EUVC

Welcome back to the EUVC Podcast — and today, a special Venture Beyond edition.Joining Mike Reiner of 432 Legacy and Andreas is Dave Bailey — one of Europe's most in-demand founder coaches, the brain behind FounderCoach.com, and a voice shaping how CEOs grow into their role.Dave's journey has been anything but linear: from co-founding startups like Delivery Hero, to a stint in venture capital, to now coaching Europe's most ambitious CEOs. Along the way, he's built a results-driven coaching methodology that balances competence, curiosity, and conviction.If you're a founder, VC, or operator wrestling with scaling leadership, navigating founder psychology, or turning board meetings into actual strategic levers — this episode is for you.Here's what's covered:01:10 | From Delivery Hero to VC to founder coach: Dave's unorthodox path05:00 | Why competence always comes before confidence09:15 | The five pillars of Dave's coaching methodology13:40 | Founder Mode: planning and executing with quarterly rhythm18:25 | Why visual clarity often beats verbal reflection22:10 | The hidden link between trauma, ego, and founder drive27:45 | Product launches as a culture-shaping mechanism32:30 | How to transform board meetings into true strategic accelerators38:50 | The founder's mindset: obsessive curiosity + conviction

Welcome to a new episode of the EUVC Podcast, where we bring you the people and perspectives shaping European venture.Today, we're joined by Adrian Locher, co-founder and GP at Merantix Capital, the Berlin-based AI venture capital firm and venture studio that's just planted its flag in London. Known for building and investing in AI-first companies from the ground up, Mirantix operates at the intersection of venture creation, community, and applied AI consulting — a model Adrian argues is especially well-suited to the AI age.In this conversation, we dive into the reality of the studio model, what makes it work (and not), and why Adrian believes validation with paying customers before a single line of code is written is the ultimate early-stage filter.

A billion-euro bet on Europe's most uncertain frontiers: climate, deep tech, and industrial transformation. Can government-backed funds catalyze global champions—or do they risk crowding out private capital?Dr. Elisabeth Schrey leads the Deep Tech & Climate Fonds (DTCF), a €1B investment vehicle co-financed by Germany's Future Fund and ERP Special Fund. From Munich to Berlin to Brussels, she's navigating the hardest question in European venture: how to deploy government capital without distorting markets.Together, we explore how DTCF is shaping Europe's growth-stage landscape, what it takes to invest in policy-fragile verticals like hydrogen and climate tech, and why Europe's future industrial champions may depend on funds like this.Here's what's covered:01:47 Why Elisabeth Took the Helm at DTCF (and What Gap It Fills)03:32 The Co-Investment Model: Benefits, Limits, and Founder Experience05:38 Crowding Out or Catalyzing? Steelmanning the Public Capital Debate07:21 When DTCF Steps Aside—and When It Competes for Deals09:54 Walking the Tightrope: Returns, Ecosystem Support, and Incentives14:36 Thinking Ahead: Could DTCF's Next Fund Be Purely Financial?15:42 The Scale Up Europe Fund vs. DTCF: Complement or Competition?17:18 Investing in Policy-Fragile Sectors Without Betting on Subsidies20:38 Defining “Readiness to Scale” in Uncertain Markets22:28 Avoiding the Subsidy Trap: Building Models That Work Without Support25:03 Climate & Hydrogen: Placing Bets Before the Hype27:36 Tech Waiting for the Market vs. Market Waiting for Tech29:06 Expanding the Portfolio: Semiconductors, Robotics, Cybersecurity31:27 Munich vs. Berlin: Why Munich Has Emerged as a Hardware Hub32:53 Corporates in Venture: Buffer, Booster, or Bottleneck?34:38 What Founders Need: Senior Hires & Serious Cashflow Models36:04 What Investors Get: Policy Links, Due Diligence, Deep Tech Edge38:22 Advice for Emerging VCs & Policymakers: Where the Next Gap Lies

Welcome back to another episode of the EUVC Podcast, where we bring together Europe's venture family to share the stories, insights, and lessons that drive our ecosystem forward.Today we dive into one of the most under-discussed — yet increasingly important — topics in European venture: Opportunity Funds.Joining Andreas Munk Holm is Lea Strumberger, Senior Investment Manager at KfW Capital, one of Europe's largest and most mission-driven LPs. KfW Capital co-operates several modules of Germany's €10B Future Fund (Zukunftsfonds) and deploys into VC funds to strengthen Europe's late-stage capital base.Within that framework, KfW Capital has launched an Opportunity Fund facility to back managers deploying Series B+ capital — often into their own breakouts — with a structure and governance playbook that preserves alignment and avoids “continuation-vehicle rescue” dynamics. Public examples of European Opportunity strategies include Notion Capital's Opportunities funds, built alongside its core franchise.Here's what's covered00:17 — Mandate & why Series B+: Europe needs domestic late-stage capital04:39 — Two OF archetypes: inside-only vs blended08:15 — How KfW diligences emergent managers launching OFs13:19 — Why a third-party lead (≥25%) matters18:53 — Terms that matter: fees, carry, GP commit, duration25:30 — GP commit reality for second-timers33:19 — Governance: allocation policy, LPAC, down-rounds36:10 — Hurdle rates: 6–8% standard, not the battleground37:55 — Market pulse: ~10 OFs/year cross KfW's desk

Welcome back to another episode of Upside at the EUVC Podcast, where ⁠Dan Bowyer, ⁠Mads Jensen of ⁠SuperSeed⁠, and ⁠Lomax Ward of ⁠Outsized Ventures⁠ unpack the headlines reshaping European venture.This week, the trio dives into the UK's blink-and-you-miss-it exit tax, China's rising open-source AI threat, hyperscaler accounting drama courtesy of Michael Burry, Europe's supply-chain vulnerabilities — and why kill switches might soon matter as much as CapEx.Here's what's covered:08:42 The enterprise AI “nothingburger”: why progress is slower than adoption claims.10:31 Nexperia: Europe's dependence on Chinese chip packaging exposed.11:55 The four–six week fragility window in Europe's automotive supply chain.13:47 EU formalises 5G vendor bans — the €3B Huawei/ZTE rip-out begins.17:12 Dan vs. Alex Karp: “word salad” or visionary govtech architect?20:34 Palantir's privacy architecture: why governments keep choosing them.23:28 Markets wobble: Nvidia leads the downturn; Apple stands alone.28:14 Hyperscalers' depreciation trick: why Michael Burry calls fiction.35:12 Anthropic cyber incident: Claude “jailbroken” via social engineering.38:27 Chinese kill switches in European buses — and what comes next.

Welcome back to the EUVC Podcast, where we explore the frameworks moving European venture, finance, and policy.Two weeks after Building Bridges 2025 in Geneva, Andreas Munk Holm and Enrique, Chi Impact Capital sit down with Patrick Odier — Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Lombard Odier and Chair of Building Bridges — to get practical on financing systemic transition. Odier argues for a shift from “risk and exclusion” to opportunity and system redesign, spotlighting circularity, materials, and real-economy partnerships as core alpha.

Welcome back to another episode of the EUVC Podcast, your trusted inside track on the people, deals, and dynamics shaping European venture.This week, Andreas Munk Holm is joined by Mariette Roesink, Co‑Founder of Curie Capital. Named after Marie Curie, the fund backs breakthrough life science technologies with a mission to both deliver outsized returns and transform patient outcomes.Mariette and her co-founder Han de Groot have already been part of two unicorn exits, raised €200M across their portfolio in a single year, and — most strikingly — can point to zero bankruptcies across 25 investments. As family office-backed GPs, they also invest significant personal capital alongside LPs.They dive into Curie's approach, the unique dynamics of European biotech, why Western Europe is a life science powerhouse, and how to make life science VC anything but “binary.”Whether you're an LP curious about the sector, a GP sharpening your pitch, or a founder in healthtech — this conversation is packed with insights.Here's what's covered:01:00 | Why Curie Capital is named after Marie Curie03:00 | High financial returns + patient impact: the dual promise of biotech05:00 | Why GPs investing their own family money matters07:00 | Raising €200M in “harsh” markets — portfolio highlights09:30 | The billion-dollar impact story of Acerta Pharma12:00 | Building specialist networks & engaging strategics early14:00 | TargED Biotherapeutics: developing a breakthrough stroke therapy17:00 | Zero bankruptcies — besides capital Curie helps theyoung ventures with their network to support raising next roundsand partnering20:00 | The Curie Capital team — science, business, and hands-on support21:30 | Why Western Europe is a life sciences powerhouse23:30 | The 6.1x valuation gap between EU & US early-stage biotech25:00 | The truth about life science holding periods & exits27:00 | Educating LPs: why life science VC isn't as binary as many think

Welcome back to another episode of Upside at the EUVC Podcast, where ⁠Dan Bowyer⁠,⁠ Mads Jensen⁠ of ⁠SuperSeed⁠, ⁠Lomax Ward⁠ of ⁠Outsized Ventures⁠⁠, and this week's guest Jone Vaituleviciute, Managing Partner at ⁠Firstpick⁠ VC, unpack the forces shaping venture across Europe and the Baltics.This week's conversation bridges Lithuania's booming early-stage scene and Europe's macro tensions — from defense investments and bootstrapping culture to Matt Clifford's call for “permissionless growth,” the rise of quant capital, and how Europe's AI reality is evolving fast.

