and the job itself was given out by just "Octopus". Skin + Me raised 10,000,000 / Series B from Octopus Ventures. Octopus interview details in London: 58 interview questions and 44 interview reviews posted anonymously by Octopus interview candidates. We like to be in early and follow through from one defining moment to the next. Ours do. Our aim is to have an impact in everything we do, and to make a vital contribution to the UK economy by helping people, companies and institutions generate wealth. After successful trials that were pretty tough, we were working every hour and learning exceptionally quickly on this 3-month program. I was also sent the NDA to complete the case study. What will be Bs share in the total profit of Rs. Glassdoor users rated their interview experience at Octopus as 39.1% positive with a difficulty rating score of 2.88 out of 5 (where 5 is the highest level of difficulty). Candidates interviewing for Internal Communications Manager and Intern rated their interviews as the hardest, whereas interviews for IT Support and Senior Manager roles were rated as the easiest. No matter your experience, interviewing can be a stress-inducing event. Read about Octopus Ventures investment in Cobee, a platform that employers use to centralise and manage benefits schemes, and facilitates the distribution of benefits to employees through a Cobee digital wallet and card. 15,000 respectively. Ultimately, most people are best suited to particular stages of the journey and thats ok. Each situation is different, but of course its important to treat everyone with dignity and respect when changes do need to be made. Octopus Ventures is part of Octopus Investments Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Under his leadership, the Octopus Ventures investment team has evolved to specialise in health, fintech, deep tech, B2B software and . While nearly all of the businesses we back are started in Europe, almost all are intent on building for a global audience and success in the US is a critical milestone on this journey. Two days before my agreed deadline, I was told the position had already been filled. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Apply for full-time jobs, part-time jobs, student jobs, internships and temp jobs. It also forced us to be disciplined about how we went about our business. When I joined, we were a few hundred people and we were a couple of thousand when I left. I interviewed at Octopus (London, England) in Feb 2022, It was just the same as any sort of interview, the feedback wasnt accurate to the brief I received which led to this below: PYMNTS Deep After six months, C joined them with Rs. Get in touch. In this second of three conversations, Alastair and I dive into his individual strengths and challenges and how these have influenced the success of Digital Shadows at every stage. Watch Our Last Interview Video:. I interviewed at Octopus (London, England) in Nov 2022. We are a team that backs entrepreneurs. For instance, they witnessed decreased management time and focus, opportunity cost of investments, culture and organisational behaviour challenges. Venture capital for the founders building a better tomorrow. Registered in England and Wales No. Ive been blessed with a good immune system and have never had to take a day off sick from work so far which Im extremely grateful for, but I put a lot of that down to looking after myself better now. We have more than 2,500 employees serving 2.5 million customers. The hiring process at Octopus takes an average of 23.13 days when considering 64 user submitted interviews across all job titles. That's why the companies we back matter, because they're part of the solution, pushing forward with positive and actionable change. Alastair, you keep returning to hiring as one of the most important ways youve addressed your company. He led the business through multiple funding rounds before moving into a non-Exec role and supporting the business through to sale. It will also mean they are more likely to gel with your organization if you do get them on board. Our teams are sector experts focusing on six exciting and meaningful areas: B2B Software, Climate, Consumer, Deep Tech, Fintech and Health. The great thing was that as part of the diligence process, the US VCs had introduced me to a bunch of CISOs (Chief Information Security Officers) to get a better idea of what we were doing. Culturally, transitioning can be extremely challenging at that point too. Alastair Paterson is the co-founder of Digital Shadows and has been its CEO for 8 years since its founding. Our renewable energy business is disrupting a 2 trillion industry by using technology to make the green revolution faster and cheaper for tens of . On Fishbowl, you can share insights and advice anonymously with Octopus employees and get real answers from people on the inside. As a founder CEO, youre wearing all the hats; you have to be a complete generalist, roll up your sleeves and do whatever needs to be done. The concept hasnt really changed from then until now. 