Ilkka Kivimäki built and sold his own company to SAP, later became a senior VP there, and then moved into venture investing, later becoming Wolt's first investor and chairman while also helping shape Finland's startup scene through roles like chairing Slush and Startup Sauna and serving as Vice Chair of Aalto University. He focuses on tough, science-heavy areas like quantum computing, robotics, and material science, and was an early backer of ambitious Nordic companies such as AImotive and Beddit, making him one of the few investors whose path combines founder experience, big-tech leadership, and deep ties to Nordic research and startup communities.