Said
Haschemi

Being born in flight, living in refugee houses, and seeing his parents start from scratch over and over again shaped Said from an early age. His parents set an example of what entrepreneurship means: having the guts and perseverance to challenge the status quo for a better tomorrow, against all odds.

Said holds degrees in Economics and Business Administration. He undertook his studies at Goethe University Frankfurt and Wharton Business School, experiencing the vivid east coast start-up ecosystem while at the latter. Inspired, he started his entrepreneurial career as the first intern in HV's then newly opened Berlin office.

Being exposed to so much knowledge in a concentrated period, Said put the lessons he learned into action. He joined a start-up as their CFO to help build the long-stay marketplace for business travellers. He was responsible for two financing rounds, gaining first-hand experience of fundraising and the emotional rollercoaster of founding a company.

Said found walking in the shoes of an entrepreneur a very humbling experience, with extreme ups and downs. It also helps him connect with other founders "beyond the pitch." When founders show passion and hustle, they will often win his support.

Said's fear of missing out on the next tech endeavor brought him to Venture Capital, where he can quench his thirst for tech-enabled improvements across different industries. When he is not reading and talking tech, Said is likely looking for the next fitness and longevity trend to try out, or watching live techno sets to kickstart his long-postponed DJ career.