Mari Luukkainen

Built growth engines from zero to €60M+ more than once. Founder. VC. Growth Ops.

Last updated: November 30, 2025

Short

I'm a growth technologist with two decades of hands-on work. I started at 12 after earning an affiliate commission from a Fallout 2 fan site and moved from self-taught builder to founder, operator, and investor.

I've spent years in affiliate marketing, startup growth, and early-stage VC. I focus on the stage where the idea is real but product, traction, and funding still need alignment. That's where I work best.

In VC, I worked closely with 100+ pre-seed teams at Icebreaker.vc and at Identity.vc, I backed LGBTQ+ founders in Europe and beyond.

I also founded Herizon.io, which helps international talent get employable at scale in the Nordics.

Now I build my own portfolio of internet companies with Cursor, am a Cursor ambassador, run Herizon, and teach people how to build with AI.

Mission

My mission is to use my skills to help startups that wish to make things better and be good companies for the people. I believe in Nordic values of work-life balance and equality at work.

Key Achievements

  • Increased Freska's annual recurring revenue from €<200K to €13M as a solo growth operator, securing its position as the leading home-cleaning service in the Nordics. This growth was achieved within two years, maintaining a 15% month-over-month growth rate, all while staying profitable.
  • Opened the Latin America market for Yousician through YouTube and made user acquisition profitable within 24 hours.
  • Opened the African market for Paxful through SEO and SEM, adding 7-figure revenue.
  • I made my best investment in Call of Duty and they grew from €0 to €1M ARR in 12 months since the investment.
  • Contributed to increasing investments in startups with diverse founding teams from 22.3% in Icebreaker.vc Fund I to 40.7% in Fund II, while diverse teams represent only 14% of the pipeline.
  • Contributed to scaling companies from under €1M in annual revenue to over €10M.
  • Facilitated fundraising from initial €50K investments to significant €30M rounds, adapting strategies to suit each company's stage and potential.
  • Designed and implemented growth strategies globally, adjusting to the unique demands of diverse markets.
  • Directly coached over 100 startup CEOs, influencing the growth trajectories of businesses from €1M to €100M in revenue.
  • Founded Herizon, a nonprofit that helps over 50 immigrants secure jobs in the Nordics every month, creating meaningful employment opportunities for international talent.
  • Award-winning investor and diversity advocate — see full award list.

Awards & Recognition

Keynote Speaking

I deliver keynote speeches for startups and events, sharing over 20 years of hands-on experience in early-stage growth, startups, venture capital and entrepreneurship.

Learn more about keynote speaking

Press Kit

Bio, images, press coverage, and awards available for media use.

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DJ Lisbeth

I do DJ'ing at LAN parties and gaming events.

More about DJ'ing

Get in Touch

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