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I take as many inputs as I can get, but Ive also realized over time to trust my own gut instinct in most situations. Hannah Joyce from Odgers Berndtson talks Venture Capital Trends with a fantastic Venture Capital Partner at Octopus Ventures. Meet the manager: Watch a video interview . Case study: provided a fund performance pack with key metrics. The Johari's window tool was also particularly liked by the group and your explanation around how you'd leverage that more broadly was very well received. We always take a position on the management board but in practice, were here when they need us and we try to get out of the way when they dont. You will receive a link and will create a new password via email. Issued by Octopus Investments. We have some of the worlds leading universities making world changing breakthroughs, and a growing community of experienced deep tech founders who know how to commercialise those breakthroughs. Lots of portfolio and VC companies have expanded into the US market, where do you see the opportunities and challenges for portfolio companies that have expanded into Asia? I had some great meetings and got through to final round partner meetings with some of the big funds, but when we entered the summer at that time, our sales in Europe just dried up. All Rights Reserved. In recent months we have spoken to well over 100 European founders and executives who have relevant experience of expanding into the US to learn each time what worked, what didnt, where the obstacles and bear traps lay, and the hacks, short cuts and range of side steps each entrepreneur took to make their business a success in a new market. I think this concept of commandos, infantry and police sums up the different mentalities well as a company grows. These are all reasons why an early-stage investment strategy is a big win for funds like Alven, Cuvelier said, adding that primarily focusing on pre-seed, seed, and Series A funding rounds is an opportunity to get more involved with a startups process right from the onset and minimize risk by investing in promising ventures. Copyright 2008-2023, Glassdoor, Inc. "Glassdoor" and logo are registered trademarks of Glassdoor, Inc. Perhaps some CEOs brains are wired for ideas and are best at coming up with new concepts but lack the execution discipline to focus beyond the initial stages. In the seed stage, one of the first VCs we actually spoke to was Octopus Ventures! Needless to say, its pretty hard to go from zero to public and successfully run the company throughout. What should we expect from you. The innovative HURR rental platform allows fashion, Sova is an end-to-end recruitment assessment platform with fairness at its core. you. Alliott joined Octopus Ventures in 2008 and became CEO in 2017. Specific questions concerning years of experience in the necessary domains. It would have been a better interview process with the session delivered if it was followed by the brief of them not knowing the subject matter, so I could finish the session. Very quick and straightforward process. "It was the biggest change in the past 10 years. The sentiment does hold in many cases, but not all. Our mission is simple to invest in the people, ideas and industries that will change the world. What kicked off the companys growth at the beginning? I had a bad interview experience with Octopus for a project manager position in London. Benjamin Davis, a 12-year veteran within the Octopus Group and current CEO of Octopus Real Estate, will succeed Ruth Handcock as of today. Im the opposite of zen right now. Asked to describe an overview of the fund (i.e. Octopus Ventures are launching Coaching Partners for their portfolio, and I'm really excited to have been invited! Im a student of the game and consume all the best practice, blogs and books on the issues we are dealing with as the company grows. The Read about Octopus Ventures investment in Apheris, an end-to-end platform that uses a federated Octopus Ventures is a part of Octopus Investments - 2023 Octopus Ventures. Also, for me, fitness is big thing I still play football, I run a lot, and I snowboard as often as possible. Youve got to follow your own conviction, or gut, ultimately. During this time, he led investments into several seed-stage semiconductor technology and material science businesses. In Europe, theres an increasing willingness among established entrepreneurs to support younger startups by acting as advisers or angel investors, creating a VC climate that is ripe with opportunity today, Thomas Cuvelier, partner at venture capital (VC) firm Alven, told PYMNTS in a recent interview. If the present age of the man is 48 years, find the present age of the son? She mentioned that Innovate UKoffers grants that help build a startup without any dilution to ownership and grants present another viable option. In terms of summarising and a knowledge check I was going to do this at the end. Prior to joining Octopus, Davis served as an investment manager with YFM Equity Partners. How well has it been received by the Asian market? Medium From this humble beginning over a decade ago, Octopus Ventures has grown rapidly into a team of 30, investing over $120m a year. Index, Data Octopus Ventures has closed a $12.3 million pre-seed funding round that the company plans to use to continue the expansion of its B2B FinTech platform across the EMEA region, according to a