Marten Mickos
@martenmickos.bsky.social
CEO in the service of AI startup CEOs.
Former CEO of HackerOne, Eucalyptus Systems, MySQL.
Former CEO of HackerOne, Eucalyptus Systems, MySQL.
While AI is getting smarter, it is getting less expensive.
The GPQA Diamond score is rising and cost per token is shrinking. At some point these favorable trends will flatten, but not yet.
The GPQA Diamond score is rising and cost per token is shrinking. At some point these favorable trends will flatten, but not yet.
December 5, 2025 at 5:30 PM
While AI is getting smarter, it is getting less expensive.
The GPQA Diamond score is rising and cost per token is shrinking. At some point these favorable trends will flatten, but not yet.
The GPQA Diamond score is rising and cost per token is shrinking. At some point these favorable trends will flatten, but not yet.
European AI startups ranked by investment valuation
December 1, 2025 at 6:21 PM
European AI startups ranked by investment valuation
If you wonder how to do GTM for a startup with the highest ambitions, read Make It Snow by Denise Persson (marketing) and Chris Degnan (sales) who were "like one brain in two bodies".
November 29, 2025 at 2:55 PM
If you wonder how to do GTM for a startup with the highest ambitions, read Make It Snow by Denise Persson (marketing) and Chris Degnan (sales) who were "like one brain in two bodies".
Gorgeous StoraEnso HQ
November 19, 2025 at 5:25 AM
Gorgeous StoraEnso HQ
AI datacenter buildout is real, plans unreal.
November 16, 2025 at 4:58 AM
AI datacenter buildout is real, plans unreal.
We humans cling to assumptions, instincts and habits.
November 12, 2025 at 8:43 PM
We humans cling to assumptions, instincts and habits.
How to be a Founder, by Alice Bentinck and Matt Clifford (2022).
"Success is not dependent on what you already know, but on what you learn through pursuing a particular solution to a particular problem."
"Success is not dependent on what you already know, but on what you learn through pursuing a particular solution to a particular problem."
November 12, 2025 at 6:37 AM
How to be a Founder, by Alice Bentinck and Matt Clifford (2022).
"Success is not dependent on what you already know, but on what you learn through pursuing a particular solution to a particular problem."
"Success is not dependent on what you already know, but on what you learn through pursuing a particular solution to a particular problem."
Everything in America is bigger because things grow faster.
November 8, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Everything in America is bigger because things grow faster.
This is ominous:
October 25, 2025 at 5:38 AM
This is ominous:
Finland has 22 unicorns on its hall of fame. The first one was MySQL, founded in 1995 and achieved unicorn status in 2008.
October 20, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Finland has 22 unicorns on its hall of fame. The first one was MySQL, founded in 1995 and achieved unicorn status in 2008.
So fast to 500 million in annually recurring revenues!
October 16, 2025 at 11:53 AM
So fast to 500 million in annually recurring revenues!
Well said by Jorma Eloranta about what corporate boards in Finland will need.
Full column (behind paywall): www.hs.fi/mielipide/ar...
Full column (behind paywall): www.hs.fi/mielipide/ar...
October 8, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Well said by Jorma Eloranta about what corporate boards in Finland will need.
Full column (behind paywall): www.hs.fi/mielipide/ar...
Full column (behind paywall): www.hs.fi/mielipide/ar...
300 Nordic startup founders listening to Ben Horowitz interviewed by Anders Mjåset during Mesh SF.
October 6, 2025 at 11:12 PM
300 Nordic startup founders listening to Ben Horowitz interviewed by Anders Mjåset during Mesh SF.
Mesh SF event with Nordic startup builders.
Morning run for the fastest!
Morning run for the fastest!
October 6, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Mesh SF event with Nordic startup builders.
Morning run for the fastest!
Morning run for the fastest!
From Aalto University student to self-made billionaire. Energy visionary. Candid insights on fossil fuels, the climate crisis, and the real opportunities in renewables.
No fluff. Just raw insights from one of Finland’s boldest founders. Be there. Aalto Founder Talks.
No fluff. Just raw insights from one of Finland’s boldest founders. Be there. Aalto Founder Talks.
