Episode description

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Thorgeir Einarsson is a seasoned CEO and advisor who has helped hundreds of tech startups secure funding and navigate acquisitions.

In this episode, you're going to learn why CTOs play a crucial role in fundraising and M&A deals, common mistakes CTOs make that can kill a deal, the importance of transparency during technical due diligence, how AI is changing the expectations for tech leaders, and why a CTO’s communication skills are as important as their technical knowledge.

Thorgeir Einarsson is the founder of Elevera Advisers and has created, built and sold tech companies in Europe, the US, Asia and Africa for the last 35 years. Thorgeir co-founded Pitchago in 2020, which is an innovative SaaS platform for incubators & entrepreneurs to self-assess their startups and build a level-up action plan.

Timestamps:

[05:00] Introduction to Thorgeir’s background in fundraising  

[06:33] Differences between M&A and raising capital  

[08:01] Role of a CTO during M&A and fundraising  

[09:33] Importance of preparation in fundraising  

[10:10] Changes in the CTO role with AI advancements  

[10:33] Should a non-founder CTO act like a founder?  

[12:36] Why investors worry about non-founder CTOs  

[14:34] Due diligence process explained  

[15:23] What to include in a technical presentation  

[16:53] Should you hide flaws during due diligence  

[18:24] How startups handle imperfect technology  

[20:14] Learning from past M&A deals

[21:28] How a CTO can sell their vision effectively  

[23:17] Focus on solving real problems with technology  

[24:04] Why a CTO should communicate the company vision  

[25:31] Examples of successful CTOs in M&A deals  

[26:49] The importance of reading the room during negotiations  

[28:49] Challenges of dealing with different tech stacks in M&A  

[29:45] Why CTOs need to have a bit of attitude  

[30:24] Avoiding the “not invented here” mindset  

[31:59] How a CTO’s openness impacts M&A success  

[33:18] Influence of a CTO in deal negotiations  

[34:36] Balancing technical and business perspectives  

[36:00] When is a complete technology rewrite necessary?

[37:08] The evolving importance of the CTO role  

[39:20] How AI is changing the software industry  

[41:05] Global trends and their impact on CTOs  

[43:48] Building a scenario-based product roadmap  

[45:06] Preparing for uncertain market conditions  

[46:00] How to decide on a major tech overhaul  

[47:51] Why the CTO should work closely with the CEO  

[49:59] Introduction to Pitchago’s assessment tool  

[50:45] How Pitchago helps with funding readiness

[52:59] How CTOs can become better communicators  

Get a thorough 360-degree Pitchago Assessment of your venture in just 5 minutes for free! 

Find Thorgeir Einarsson on LinkedIn

Resource Mentioned:

Pitchago | Website

Elevera Advisers | Website

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Find more from Adam on LinkedIn and YouTube and check out Adam's CTO coaching company Synova Tech.