Sarah Anto is a guest lecturer based in Helsinki available for online guest lectures, in-person guest lectures, career panels, and student-organized talks at universities. Introductions are free through OpenLecture.
Guest lecture topics
Scaling a startup from $1M to $30M: what actually breaks (and how to fix it) What investors look for in financial due diligence — a CPA's perspective AI governance and the EU AI Act: what businesses and developers need to know From lab to market: how researchers can commercialize deep tech Fundraising readiness for first-time founders How diverse founding teams de-risk AI innovation Cross-border expansion: navigating US and European markets Revenue recognition, SaaS metrics, and financial controls in hypergrowth companies
Teaching experience
Speaker — University of Helsinki
“Ethical AI and algorithmic governance (seminar)”
More about my teaching
TechEx Global London (February 2026) — Speaker on AI governance and women-led innovation Women TechEU Learning Hub — Lecturer on fundraising readiness for European women founders Y Combinator — Mentor/guest lecturer on operational scaling and investor readiness Techstars — Mentor/guest lecturer on go-to-market strategy and financial diligence Conception X — Mentor on deep tech commercialization (helping PhD researchers build startups) Female Founders Bootcamp — Mentor/partner on fundraising preparation FundHER advisory sessions (2023–present) — 1:1 and group workshops on financial governance, cap table structure, and investor narrative for 100+ women founders University of Helsinki (ongoing) — Doctoral researcher and seminar presenter on ethical AI and algorithmic governance
Interests & speaking style
Interest: Long term career as a lecturer Lecturing style: I teach the way I learned, by doing. My lectures are built around real operational decisions I've made, not theory. I scaled an AI startup from $1M to $30M as Chief of Staff, spent six years auditing tech companies at Ernst & Young, and now work 1:1 with founders raising their first rounds. I bring those stories into the room. I keep slides minimal, use real financial models and case examples, and leave plenty of time for Q&A because that's where the best learning happens. Students tend to engage most when I walk through an actual cap table, a real investor rejection, or a governance decision that went wrong. I'm direct, warm, and practical, my goal is for students to leave with something they can use, not just something they heard.
Request an introduction
Tell us about your course or event and we'll pass it along to Sarah Anto. It's free.