Solon Partners is an executive consulting and angel investor boutique specializing in helping technology companies with scalable technologies and business models reach their full potential.
In the enthusiasm and excitment of starting a new business, entrepreneurs tend to selectively overlook or postpone dealing with many difficult aspects of the business (market fit/demand, IP status, competition, scalability of the business model, corporate governance). Ignoring these topics will not make them go away – quite the opposite, these are all valuation killers that may come back to haunt you. The market, investors and potential acquirers doing due diligence review do not forgive these problems and will demand a hefty discount when valuing your company. Regardless of valuation, ignoring these key issues will often lead the project to failure.
Our partners work closely with founders, investors and management to identify the full potential of their business and develop a strategic plan with detailed tasks, schedules and budgets for achieving that potential. However, even the best plans become just wishful thinking if nobody actually puts them into practice, and we also work side-by-side with your team to deliver results.
After successfully representing Fortune 500 companies in the US as a defense lawyer, Yrjö returned to Europe and helped local companies raise money on London’s AIM Market, Nasdaq OMX as well as private placement markets. Yrjö has advised with venture capital fundraising and negotiated many successful Seed and A-round investments, including for companies like Fortumo, Pipedrive, Tahe Outdoors and others. Yrjö has also served as a CEO of two technology companies Publification (UK) and BraggOne (FIN).
Yrjo is a coach and mentor at various international accelerators and incubators including European Innovation Academy (FRA), 3TF (IRQ), Startup Wiseguys (EST) and Estonian Development Fund (EST). Yrjö sits on advisory and supervisory boards of several organisations including Prototron Fund, Estonian Service Industry Association, and Ministry of Economic Affairs Innovation Board.
He is author of various articles and seminars on topics involving entrepreneurship, strategic growth strategies, financing, and other technology issues. He is a lecturer at the Estonian Business School, Tartu University and Tallinn Technical University.
B.A. University of Virginia, cum laude
J.D. University of Minnesota, cum laude
Rait is a serial-entrepreneur who has been part of several tech start-ups in various roles, including founder, manager, investor and advisor. The technology expertise includes software development, mobile devices, e-commerce, computer entertainment and gaming, Internet of Things (IoT), clean-tech, optoelectronics and medical devices.
Rait has actively participated in the management of Solon Partner’s portfolio companies, including specialty software agency nodeSWAT, mobile hardware developer OCDesk, medical device company Myoton, mobile scanning device developer Vecly (acquired via MBO), iOS development agency Indilo Wireless (acquired by Mobi Solutions in 2011), e-publishing solutions provider Publification (Springboard Cambridge / TechStars London alumni 2011).
He has participated in raising angel and venture funding for several startup companies. He has also raised over €3M euro worth of funds from public and private-public sources, including Enterprise Estonia, Eurostars and European Space Agency. Rait was chosen to participate in the 55th and 57th zero gravity Parabolic Flight Campaign experiments organized by European Space Agency in Bordeaux to test the MyotonPRO medical device.
Rait graduated from Estonian Business School in 2004 (BBA) where he majored in International Business Administration and specialized in Marketing and Public Relations.
Electric Wheelchair Hockey
NGO supporting a hockey league
http://www.ert-saalihoki.eu/
Youtube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhcJOfSZQnY
Cancer Treatment Foundation
Lifeline for cancer patients who do not fit into the lifeboat of
national treatment policy.
Range of services we provide our clients includes:
Our typical client is a seed or early stage technology company looking to overcome start-up related problems and expand operations internationally. For scheduling a time for a free initial consultation please email or call us.
Questions our clients ask – where can I get examples of startup legal forms?
http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml
Start-up Nation. The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6885191-start-up-nation
Painful reality-check when entering new markets
http://americasmarkets.usatoday.com/2015/06/19/nasdaq-reality-check-new-high-but-up-just-0-2-from-2000-peak/
Inventor’s Dilemma
http://web.mit.edu/6.933/www/Fall2000/teradyne/clay.html
Questions our clients ask – where can I get examples of startup legal forms?
http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml
