What Happens After The Exit with Rune Mai

In this first episode in the mini series we call Excit - where we go behind the screen of fintech startup champaign and glam to talk about What it feels like when you’ve spent years building something—only to watch it change… or even disappear…And we’re here today to talk about what happened earlier this week. it was announced that Spiir, the leading fintech in the nordics and money app will be shut down.So this conversation is not about how to build a successful startup.It’s about what it actually costs. What it feels like to let go. And whether success always feels like success on the other side.A conversation with the founder behind Spiir and Aiia, which got acquired by Mastercard in 2021. After years of building, pushing, and sacrificing, Rune reached the milestone every founder dreams of—an exit. The company he helped build was acquired by Mastercard. On paper, it was success. Validation. The moment that makes it all worth it.And in many ways, it was.There was pride in what had been built from nothing. Pride in creating something valuable enough to matter. And something deeply personal in being able to “pay back” the people who had supported the journey along the way.But the intensity that had defined everyday life—the constant problem-solving, the chaos, the momentum—suddenly stopped. Going from 15–30 decisions a day, from early mornings into late nights, to a calendar filled with meetings and predictable structure… felt less like progress, and more like standing still.As he puts it, it felt like no longer “moving any stones.”So he made a decision to step away.To start again—this time as an investor, and eventually, as a builder once more.The Founder’s Paradox — Building, Letting Go, and Watching It End”1. The Beginning — Before It Was Obvious“Take me back to 2011—building Spiir before open banking even existed. What did you believe then that most people thought was wrong?”2. The Climb — The Real Cost of Building“We often romanticize startup journeys—but what did it actually cost you personally to build Spear and later Aiia?”3. The Exit — Winning, But at What Price?“When Mastercard acquired Aiia in 2021, what did ‘success’ feel like in that moment—and what didn’t feel the way you expected?”4. The Hard Truth — Watching It End“Now, with Spear being shut down in 2026—how does that actually feel, seeing something you spent years building come to an end under someone else’s ownership?”5. The Reflection — What Founders Don’t Talk About Enough“If you’re brutally honest—what do founders get wrong about building toward an exit, and what would you do differently if you started again tomorrow?”“What gap does Spiir leaving the market create—and does that part of you want to build again?”Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/night-drift/the-cleanerLicense code: GJBCGVW3GGGELEGR