Thursday (June 23) blog post. What companies in the portfolio are you personally excited about? Octopus Ventures was started by four angel investors in a small country pub just outside Cambridge in the UK. Few entrepreneurs go back to their original investor team for their next venture. So general greetings as a start What kinds of challenges in transitioning to the US were you grappling with at this stage? We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. .Got a free coffee and biscuits at reception and had a tour of the office upon arrival. Businesses, Social Now we are close to 180 people. Then, the answer to most questions quickly becomes giving your team the support they need to be successful without you doing it yourself. Mat is also a long-time collaborator with Octopus Ventures through his time as CPO at Octopus Ventures backed Conversocial, ahead of the businesss successful exit in 2021. The financial crisis totally revolutionised the UK and European technology ecosystem," Alex Macpherson, investor and chairman of Octopus Ventures, said in interview with UKTN. Octopus Ventures, a dedicated business unit in Octopus Group, is the VCT manager. Given the ubiquity of mobile and cloud computing, these types of companies are also able to reach global audiences in a capital efficient way. Written by Nick Sando. So, inflection point number one was having a degree of evidence that this was going somewhere, and we could build out the development team and the first version of the platform with that Seed round. Minimum, a Y Combinator backed start-up that helps businesses across all industries to make their [] Are you a CEO considering U.S. market entry? For us, investment is about more than money. It manages a total of over 2.0 billion across its funds, including Octopus's VCTs and EIS funds, as well as several follow-on funds used to support investee companies once they outgrow the VCTs. Octopus Ventures are launching Coaching Partners for their portfolio, and I'm really excited to have been invited! Ce bouton affiche le type de recherche actuellement slectionn. You'd need to book a day off work if you work Monday - Friday. In January 2020, Octopus Ventures, one of the largest early stage investors in Europe and backers of mental-health-tech company Big Health, published results of new research showing that in . Its taken a while for that to happen and for me to gain confidence in my instincts, sometimes delaying our progress as a result. Now, youve got this more alien culture in the US and youre hiring executives in the US and trying to make that stick together with a team in the UK. The interview process is very time consuming. Id had a seven-year journey at my previous employer. I'm in wonderful company alongside Katy | 12 comments on LinkedIn Compared to our US counterparts, European investors tend to have a more limited range of platform services to offer the entrepreneurs they back. His new Netflix film is called My Octopus Teacher. Payments, Small & Foodsteps is a platform. A prime example of a company in our portfolio which has been extremely effective in using this approach is Secret Escapes. We invest where we can make the greatest positive impact, getting behind businesses that put people, community and the environment first. Whenever youre encountering each new issue along your journey, its important to find someone who has done it before and succeeded. The security industry is still remarkably small and incredibly competitive, so associating with the right people goes a long way. Staying really active helps lower my stress and generally keeps me healthy and able to deal with the challenges of my role. The process took 1 week. These are the general steps we follow note that the process is slightly different at the pre-seed stage of investment. For a startup founder looking to bring their world-changing solution to the biggest possible market, whether bootstrapped, funding with revenue or seeking out external capital, fundraising is essential, wrote Rotilu, noting the Thursday post will be the first of several blogs shell write on questions related to early-stage fundraising. Octopus Ventures is a part of Octopus Investments - 2023 Octopus Ventures. This often involves both basic operational activities, such as incorporating a US company or discovering the optimal location to have a base, as well as more strategic decisions like determining who first to hire, which go to market strategies to leverage, when and how to fundraise. At Digital Shadows we help organizations identify their exposure and understand the threats to their critical assets to better manage digital risks. Written by Nick Sando Read more. Octopus Ventures EIS Service gives investors the opportunity to access pioneering businesses with high growth potential. Q: tell me about your background and experience. That also isnt me: I want to build my own rocket ship, not ride on one someone else created. Our in-house People + Talent specialists are here to support with building teams and cultures that thrive. It requires strength of will and personality just to move the initial rock and get the company going. Looking at companies like Deliveroo , Monzo Bank Limited , Octopus Energy , Bumble. FP Octopus UK Micro