In the Business of... Starting with startups

What is it really like to start your career at a startup – and how can you make the most of a Cambridge degree in a fast-moving environment?

Join Charles Kantolinna, a Jesus College alumnus and Founders’ Associate at Recorder, an AI-native platform transforming the insurance industry, for a conversation exploring the opportunities and realities of working in the startup world.

Drawing on his own journey from Chemical Engineering at Cambridge into software and startups, Charles will share practical insights into navigating the post-graduate job search, identifying opportunities where Cambridge graduates can thrive, and what day-to-day life looks like as a Founders’ Associate working closely with a founding team across operations, strategy and go-to-market.

The conversation will also explore the case for choosing a startup career over more traditional graduate routes, including the opportunities to learn, take on responsibility and have an impact early in your career.

Aimed at students curious about startups, entrepreneurship, technology and alternative career paths, this is an opportunity to hear first-hand what it takes to build a career in the startup ecosystem – and to ask questions about getting started.

About the speaker

Charles Kantolinna matriculated at Jesus in 2021 and read Chemical Engineering before pivoting into software. He’s now a Founders’ Associate at Recorder – an AI-native platform reshaping the insurance industry – where he works directly with the founding team across operations, strategy, and go-to-market. Drawing on his own experience navigating the post-grad job search, Charles will share practical insights into where Cambridge graduates thrive, what day-to-day as a Founders’ Associate looks like, and the case for choosing that path over more traditional careers.

Outside of the lab, Charles was equally active extracurricularly: winning 2 Varsity Matches with the University Rugby Club, earning blades with JCBC, and captaining JCRUFC to its first Cuppers title.