About
Rainer Sternfeld is an Estonian robotics engineer, entrepreneur, and investor who has been building NordicNinja, a Japanese–European venture capital fund, since its inception in 2019. He previously co-founded Planet OS, a Silicon Valley Earth observation company where he was CEO until its 2017 acquisition by Intertrust, later leading Intertrust's Data Platforms division, and earlier held a senior role at ABB where he led the development of a nationwide EV fast-charging network. He holds a double Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from TalTech and co-founded the Kood programming school.
Invests in
Climate TechDeep TechRobotics
Experience
- NordicNinja VCGeneral Partnercurrent2019 — presentLondon, Tallinn, Stockholm, Helsinki
- koodtechCo-Foundercurrent2019 — presentEstonia
- LightyearBoard Observercurrent2025 — presentCity Of London, England, United Kingdom
- LiveEOBoard Membercurrent2024 — presentBerlin, Germany
- VarjoBoard Member / Board Observercurrent2020 — presentHelsinki, Finland
- VeriffInvestorcurrent2020 — presentTallinn, Harjumaa, Estonia
- VSPARTICLEMember of the Board of Directorscurrent2024 — presentDelft, South Holland, Netherlands
- ArbonicsBoard Membercurrent2023 — presentTallinn and London
- MavenoidBoard Member / Board Obsevercurrent2021 — presentStockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden
- Ready Player MeInvestor2021 — 2025Estonia
- RidangoMember Of The Supervisory Board2020 — 2025Tallinn, Estonia
- LogmoreBoard Member2020 — 2025Finland
- SuperangelAdvisor2017 — 2020Palo Alto, California / Tallinn, Estonia
- IntertrustVP & GM, Data Platforms2017 — 2019Sunnyvale / San Francisco, California
- Atlantic CouncilMillennium Leadership Fellow2017 — 2019Washington, District Of Columbia
- Eesti 2.0Co-founder and Board Member2015 — 2018Estonia
- Planet OS (acquired by Intertrust Technologies Corporation)Founder & CEO2012 — 2017San Francisco Bay Area
- World Ocean CouncilBoard Director and Treasurer2013 — 2016Global
- ABBBusiness Development Manager, Baltic States2008 — 2012Baltic States
- ABBDevelopment Manager, Low Voltage Systems, Baltic States2007 — 2008Keila, Harjumaa, Estonia
Education
- TalTech – Tallinn University of TechnologyMSc, Mechatronics (Cum Laude)2005 — 2006
- TalTech – Tallinn University of TechnologyBSc, Mechanical Engineering2001 — 2005
- Saue High School (Saue Gümnaasium)Cum Laude, Presidential Honors1989 — 2001
Skills & more
Adult EducationVenture CapitalEntrepreneurship99Change Management47New Business Development38Start-ups99Strategy71Product Development40Project Management35Product Management25Software Development15Manufacturing19
+12 more
CADBig DataERPOperational ExcellenceRoboticsIndustrial EngineeringDesign EngineeringProduct DesignTeam BuildingOrganizational CultureManagementLeadershipLanguages English · Estonian · Finnish · Russian
From Rainer's professional profile.
Investments
Investor
ArbonicsLightyearLiveEOMavenoidReady Player MeStarshipVarjoVeriffVSParticle
Per the firm's website.
Colleagues at NordicNinja
Akiko Shiono
Head of Business Development at NordicNinja
Carolyn Lizbeth Einmann
Operations Manager at NordicNinja
Claes Mikko Nilsen
Head of Founder & Investor Network at NordicNinja
Johan Åkesson
Investment Associate at NordicNinja
Kevin Dean
Chief of Staff at NordicNinja
Marek Kiisa
General Partner at NordicNinja
Matts Andersson
Advisor at NordicNinja
Shinichi Nikkuni
Managing Partner at NordicNinja
Frequently asked questions
- Where does Rainer Sternfeld work?
- Rainer Sternfeld is General Partner at NordicNinja.
- What does Rainer Sternfeld invest in?
- Rainer Sternfeld invests in Climate Tech, Deep Tech, Robotics.
Founder mafias
Mavenoid mafia3
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
SuperAngel mafia3
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology mafia2
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Same school
Also attended TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology24
Lena NedebockInvestment Associate at Burda Principal InvestmentsMarianne KikasOffice Manager at Karma VenturesRiin VähkFinance Manager at Karma VenturesVeronika MugraData Scientist (on parental leave) at NordicNinjaShogo MinamiAssociate at Presidio VenturesMariliis HolmOperations & Scientific Diligence at Sustainable Food Ventures
+ 18 more
Shared employers
Also worked at LiveEO7
Taiga UetaPrincipal at NordicNinjaBruce MacfarlaneFounder Partner at MMC VenturesVictor SzaboInvestment Manager at Ananda Impact VenturesTerhi VapolaFounder and Managing Partner at Greencode VenturesGeoffrey VancasselFounder/CEO at LabelFlowNicolas DraberFounder/CPO at LabelFlow
+ 1 more
Also worked at Varjo6
Petteri KoponenFounding Partner at Lifeline VenturesTed PerssonInvestor at EQT VenturesShinichi NikkuniManaging Partner at NordicNinjaTomosaku SoharaGeneral Partner at NordicNinjaKeith BonniciInvestment Director at Tesi (Finnish Industry Investment Ltd)Alexander (Sasha) VidiborskiyPrincipal at Atomico
Also worked at Veriff7
Simon LeveneCo-founder and Partner at Mosaic VenturesJules MaltzInvestor at IVP (Institutional Venture Partners)Shinichi NikkuniManaging Partner at NordicNinjaTomosaku SoharaGeneral Partner at NordicNinjaKarthik RamakrishnanPartner at IVP (Institutional Venture Partners)Mikko SilventolaVenture Partner at SuperAngel
+ 1 more
