From Ready Player Me to Netflix: the wins, the risks and the lessons

What does it take to build a startup, raise millions in funding, expand internationally and eventually reach an exit? What makes an investor decide to back a company or sell part of their stake while others are still investing? And what can both sides learn from the decisions made along the way?

The Ready Player Me journey involved more than a decade of building a technology company, raising funding, expanding internationally and making important decisions. In December 2025 the company was acquired by Netflix. Not everyone involved made the same decisions or exited at the same time. Join us for a conversation with Ready Player Me co-founder Timmu Tõke and early investor Lauri Antalainen, who share their experiences from two perspectives: building and growing a company, making investment decisions, knowing when to sell, and the challenges, risks and lessons that come with these choices.

Panellists: Timmu Tõke, co-founder and former CEO of Ready Player Me, which raised $72 million and was acquired by Netflix in 2025; Lauri Antalainen, President of EstBAN and board member of EBAN, an angel investor who has invested in over 50 start-ups and sold part of his stake during Ready Player Me's Series B round. Topics: building and scaling internationally; investor decisions, when to invest and when to sell; decisions, risks and lessons learned. Expect an open, practical discussion and an opportunity to ask questions.

Agenda: 9:30–10:00 arrival, coffee and networking; 10:00–11:00 panel discussion; 11:00–12:00 networking. Registration is free. The event is in English and is aimed at startup teams from Tehnopol Accelerator programmes, founders, entrepreneurs, angel investors and venture capital professionals. Venue: Tehnopol Accelerator, Mäealuse 2/4, building A, 3rd floor, Tallinn. The event is powered by the Tehnopol Film and Multimedia Accelerator IDA Hub, funded by the European Union.