Valdis Sprogis

Valdis SprogisSep 29, 2026

I did not expect it to be this way, but here we are! It turned out to be even better... 😁 I'm very excited to announce that the next event for the aspiring founders across Estonia is in the calendar and also this time we have some amazing speakers lined up. 💙 Save the date 9th of October in LIFT99 at 6 PM 💙 We will tackle the following topic: 🤘 "Startup Pitch A to Z: Learn how to construct a great pitch in the age of AI". 🤘 As it's such an important and hot subject we had to get the best experts in the house. 🥳 - And you know what? 😎 - We got em!!! 🤩 We'll have a panel discussion with Riivo Anton from Specialist VC and Kaspar G. from Darkstar about the startup pitches and what VCs want to hear from you, founders, when you're on investor calls or on the stage. 🥇 🥁 But that's not it! 🥁 I'm proud to announce we'll also have on stage the right professional who has been designing pitches and thought founders how to deliver one that takes your breath away. He has also raised money successfully for his companies, helped others do so too and now heads the Estonian Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EstVCA) amongst other things. ⭐ Madis Lehtmets ⭐ will deliver a deep dive on what constitutes a great pitch deck, how it looks and how to deliver it confidently in front of an audience. Registration is open, so DON'T miss the opportunity joining this really exclusive and highly practical session on 9th of October at 6 PM. Register now 👇 https://fi.co/e/400094

Valdis SprogisOct 5, 2026

🧠 While a mere hundred minutes equates to nothing more than a single university lecture, it holds the quiet potential to alter the entire trajectory of a human life. There are many avenues where I've done mentoring and coaching, so it's always a pleasant surprise when a dedicated mentor platform celebrates your early milestones as much as the major ones. 🥳 Thank you adplist.org for hosting me on your platform and allowing people across the world to choose me as their mentor from a list of highly qualified and very experienced candidates.

Valdis SprogisOct 2, 2026

Yesterday, LIFT99 hosted a highly practical session for founders, startup operators and ecosystem builders, focusing on the recently updated Startup Estonia Model Documents. A few weeks ago, we hosted a discussion on legal matters for startups and businesses in general by Anna Agu from Lex Law Office. The interest in the topic was clear from the extended Q&A session and the lively networking that followed. ⭐ This time Startup Estonia continued the conversation by diving deeper into a topic that impacts almost every startup in Estonia: the recently updated Startup Estonia Model Documents. All those amazingly practical templates they have on the website. A big thank you to Antti Perli, Partner at Ellex Raidla for guiding us through the most important updates and explaining what they mean for founders, investors and startup teams. Some of the key highlights: ✅ Founder departures, Former Founder status and updated Bad Leaver provisions ✅ More practical vesting rules covering part-time work and leave of absence ✅ AI-generated content and its impact on intellectual property ownership ✅ Updated investor rights and obligations in convertible loan agreements ✅ New due diligence considerations around AI, cybersecurity and compliance ✅ Revised IP assignment frameworks for founders, employees, advisors and contractors ✅ A new Simple Share Purchase Agreement model for secondary transactions What made the session particularly valuable was that it wasn't just about legal wording. The discussion focused on real situations that startups face as they grow: 💰 fundraising 📄 employee options 🏎️ founder transitions 🤖 AI usage 🏛️ governance 🏦 exits The updated documents were developed with contributions from Ellex Raidla, Cobalt, Triniti, Sorainen, PwC Legal, TGS Baltic and Eversheds Sutherland, in cooperation with Njord and the framework of Startup Estonia and EstVCA. Thank you to the LIFT99 team for hosting another great event and creating a space where founders can learn from leading experts while building valuable connections within the ecosystem. Thank you to my Founder Institute Estonia partner Maria Grigor for capturing all the key notes and preparing this post.👏 ---------- And the learning doesn't stop here. 📅 9 October, 6PM at the same cosy LIFT99 office. Our next event will focus on something every founder eventually needs to master: 🎤 "Startup Pitch A to Z: Learn How to Construct a Great Pitch in the Age of AI" We'll be joined by Riivo Anton (Specialist VC), Kaspar G. (Darkstar) and Madis Lehtmets (EstVCA) to discuss what investors want to hear, how great pitch decks are built, and how founders can deliver their message with confidence. If you're building a startup, considering fundraising, or simply want to become better at communicating your vision, I'd highly encourage you to join us. Looking forward to seeing many familiar and new faces there. 🚀 Link to the event post and registration in the comments ⬇️