Data & Disruption: From MySQL to Truecaller w/ Tom Henrikkson, OpenOcean

In this episode, we sit down with Tom Henriksson, General Partner at OpenOcean, to dive into the world of venture capital and scaling groundbreaking software companies. From his pivotal role in growing MySQL into a billion-dollar exit to leading Nokia’s mobile ad business, Tom shares invaluable insights on what it takes to navigate the competitive VC landscape and drive success for data-driven software companies reshaping industries today. We also explore the unique challenges of venture investing, the critical importance of scaling early, and even how fatherhood has influenced his approach to leadership. If you're curious about building category-defining startups in Europe or just craving an inspiring conversation with one of the best in the game, this episode is for you! TIMESTAMPS / KEY TAKEAWAYS 0:00 - Intro 01:49 - Parenting: risk taking and philosophy as a VC 05:17 - “Entrepreneurship is the worst thing that you can do”; the evolution of entrepreneurship in Finland 09:10 - How to go on after failing first four investments 12:38 - Investing in software; MySQL 15:44 - Joining Nokia back in 2002; what made Nokia ahead of the others? 20:38 - Jyri Engerstrom & the innovator’s dilemma; Podia, the now Twitter 25:01 - From Nokia to OpenOcean 30:20 - Venture is tough business - how do we win in venture? 33:12 - Why invest out of Finland and operate out of Finland? 35:10 - Outlook for data software; the AI craze 38:03 - An anti-portfolio 39:52 - Billion Dollar Questions About Tom Henriksson Tom is a General Partner at OpenOcean and passionate about data-intensive software that is quick to love and built on strong technology. He is a big believer in accurate consumer profiling, marketing technologies, and intelligent automation of the enterprise. After recently driving strongly profitable exits for OpenOcean in Truecaller, LoopMe, Passfort, and TapDaq, Tom now holds board seats in Cambri, Leadoo Marketing Technologies, Operations1, and Workfellow. Tom’s previous experience includes investing in MySQL Ab, running Nokia’s Corporate BD, and launching and leading Nokia Interactive Advertising – the leading first-generation premium mobile ad-network. Tom scaled the business from scratch to $50 million in revenues in less than three years, including the acquisition of Boston-based Enpocket Inc. FOLLOW TOM: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-henriksson-63532/ - PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal