Father of Skype: prefer to be a self-made entrepreneur

Skype's father, Atomico, founder of Niklas Zennstrom January 7 Morning News, Skype's father, Atomico VC Fund founder Niklas Zennstrom recently during his visit to China, said in an interview with Sina Science and technology, Hoping to work with Chinese companies, he encouraged Chinese peers to innovate rather than copy the American model.　　Summing up the experience of running a business, Zennstrom says he prefers to feel like starting from scratch.　　Niklas Zennstrom, after two years of visiting China again, said in his words "I want to come back and see what is happening in China and what has changed". The co-founder of Skype, Kazaa, Joost, Joltid, and many other well-known Internet services, now controls the venture capital fund Atomico.　　So far, the fund has invested mainly in Europe, the United States and Latin America, helping entrepreneurs expand overseas and build partnerships and relationships. "China is not the core area of our investment," Zennstrom said, although China is a very important market, but there is no shortage of funds, he would like to cooperate with Chinese enterprises.　　However, Zennstrom also added that if the timing is right, it does not rule out joint investment with Chinese companies.　　In an interview with the Wall Street Journal shortly before, Zennstrom said his visit was intended to seek Chinese technology companies and help Atomico companies expand their business in China. The Chinese Internet market has left the Skype father with the impression that it is a popular practice to look at the US market and quickly "replicate" those products that have been successful in the US market.　　"I do not encourage entrepreneurs to magnify this mindset," he said. "Entrepreneurs should have different ideas and innovative awareness to succeed." Summing up his experience of running a business, Zennstrom said it was an exciting process to start a business and lead it to success.　　"But when a company matures, there are far more management jobs than strategic planning," Zennstrom admits, "I prefer being a self-made entrepreneur." Now Zennstrom has focused on investing, but is asked what field to start, and the answer is the mobile phone industry. But he also stressed that sometimes in order to achieve great success, he had to do the opposite of the trend of decision-making. (Menghong)