Accel's Nelis seeks calculated risk-takers in hiring

Harry Nelis, a partner at Accel, is known for asking job candidates about the biggest risk they have ever taken. He believes it is important to find people with the right kind of appetite for risk, especially in the venture capital world. Accel has a strong history of investing in successful startups, including Facebook and Spotify. Nelis, who has been with Accel since 2004, emphasizes the need to understand risk in his interviews. He often asks candidates, “What’s the riskiest thing that you’ve ever done in your life?” Nelis once described getting married as his riskiest action. He believes that in venture capital, the real mistake is not losing money but missing out on a potentially great investment. Most startups do fail, and he acknowledges that candidates from successful backgrounds may struggle with the idea of failure. Nelis has observed changes in Europe’s startup scene during his time at Accel. Many employees from successful companies have since started their own businesses. A new report shows that between 2008 and 2025, European unicorn employees have founded around 1,650 new startups. Candidates often need to learn that taking risks means accepting the possibility of failure. Nelis says it is not enough to take risks thoughtlessly. He values proactive risk-taking, where candidates understand what they hope to achieve. If a candidate expresses a story about a risk taken without thought, Nelis sees that as a red flag.