Mika Salmi

Managing Partner at Lakestar, experienced entrepreneur and investor

Mika Salmi is a prominent figure in the technology and media sectors, currently serving as Managing Partner at Lakestar, a European venture capital firm.3 Here's an overview of his career and accomplishments:

Professional Background

Mika Salmi is a serial entrepreneur and investor with extensive experience in building and leading companies across various industries.2 His career spans several decades and includes notable positions:

Founder and CEO of AtomFilms: Salmi founded AtomFilms in 1998, a pioneering platform for short-form, user-created content that predated YouTube.4
President of Global Digital Media at Viacom: From 2006 to 2009, Salmi led MTV Networks/Viacom through their digital transformation.4
CEO of CreativeLive: He served as CEO of this live video education company from 2012 to 2014.3
Senior Advisor to The Raine Group: Salmi held this position before joining Lakestar.4

Current Roles

At present, Mika Salmi holds several important positions:

Managing Partner at Lakestar: He joined the firm as a Partner in January 2019 and became Managing Partner in February 2020.3
Board Member: Salmi serves on the boards of several companies, including Hagerty and INSEAD.3
Chairman of the Advisory Council at INSEAD: He has been actively involved with INSEAD since 2010.3

Entrepreneurial and Investment Experience

Salmi has a strong track record as an entrepreneur and investor:

He founded and led companies like AtomFilms, Shockwave, and AddictingGames, which were among the top 20 most popular entertainment websites.4
As an angel investor, he has been involved with numerous startups and has served as a scout for Sequoia Capital.3

Education and Background

Mika Salmi holds an MBA from INSEAD.1
He was born in Finland and is both a US and Finnish citizen.1
Salmi speaks several languages and has worked in numerous countries.1

Mika Salmi's diverse experience in technology, media, and venture capital, combined with his entrepreneurial background, makes him a valuable asset in his role as Managing Partner at Lakestar, where he focuses on sourcing deals in the games and media sectors.2

Highlights

Sep 7 · Pocket Gamer.Biz

Netspeak raised $12 million in Series A - Pocket Gamer.Biz

Sep 7 · VentureBeat

Netspeak Games raises $12M for cute mobile game Sunshine Days - VentureBeat

Experience

Managing Partner at Lakestar (February 2020 - Present)

Partner at Lakestar (January 2019 - February 2020, 1 year 2 months), Board Member at Hagerty (December 2021 - Present), Chairman of Advisory Council at INSEAD (October 2021 - Present), Board Director at CreativeLive (June 2012 - September 2021)