Over 100 Danish startup ecosystem players were present at the TalkBBQ event in early June. Participants indulged in laid-back debates with familiar and new faces with appetizing dinner on the side. Apart from the networking experience, the program was packed with voluminous discussion on the topic of “Mind the Gap: Are salaries posing a problem for startups and the ecosystem?"

Written by Martina Popadakova

July 1, 2022 / 3 min. read

It’s a wrap for TalkBBQ in Copenhagen.

What’s next?

If you missed the event, here are some key takeaways:

Over 100 Danish startup ecosystem players were present at the TalkBBQ event in early June. Participants indulged in laid-back debates with familiar and new faces with appetizing dinner on the side.

Apart from the networking experience, the program was packed with voluminous discussion on the topic of “Mind the Gap: Are salaries posing a problem for startups and the ecosystem?"

Stage and audience at the TalkBBQ event hosted by TechBBQ





What is TalkBBQ?

TalkBBQ is a concept that gathers the local startup community outside of the annual TechBBQ Summit that we are so known for. Our goal is to have ongoing TalkBBQ's in between our flagship event.

The aim is to provide a space for local entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem players to learn and share the knowledge, while networking with likeminded peers in lively surroundings.

Do you want to be part of a discussion? Stay tuned.

Visit the TalkBBQ page
Speaker on the stage of the TalkBBQ event hosted by techBBQ. Session about the state of Nordic Startup Jobs

Mikkel Skott Olsen from Danske Bank Growth presented the preliminary results from the "State of Nordic Startup Jobs" report.

What were some of the findings?

The TalkBBQ was kickstarted with up-to-date findings, followed by one hour of the panel discussion.

“If there is anything that I have seen throughout the years, it’s the different changes amongst the salary levels and what are the beautiful benefits that startups can come up with in order to attract the right people," said the host of the panel discussion, Zenia Francker.

Zenia’s opening was the tip of the iceberg that the audience and the speakers explored.

The panelists shared voluminous insights on what trends they experience in startup salaries, what are their respective challenges, what are their thoughts on fixed incomes and warrants, and much more.

The event panelists:

We spoke to some of the participants
and panelists to wrap up the finding.

Moderator
Zenia W. Francker
Zenia W. FranckerDirector of Platform at Seed Capital
Panelist
Nina Elisabeth Carøe
Nina Elisabeth CarøePeople & Culture Leader, Ex-Dixa & Ex-Unity Technologies
Panelist
Jeanine Brockhoff
Jeanine BrockhoffVP of People at Corti
Panelist
Stine Mangor Tornmark
Stine Mangor TornmarkCEO & Co-founder at Openli
Panelist
Christian Damsgaard Tost
Christian Damsgaard TostGeneral Partner at People Ventures

What are great examples of alternative compensation?

Jeanine Brockhoff
“Sign up bonuses, mentorship programs, a promise of the fast track program. You also have to live up to whatever you promise."

Nina Elizabeth Carøe
“If you can, create a role for your people where there is enough flow so they get excited and energetic from it. So creating a sustainable healthy environment.”

Stine Mangor Tornmark
“We don’t do bonuses, commissions and this includes sales. Everybody on the team is rewarded, because it is the effort of all departments if we close the sale. For example, we do a company trip."

Christian Damsgaard Tost
"It’s all about believing in the right culture and culture fit. When you feel that it's more value-based than compensation and salaries."

We asked the TalkBBQ audience what are great examples of perks and benefits. They answered:

1) Full flexibility to work remotely.

2) Experiences - such as courses and care to bring safety.

3) Appreciation and acknowledgment.

4) Focus on culture and take pride in improving the overall happiness of our employees.

5) Sports - such as yoga, basketball, knitting club, ping pong and team building games at Friday bars.

6) General perks - such as a newspaper subscription, internet & phone bills paid, company excursions and delicious dinners.

7) Education - such as courses paid by the organisation, travel days and attending conferences."

What are the recommended sources of salary benchmarks?

1) Free salary guides: 

Recruitment agencies can offer pretty detailed salaries from companies. Visit Robert Half

2) Option Impact

A database that provides a detailed view of the cash and equity mix for all your  organizational roles.

3) Radford 

An access to accurate and timely compensation survey data.

4) Mercer 

Access to key data point like annual increase budgets, structure adjustments and incentive usage.

5) IDA 

It offers salary statistics, a salary calculators and IDA’s salary tools.

6) Pave

It helps to plan, communicate and benchmark the compensation in real-time.

We also asked TalkBBQ attendees.


What do you think the average salary for a non-seniority employee in an early-stage startup is per month?​

 

67 % said: 28.000 DKK

31 % said: 40.000 DKK

02 % said: 52.000 DKK

Visit the TalkBBQ page

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