New Wave. Hampus Jakobsson (Pale Blue Dot): From Blackberry Exit to Climate VC
We’re joined by Hampus Jakobsson, Partner at Pale Blue Dot, longtime founder, operator, and one of Europe’s most prolific early-stage investors.
In this episode, we dive into what it means to be a “five” in agency, how great teams form, why climate became unavoidable for him, and how Pale Blue Dot built an unconventional fund model that actually works for founders.
In our conversation, we covered:
→ Why The Astonishing Tribe scaled from six friends to 180 people across the world
→ The traits Hampus looks for in the first 10 hires of any startup
→ How extreme agency became his superpower, and occasional liability
→ The personal story that shaped his worldview on care, speed, and craft
→ Why climate wasn’t obvious at first… and then became the only rational choice
→ How Pale Blue Dot balances “three solo GPs” inside one fund
→ What founders consistently misunderstand about VC
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Supported by:
Accelerating Impact - an independent non-profit advancing impact finance by mobilizing capital toward sustainable development and running free accelerator programs for emerging fund managers (ICFA, ISFA). Join for expert coaching, training, financial support, and a strong peer community. Apply here.
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Listen now:Apple // Spotify // YouTube
Connect with Hampus:
Or ask me for an intro!
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