Le Minh Nguyen

 

Currently, I work as the Chief Product Officer at Northstar, a venture company of Katapult VC, a venture capital fund based in Norway. We build and develop SaaS solutions designed to support private capital investors in their investment process — from scouting startups (identifying relevant investment opportunities) to analyzing and assessing startups based on publicly available data such as websites, LinkedIn profiles, investor news, and more. In my day-to-day role, I define product requirements and design user experience flows.

I am also a Venture Partner at the CMC Innovation Fund, a newly established corporate venture capital (CVC) fund by CMC Corp in Vietnam. There, I support the development of the fund’s strategy and focus, and assist in improving their deal flow.

 

What interested you about the field, company, or role you are currently in?

Venture Capital helps channel money into ideas with the potential to drive meaningful innovation and solve real-world problems. What excites me most about this field is the opportunity to work at the intersection of entrepreneurship, technology, and impact. I’ve always been drawn to early-stage innovation — where ideas are still raw, and the right combination of capital, talent, and strategic direction can make all the difference.

At Northstar, I get to work closely with both established and emerging investors, building tools that make the investment process more intelligent, data-driven, and scalable. This allows me to contribute not just by enabling better decisions for investors, but also by increasing the visibility and chances of success for high-potential startups.

Meanwhile, my role at CMC Innovation Fund lets me apply that same builder mindset at the corporation level, bringing the entrepreneurship mindset to a more “rigid” structure — helping shape strategy, sourcing and evaluating deals, and contributing to a more vibrant VC ecosystem in Vietnam. The dual exposure — both product and investment — feeds my curiosity and gives me a unique lens into the full lifecycle of innovation.


Why did you choose to study your subject area at SSE?

I chose the Master program in International Business at SSE, because I wanted a program that combined business saviness with a global perspective. The curriculum offered a strong foundation in international strategy, finance, and innovation — all within a highly international environment — and that was essential for me, as I knew I wanted to work in cross-border investment and technology.

SSE gave me the exposure and mindset needed to navigate the startup and venture capital space. Courses in strategy and innovation taught me how to evaluate business models critically, while working with diverse classmates helped me become more effective at collaborating across cultures — something I do daily now, both at Northstar and in my venture work with CMC in Vietnam.

In many ways, SSE didn’t just give me the academic tools, it gave me the global network via its own network of alumni and the network of CEMS alumni, entrepreneurial lens, and strategic thinking I rely on in both my product and investment roles today.

 

 

 

SSE played a pivotal role in shaping both my mindset and my career path. The School’s strong focus on real-world business challenges, innovation, and entrepreneurship gave me the tools to think strategically and act with agility — skills that are crucial in both building startups and investing in them. It also helped me develop a structured approach to solving problems, whether it’s designing a product from scratch or evaluating a new venture.

 

 

Following your time at SSE, do you have any words of wisdom or advice for current students?

Be curious and intentional. Use your time at SSE not just to absorb knowledge, but to test ideas, build relationships, and explore what truly excites you. Take parts of the various activities that SSE, and the city of Stockholm offers. Student consulting, Hackathon and lunch networking events with companies are a few activities to not miss.

 

 

Transformative. Global. Entrepreneurial.