October 5, 2025 at 6:57 PM
From Aalto University student to self-made billionaire. Energy visionary. Candid insights on fossil fuels, the climate crisis, and the real opportunities in renewables.
No fluff. Just raw insights from one of Finland’s boldest founders. Be there. Aalto Founder Talks.
No fluff. Just raw insights from one of Finland’s boldest founders. Be there. Aalto Founder Talks.
A 5k/10k run then networking.
Introducing Aalto Founder School as well.
Introducing Aalto Founder School as well.
October 1, 2025 at 3:13 PM
A 5k/10k run then networking.
Introducing Aalto Founder School as well.
Introducing Aalto Founder School as well.
A wonderful, insightful, great new book. It lays out powerful mental models that focus our minds - and AI technologies - on what makes this world a better place.
The Transformation Principles by Hemant Taneja.
The Transformation Principles by Hemant Taneja.
October 1, 2025 at 12:38 PM
A wonderful, insightful, great new book. It lays out powerful mental models that focus our minds - and AI technologies - on what makes this world a better place.
The Transformation Principles by Hemant Taneja.
The Transformation Principles by Hemant Taneja.
Aalto Founder Talks series: Inaugural session with the profoundly inspirational startup entrepreneur Monika Liikamaa.
Recording freely available from the Finnish national broadcasting company for the next weeks.
areena.yle.fi/1-76081215
Recording freely available from the Finnish national broadcasting company for the next weeks.
areena.yle.fi/1-76081215
September 19, 2025 at 4:35 AM
Aalto Founder Talks series: Inaugural session with the profoundly inspirational startup entrepreneur Monika Liikamaa.
Recording freely available from the Finnish national broadcasting company for the next weeks.
areena.yle.fi/1-76081215
Recording freely available from the Finnish national broadcasting company for the next weeks.
areena.yle.fi/1-76081215
State of Software 2025 report by Iconiq Capital
www.iconiqcapital.com/growth/repor...
www.iconiqcapital.com/growth/repor...
September 14, 2025 at 6:17 PM
State of Software 2025 report by Iconiq Capital
www.iconiqcapital.com/growth/repor...
www.iconiqcapital.com/growth/repor...
Top AI companies according to Madrona Ventures:
September 14, 2025 at 3:15 AM
Top AI companies according to Madrona Ventures:
Every text here is golden.
Concrete and sage advice to startup leaders by one of the best coaches in the tech industry: Rich Hagberg.
www.linkedin.com/in/rich-hagb...
Concrete and sage advice to startup leaders by one of the best coaches in the tech industry: Rich Hagberg.
www.linkedin.com/in/rich-hagb...
September 7, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Every text here is golden.
Concrete and sage advice to startup leaders by one of the best coaches in the tech industry: Rich Hagberg.
www.linkedin.com/in/rich-hagb...
Concrete and sage advice to startup leaders by one of the best coaches in the tech industry: Rich Hagberg.
www.linkedin.com/in/rich-hagb...
Mark your calendar for Aalto Founder Talk with the amazing startup founder Monika Liikamaa at 14:00hrs on Thu 18 Sep 2025 in the Marsio building on the Aalto University campus.
September 5, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Mark your calendar for Aalto Founder Talk with the amazing startup founder Monika Liikamaa at 14:00hrs on Thu 18 Sep 2025 in the Marsio building on the Aalto University campus.
Day One for new students at Aalto University.
Making sure Aalto Founder School is on their radar.
Making sure Aalto Founder School is on their radar.
September 3, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Day One for new students at Aalto University.
Making sure Aalto Founder School is on their radar.
Making sure Aalto Founder School is on their radar.
100 x 100 is a goal Finland's startup community is setting.
Build 100 new startups that reach 100 million in sales within 10 years. That's 10 billion in new business.
(100x100 is also a measure of strong timber)
Build 100 new startups that reach 100 million in sales within 10 years. That's 10 billion in new business.
(100x100 is also a measure of strong timber)
August 31, 2025 at 10:30 AM
100 x 100 is a goal Finland's startup community is setting.
Build 100 new startups that reach 100 million in sales within 10 years. That's 10 billion in new business.
(100x100 is also a measure of strong timber)
Build 100 new startups that reach 100 million in sales within 10 years. That's 10 billion in new business.
(100x100 is also a measure of strong timber)