Meet Me Monday: Timmu Tõke

Meet Me Monday: Timmu Tõke

1.      Introduce yourself shortly.

I’m the co-founder and CEO of Wolf3D.

2.      Three facts about you.

• I founded my first company under my grandmother’s name when I was 17 since according to the law the minors are not allowed to own a company.
• I’m from Pärnu.
• Right now, I’m wearing socks with French fry images on them.

3.      If and how has EBS impacted your career?

EBS has played a big role in my career. During my first year of studies, I met Madis Habakuk who then became my mentor. He was also the first investor of Wolf3D and had a big part in our success. Now we are actively working together with his son Mart Habakuk who is also involved with Wolf3D.

4.      You’re known as an inspiring young entrepreneur whose start-up is doing amazingly well. How did it all begin?

During the first year of my studies at EBS, I became interested in 3D printing so I decided to start a company in that field. The rest came accordingly.

Before Wolf3D, I had founded two companies and some smaller projects, so I’ve been interested in entrepreneurship since early childhood.

5.      What has been the biggest challenge and the biggest accomplishment of your career so far?

Biggest challenge – developing a product with a high demand and that people couldn’t live without. I haven’t achieved that yet.

Biggest accomplishment – our Wolf3D team. I’m still sometimes amazed how productive people we have managed to bring together for our joint vision.

6.      What’s the most important factor of starting a start-up?

The team.

As well as the right timing. There’s a time and place for every “idea”. Why is now the right time to create the company? Facebook wouldn’t have succeeded in 2000 nor in 2010. Timing should be more important than it is now.

For the record – the idea itself is worth nothing. Execution is 99%.

7.      Three things on your Bucket list.

I don’t know. I could probably come up with many things but they’re not of importance to me at this moment.

8.   What do you do in your spare time?

I read and spend time with my close ones and do things a regular 25-year-old would do.

9.      If you could live the life of anyone famous, who would it be?

I wouldn’t want to be anyone else, I like my life.

10.      If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

That I wouldn’t have to sleep ever again and just be full of energy all the time.

11.  You’re currently developing a world-class technology. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

10 years is too short to properly plan anything. But probably the first successful company would  be functioning by then and play a big part in our field.

12.      If you could start your career all over again, what would you say to your younger self?

Everything takes a lot more time than planned. But it’s okay.

     Your favourite quote.

“I judge you unfortunate because you have never lived through misfortune. You have passed through life without an opponent—no one can ever know what you are capable of, not even you.” – Seneca

I’m not sure if that’s my favourite but it’s the first one I remembered. The opponent/misfortune could be a project, company or career as well. You have to do things that seem scary.

Stoicism has a lot of great ideas worth looking into.

Photo: Timmu Tõke

Translator: Triin Tikk

Editor: Kärt Mättikas