IT entrepreneur Niklas Zennström met students at Uppsala University
After double degrees at Uppsala University, IT entrepreneur Niklas Zennström has founded Skype, sold the company and invested in a number of other international IT companies. About 240 students came to hear him speak when he visited campus Ekonomikum.
The queue grew quickly outside lecture hall 4 at Ekonomikum, when Niklas Zennström came to speak with the students. The panel consisted of Malin Lindström, Johan Gärdebo and Hoa Ly who presented the students’ questions to Niklas Zennström.
One of the questions was: What use have you had for your studies?
‘I haven’t had so much use for the quantum mechanics and solid-state physics, however for basic accounting I have. Most importantly I learnt that no problem is to big to solve if you have the right methods, which applies to engineering as well as economics or politics’, says Niklas Zennström.
He has double degrees from Uppsala University. Parallell to his studies in engineering physics, which resulted in a masters degree
in Engineering, he studied for a masters degree in business and economics.
Take part in student life
From his time as a student he remembers the great breadth, both in the number of different subjects and faculties, but also the activities at the student ‘nations’. He advised the students to be active in student activities and to gain useful experience alongside their theoretical studies.
For students with dreams of becoming an entrepreneur the Uppsala–Stockholm region is a good place to be, according to Niklas Zennström.
‘In this region there are more really good companies in relation to the population than in many other parts of the world, if you exclude Silicon Valley. And it is not just Stockholm, Uppsala is also a good locations for companies. Just look at companies such as Klarna, MySQL, Ongame which all have global ambitions.’
Annica Hulth