Sarah Anto
Helsinki- 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
- 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
- Interest & 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.
- Semesters available
- Spring 2026, Summer 2026, Fall 2026
- Date/time availability
- Monday-Thursday anytime
- Opportunity types
- Online lecture, In-person lecture, Career services organized panel/talk, Student organized panel/talk
- Lectures per year
- As many as available
- Prep time
- As much time as needed
- Willing to travel to
- anywhere in Europe
Request an introduction
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