Akim Arhipov

In 2000, I learned coding as a student: launched Lineage 2 gaming servers and international courier service in my small room in Narva, Estonia. Striving for knowledge, I moved to Edinburgh, Scotland. I worked 12 hours per day at a production line to be able to survive and continue studies. It was a mind-blowing burst of motivation! Hustling around, I got a job at HSBC's head office with 10,000 employees in it, while still finishing a university degree in banking and finance.

While studying at the university, I was invited to help set up a new transportation company in Finland and Baltics. I was inspired by the idea of allowing people of all ages and incomes to meet their families cheaper and faster than before. The goals were achieved through bold solutions in data analytics and machine learning. More than 70 lines were launched and 250+ trips were being performed by 130 buses on a daily basis. Eight million people per year were enabled to travel comfortably and with bigger ease than before. The result was inspiring and I challenged myself to understand better how people interact, and how culture and habits affect decision making.

The concept of improved interaction in the real world through IT solutions drove me to Singapore. Together with my team, we created a global identity verification and personal data management tool that would simplify access to financial tools for unbanked people while meeting the highest security requirements. This is how BASIS ID was born, and now it’s part of the ZignSec & WebShield family.

In 2018, I was listed on Forbes 30 Under 30 for contribution to the development of the digital identity in Asia. By the age of 26, I visited more than 40 countries.

My strategy during the last 10 years were to say "yes" to every incoming opportunity. However, this negatively affected my perception of life values. Now I concentrate on what I really like - investing in founders.

In 2021, I have become a partner in Stockholm based startup studio called VNTRS and board member of the Estonian Founders Society with a goals to finding novel solutions for engaging our society’s activities and creating new initiatives, growing cross-border networks that lead to lasting partnerships, and introducing C-level professionals to members who can boost their confidence to start a new career as a founder.

I am running the most prominent European tech angels community Fund Fellow Founders (https://fff.vc). We invest and collectively advise founders from the Nordics & the Baltics.

In 2021 & 2022, I reviewed 1500+ companies, interviewed 361 founders, 105 due diligence reports, 17 investments and lead 7 investment rounds.

🗂 Investment reports

🌀 Economic Downturn: Angel Investors