Hiroki Takeuchi

Hiroki Takeuchi shares four lessons from GoCardless’s early years: a founder’s journey often begins long before the company, ideas tested only on whiteboards may miss real needs, momentum comes from acting and correcting course, and founders need resilience through sharp ups and downs. He describes how an early startup internship shaped his skills and ambitions, and how GoCardless emerged after the team’s Groupay idea failed to attract customers. He also recounts the strain of fundraising and how the team eventually secured investment from Accel and Passion Capital. His advice is to build something you would use, keep moving, and endure the setbacks.