Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
Are you a founder building the next big thing? Apply to Speedrun today - speedrun.a16z.com
Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen reveals why his team kills most of their games and how that ruthless approach led to Clash of Clans, Clash Royale, and Brawl Stars. In this episode, Ilkka explains how flipping the org chart created a culture where small, independent teams can take big creative swings and why the CEO should get out of the way.
🧠Topics Covered:
- Why Supercell kills ~90% of the games they make
- How a failed Facebook game led to Clash of Clans
- Letting small teams make big decisions
- Building a company where players come first
- Culture vs. process: how to actually build legendary teams
- The mindset of founders who beat the odds
🔥 Building a startup? Join Speedrun, the accelerator powered by a16z, designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: speedrun.a16z.com
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X: https://x.com/speedrun?lang=en
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun
Chapters:
0:00 - 0:55 – Supercell’s Reputation for Killing Games
0:55 - 5:05 – Building a Unique Company Culture
5:05 - 6:30 – The Importance of Documenting Values Early
6:30 - 7:45 – Finding Top Talent Before Success
7:45 - 10:30 – Structuring Teams for New vs. Live Games
10:30 - 12:00 – Pivoting from Web to Mobile
12:00 - 13:45 – Evolving Game Quality Standards
13:45 - 16:30 – Founder Advice on Product-Market Fit
16:30 - 20:25 – Crafting a Bold Pitch and Common Mistakes
20:25 - 26:00 – Gaming Trends, AI, and Future Opportunities
26:00 - 28:30 – Disruption, Innovation, and Closing Thoughts
#supercell #clashofclans #brawlstars #IlkkaPaananen #a16z #speedrun #GamingStartups #gamedevelopment #startuplessons #marcandreessen #ai
Are you a founder building the next big thing? Apply to Speedrun today - speedrun.a16z.com
Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen reveals why his team kills most of their games and how that ruthless approach led to Clash of Clans, Clash Royale, and Brawl Stars. In this episode, Ilkka explains how flipping the org chart created a culture where small, independent teams can take big creative swings and why the CEO should get out of the way.
🧠Topics Covered:
- Why Supercell kills ~90% of the games they make
- How a failed Facebook game led to Clash of Clans
- Letting small teams make big decisions
- Building a company where players come first
- Culture vs. process: how to actually build legendary teams
- The mindset of founders who beat the odds
🔥 Building a startup? Join Speedrun, the accelerator powered by a16z, designed to help founders move fast with capital, mentorship, and top investors.
👉 Apply now: speedrun.a16z.com
📲 Follow us for more insights:
X: https://x.com/speedrun?lang=en
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/school/a16zspeedrun
Chapters:
0:00 - 0:55 – Supercell’s Reputation for Killing Games
0:55 - 5:05 – Building a Unique Company Culture
5:05 - 6:30 – The Importance of Documenting Values Early
6:30 - 7:45 – Finding Top Talent Before Success
7:45 - 10:30 – Structuring Teams for New vs. Live Games
10:30 - 12:00 – Pivoting from Web to Mobile
12:00 - 13:45 – Evolving Game Quality Standards
13:45 - 16:30 – Founder Advice on Product-Market Fit
16:30 - 20:25 – Crafting a Bold Pitch and Common Mistakes
20:25 - 26:00 – Gaming Trends, AI, and Future Opportunities
26:00 - 28:30 – Disruption, Innovation, and Closing Thoughts
#supercell #clashofclans #brawlstars #IlkkaPaananen #a16z #speedrun #GamingStartups #gamedevelopment #startuplessons #marcandreessen #ai
