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Helena Strigård,
Founder Ventures Accelerated
Helena Strigård, Founder Ventures Accelerated
It’s been nearly two years since I set my mind on creating something like Ventures Accelerated. It was one of those pivotal moments, sitting in the garden of an old, rented house in Southern France. I had recently handed in my resignation from a job as CEO at a biologics manufacturing company and was, truthfully, a bit lost as to what the next big step would be. I had some interim gigs in the pipeline, where I had been asked to do “my thing”. But what on earth was my thing? It seemed to have something to do with driving companies or organisations past inflection points, securing their strategic positioning in the market or vis-a-vis investors. But how could I package that? And weren’t there already zillions of people doing just that ”thing”?
Fast forward to London, May 2024. The interim gig at an executive search agency I had taken on was coming to an end, with a promising exit in sight. I had invested more than I should have, while my fellow co-owners and I were due to part ways. I choose to grab the exit opportunity and today I am beyond grateful that I did! The ROI of that one year of accelerating an executive search company’s venture was providing the financial platform needed to turn my dream, born the garden in Provence, into reality.
So what exactly was that dream about?
It was about accelerating carefully selected ventures of life science companies through AI powered matchmaking intelligence paired with top tier consultancy services.
More specifically, being able to swiftly assemble exactly the right set of people at the right time combined with validated AI support. All in all, enabling us to take on a pivotal role in these companies growth journeys, while operating nimbly at a speed that makes us earn our name.
The HOW was the uniqueness in the set up.
Well, that’s unheard of… I know, its a standard phrase used in any sales pitch. But to this date, when people ask me who our competitors are, I can’t really name one. Because I honestly don’t know of anyone trying this approach of ours to accelerate ventures in life sciences. So far, our clients range from smaller growth companies to big pharmas, industry organisations and agencies, as well as investors looking to syndicate cleverly.
”You guys really got something,” I was told by a client a few days ago. The client was actually an AI company notably targeting the life science industry. So in a way, competitor-ish—in theory.
In practice, a supercool company with an agile management team that we could surely learn from, as we develop our own in-house AI tech further for efficient search of business or marketing opportunities, investors, etc. However, lacking the ability to snap their fingers to assemble a customized team ready to do anything from analysing their BD, market plan or fundraising strategy and then also having the means to execute it. Globally.
Today, six months in, we are a core team of 20 based in the US and Europe, with a vast auxiliary network of trusted partners and advisors around each of us. This enables us to swiftly take on the full multitude of assignments that are instrumental for our industry. Our emphasis is on investor relations, business development, strategic positioning and market access / entry. Sometimes investing small amounts of money to have some skin in the game, but more importantly, investing our brains and commitment. The signature of anyone associated with Ventures Accelerated is taking huge pride and pleasure in what we do.
There is a twist to the story, which makes that moment in London quite important. After two decades of living together, I ought to have known that this guy I met at Chalmers Technical University and partnered up with on a venture called life had some useful skills in his role as information architect. That was about as deep as I could go when asked at parties ”what does your husband do”. I guess I was more focused on solving our daily life puzzle with three kids and a gazillion animals than what his career in IT actually consisted of. But then came AI. And even I, as far away from tech savvy as one can be, realised that being able to manage AI tech with a firm hand would come in handy for the type of venture accelerator I was set on creating. That was the EXACT moment we both realised ”we really got something”.
Hearing this now from clients of ours is a dream come true. I am grateful beyond words to everyone who made it possible. Including the younger version of myself and all the hard lessons she had to learn.