The Mythical Unicorn vs. the Real Workhorse: Why Exits Beat Valuations

Thursday, 9th April | 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM | ONE Tech Hub, Aberdeen

The startup ecosystem is captivated by unicorns, those rare, mythical billion-dollar valuations that dominate headlines, fuel FOMO, and shape how we define entrepreneurial success. But behind the glittering horn and the sky-high numbers lies an uncomfortable truth: most unicorns never deliver real returns. Valuations are opinions. Exits are facts.

To mark National Unicorn Day in Scotland on April 9th, we're flipping the narrative at ONE Tech Hub in Aberdeen, the heart of the North East's innovation community. This special event celebrates the real workhorses of the entrepreneurial world, the founders who roll up their sleeves, build sustainable businesses, create genuine value, and deliver successful exits that reward founders, investors, employees, and communities alike.

Join us for an intimate fireside chat with Mark Bjornsgaard, founder and CEO of System Two Group, a venture capital firm that invests in and partners with leading corporations and entrepreneurs across Europe and the US. Mark is a serial entrepreneur and venture builder who has spent his career doing what many talk about but few achieve, growing numerous businesses from scratch to scale. With seven successful exits to date and hundreds of millions of dollars raised across more than ten businesses in sectors including healthcare, technology, and energy, he brings a rare depth of real-world experience to the conversation.

His most recent role was as CEO of Deep Green Technologies, now an Octopus Energy Generation company, which he founded in 2016. Deep Green builds and operates heat-reuse data centres, co-locating Tier 3 facilities inside the physical footprint of district heating systems and other industries, a pioneering model that combines commercial performance with meaningful environmental impact. Mark's portfolio is a testament to the workhorse philosophy in action. His ventures include Lifted (sold to British Gas), Alligator (sold to GSK), and Secret Source (sold to Evolve), alongside a growing roster of ambitious companies including Civo, Caldera, Ctrl Alt, Heatio, and Optect. He also holds a number of board positions and consults with a range of FTSE 250 companies on innovation and venture development.

In this candid fireside chat, Mark will share his insights from scaling and selling multiple businesses, along with the concepts explored in his upcoming book, The Idea Drug, which comes out later this year. The book explores how to innovate using the scientific method and increase your odds of building a breakthrough business. Expect an open, honest conversation about why the relentless pursuit of unicorn status leads more founders astray than to success, what it really takes to build companies that scale sustainably, and how applying a more disciplined, evidence-based approach to innovation can deliver meaningful outcomes for founders, investors, and communities. Above all, Mark is passionate about creating positive social and environmental impact through his ventures and supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs, and that passion will be at the heart of this conversation.

This event is for founders, aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, corporate innovators, and anyone curious about what it truly takes to build businesses that matter. Whether you're chasing your first exit or questioning whether the unicorn dream is worth pursuing, this fireside chat will give you a grounded, honest perspective from someone who has been there and done it, seven times over.

Scotland's national animal is the unicorn, a symbol of purity, power, and independence. What better day to ask whether the startup world's favourite metaphor is helping or hindering the entrepreneurs who are building the future? Join us at ONE Tech Hub, Aberdeen as we celebrate the mythical, champion the real, and explore why exits beat valuations every time.

Doors open at 4:00 PM for networking, with the fireside chat and audience Q&A running through the afternoon, followed by further networking and refreshments before we close at 6:30 PM.