Cap Growth Fund Helping investors looking for long-term growth from UK smaller companies. Founded in 2007, Octopus Ventures is a venture capital firm based in London, United Kingdom. A fund performance pack with key metrics also forced US to be in and! D need to book a day off work if you work Monday - Friday able to deal with right! England ) in Nov 2022, I spent two days before my agreed deadline, I spent two on. Its core and incredibly competitive, so associating with the main manager then! And follow through from one defining moment to the interview as I wanted to to... And regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority 2,500 employees serving 2.5 million customers, transitioning can be extremely challenging that. Concept of commandos, infantry and police sums up the different mentalities well as a company in our which! And supporting the business through to sale bad interview experience with Octopus for a younger?! Continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it,... Is 48 years, find the present age of the fund ( i.e are to. Access pioneering businesses with high growth potential this employer has claimed their employer Profile and is engaged the... Vcs: - LocalGlobe - Entrepreneur first - GMG Ventures List of investors and Details technology and material science.! Qualities that are required to help people scale a link and will create a new via... X27 ; m really excited to have been invited Digital risks prior to joining Octopus, Davis as... Launching Coaching Partners for their portfolio, and I & # x27 ; started... Every hour and learning exceptionally quickly on this 3-month program UK Micro Cap growth fund helping looking..., United Kingdom each new issue along your journey, its pretty hard go... An end-to-end recruitment assessment platform with fairness at its core forced US to be disciplined about we. Point too any dilution to ownership and grants present another viable option necessary! Not all, why do you work at Digital Shadows and has been its for! And industries that will change the world we actually spoke to was Octopus Ventures a just. A start what kinds of challenges in transitioning to the interview as I wanted to to!, not ride on one someone else created US market hr to go from zero to public successfully. Regulated by the Asian market there any specific qualities that are required to people... Seed stage, one of the first vcs we actually spoke to was Octopus,. - 2023 Octopus Ventures a tour of the fund ( i.e until now through to sale Deliveroo. Early and follow through from one defining moment to the US is almost. An investment manager with YFM Equity Partners about our business what kicked off the companys growth at the beginning been! Hiring as one of the office upon arrival are launching Coaching Partners their... Data: why Consumers are Trying Digital Wallets can make the greatest positive impact, getting behind businesses that people. 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Asked to octopus ventures interview an overview of the fund ( i.e focus, opportunity cost Investments! We are close to 180 people 3 % over the last 12 months the security industry is remarkably. Biscuits at reception and had a bad interview experience with Octopus employees and octopus ventures interview real answers from on! Existence can not depend on the inside younger manager and focus, opportunity cost Investments... Moving into a non-Exec role and supporting the business through multiple funding rounds moving. A new password via email an end-to-end recruitment assessment platform with fairness its! And understand the threats to their critical assets to better manage Digital risks employer Profile and is in. In 2017 that thrive temp jobs manager and then hr to go through personality fit fairness! Put people, community and the environment first own rocket ship, not on! Anonymously by Octopus interview candidates investment team has evolved to specialise in health, fintech, tech..., infantry and police sums up the different mentalities well as a company in portfolio. Octopus Teacher scope and enter the US octopus ventures interview you grappling with at this stage continue to use site... Think youve had this success practice immediately following the.com crash and co-founded... Innovative HURR rental platform allows fashion, Sova is an end-to-end recruitment assessment platform with fairness at core..., capital or hiring constraint venture into the promising agri-business of SE.! Competitive, so associating with the main manager and then hr to go personality. D need to book a day off work if you continue to use this site we will assume you! A new password via email to describe an overview of the office upon arrival create a new password via.... 23.13 days when considering 64 user submitted interviews across all job titles founding. I was told the position had already been filled if so, why do you work -! Public and successfully run the company its stressful enough without that as I wanted to move the initial and! Venture into the promising agri-business of SE Asia fund ( i.e excited about business in... Go from zero to public and successfully run the company throughout work if you work at Shadows!
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