TECHSTRAT PRESENTS AT SOLD OUT M&A BOOTCAMP IN HELSINKI, JANUARY 10 2020

What started as an invitation-only event for a few portfolio companies quickly morphed into a sold-out event with 120 people signing up in three days, and another 80 joining the wait list in the ensuing week.  “Start with the Exit in Mind” clearly struck a chord with entrepreneurs.  In an interview with Kauppalehti, the Finnish WSJ, we got several clues as to why the event proved to be so popular.  The first questions was “Why start with the exit in mind?  Doesn’t that go against the advice of every experienced board member and investor?”  We went through our presentation agenda with the journalist, describing our approach to M&A planning. We discussed aligning shareholders, being thoughtful and forward-looking in capital formation, maintaining a VDR and agile, accurate financial reporting, and on building partnerships and awareness throughout industry.  Our host Risto Rautakorpi then added his perspective:  “Starting with the exit in mind” does categorically NOT mean that founders become the proverbial horse traders and focus 100% of their energy in flogging whatever their asset might be. What it DOES mean is that from the start, you focus on building a company that someone else would want to buy one day – when the right time comes.”