Riding Unicorns: Venture Capital | Entrepreneurship | Technology · Riding Unicorns Productions

David von Rosen, Founder of Lottoland on Majority Stake Investing, Loving Risk, Dubai’s Energy, and the Steve Jobs Turtleneck Story

·40 min·2 clips

Steve Jobs ordered three black sweaters from David von Rosen after the team mailed one to Apple.

1. Riding Unicorns speaks with David von Rosen about majority-stake investing, risk, Dubai, and the Steve Jobs turtleneck story. 2. David von Rosen is introduced as a serial entrepreneur and investor, the founder of Lottoland and the ultra-luxe property developer 25 Degrees. 3. The episode asks what stays consistent when someone has built and backed businesses in gambling, fintech, property, and energy. 4. David says he is not a fan of consistency and prefers volatility, new industries, and new things to learn. 5. He says the only constant is that he believed in the new ventures he backed or founded. 6. He says copying existing businesses is boring and that he wants products with a new facet or new innovation. 7. David explains that he prefers fewer companies with higher stakes rather than 100 businesses at 2%, 3%, 4%, or 5% each. 8. He says a larger stake is more exciting because success changes the needle and creates a bigger celebration. 9. He describes himself as an operational person who likes to roll up his sleeves and get involved directly in businesses. 10. He says creativity matters in products, strategy, and hiring, and that he values ideas from people outside a sector. 11. On hiring, he says education is not the main filter and gives the example that a dentist could still become a brilliant CMO. 12. He says he looks for motivation, interest, and a strong fire for the venture rather than a polished CV. 13. He says he likes generalists, young people, and people who listen rather than talk too much. 14. On presenting ideas, he says early feedback from friends, partners, or children can act like a mini market test. 15. He says founders should wait until the idea is thought through before speaking to investors or co-founders. 16. He says going out too early can mean selling too cheaply and diluting too much. 17. On risk, David says higher risk can bring higher returns and that adrenaline makes him feel alive. 18. He says his parents ran small businesses, his mother carried debt after her father died, and that taught him early lessons about risk and hard work. 19. The conversation is a long-form interview with practical, candid answers and a strong founder-to-founder tone. 20. People interested in venture capital, founder psychology, and Dubai business culture will get the most from it.

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