We all dream of finding the next big thing in tech, and some of us may remember coming into contact with some of the biggest tech companies in the world before they made it big – but how about being there and contributing to the formation of some of the biggest brands? That’s a blessing, a privilege only a few have enjoyed, but we got one of these few here on our podcast – meet Saeed Amidi, the CEO of Plug and Play, the world’s largest early-stage investor and business accelerator, a company which invested early in brands like Google, PayPal, N26, and many others.

We sat down with Saeed to talk to him about how he approaches innovative ideas and start-ups, and what are the makings of a start-up that you can tell is destined for the stars.

Key Takeaways from the episode:

• Why hard work will always beat ideas

• How missed opportunities can sometimes be a blessing in disguise

• Why leadership is all about empowering people, and why sometimes leaders are viewed as an orchestra conductor