Welcome back to the EUVC Podcast — where we go deep with the people shaping European venture.Today, David sits down with Kristaps Ronis, Partner at ION Pacific, a global secondaries investor (HQ in LA, presence in Europe & Asia) focused on Series B+ tech and a specialty that's getting hotter by the month: structured secondaries.Kristaps runs ION Pacific's European practice and has been with the firm since inception (2015). In this episode, he unpacks why DPI is king, why traditional “sell-the-shares” secondaries often fall short, and how structured deals can deliver liquidity without selling or signaling — all while preserving control and upside for GPs.Whether you're a GP under LP pressure, an LP looking for distributions, or a founder trying to understand what's happening around your cap table, this one's for you.Here's what's covered:00:55 – Who is ION Pacific? Global secondaries focused on B/C/D with a European practice led by Kristaps.02:36 – What they do: Liquidity for venture via structured & traditional secondaries.04:01 – Kristaps' path: Latvia → Peking University → Hong Kong banking → co-founding ION Pacific.06:05 – What are structured secondaries (in one line).07:35 – Three big learnings in venture: lack of financial innovation, complex cap tables = silent killer, DPI is king.10:48 – Early vs. later stage instruments — why complexity hits hard post-Series B.17:16 – Why secondaries now (esp. in Europe): DPI pressure, awareness, more dedicated players.21:09 – Continuation vehicles in Europe: “2025 is the year of the EU CV.”23:31 – Where structured deals fit: liquidity without selling, pricing gaps, zero market signaling.26:20 – “What's the catch?” Educating LPs on partial upfront + future upside.28:05 – Advice for GPs & LPs: how to open the liquidity conversation.29:53 – Solving the bid–ask spread: structure beats headline discounts.31:27 – Co-investing: where others join (and where they don't).32:26 – The market gap: too big for small PE secondaries, too small for mega funds — ION's sweet spot.35:55 – Timing: don't start in year 11 of a 10+2 fund; think 6–9 months ahead.36:58 – Seller mistakes: timing, portfolio prep, governance blockers, LP comms.40:23 – Good news for emerging managers: relationships can reopen info rights.43:37 – Kristaps' bookshelf: The One Thing, Getting to Neutral, Buy Back Your Time.45:23 – How to reach Kristaps: LinkedIn + email; open to being a sounding board.

Welcome back to another EUVC Podcast, where we gather Europe's venture family to share the stories, insights, and lessons that drive our ecosystem forward.Today we dive into the world of gaming with Alper Oner, Co-founder of Agave Games, and Enis Hulli, General Partner at e2vc. Agave has taken the gaming world by storm with its hit “Find the Cat” — a quirky hidden-object game that has become a global revenue driver, generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in daily revenue. But this wasn't a straight line: Agave started as a publisher, pivoted into building games in-house, and is now raising big rounds to expand with its new hit “What the Hex.”Agave has taken the gaming world by storm with its hit “Find the Cat” — a quirky hidden-object game that climbed global charts, hitting tens of thousands of dollars in daily revenue and inspiring a wave of imitators. But the road here was far from linear: Agave began as a publisher, pivoted to a studio model, and has since raised an $18M Series A led by Baldur's Gate Capital, Felicis, and e2vc to fuel its next big title — “What the Hex.”Together, Enis and Alper unpack how to back founders over ideas, pivot at the right time, and scale when metrics explode — all while explaining why Turkey has quietly become Europe's mobile gaming superpower.

Welcome back to the EUVC Podcast, where we gather Europe's venture family to share the stories, insights, and lessons that drive our ecosystem forward.Today we zoom in on the inner game with Seb Agertoft, former product leader turned executive coach and Partner at Evolution, a collective of ~80 coaching and leadership-development partners across the US and Europe. Seb works primarily with VC-backed founders, co-founding teams, and leadership teams. Joining me is Mike Reiner (432 Legacy), who's helping us bring more conversations like this to light. We dig into what real coaching is (and isn't), how product experience helps without turning coaching into advice, why founders need the right kind of stubbornness, and how slowing down actually improves performance.

Welcome back to another episode of Upside at the EUVC Podcast, where ⁠Dan Bowyer⁠,⁠ Mads Jensen⁠ of ⁠SuperSeed⁠, ⁠Lomax Ward⁠ of ⁠Outsized Ventures⁠ and ⁠Andrew J Scott⁠ of ⁠7percent Ventures⁠, and Lomax unpack the forces shaping European venture capital.This week's conversation spans the spectrum, from AI moratoriums and political overreach to funding freezes, LP pullbacks, and the question of whether Europe still dares to dream big.The crew digs into whether regulation is protecting society or suffocating innovation, the chilling effect of capital retreat, and how optimism can be rebuilt amid macro fatigue.

This week on the EUVC Podcast, Andreas Munk Holm sits down with Sebastian Peck, Partner at KOMPAS VC, Europe's leading specialist in industrial tech and the decarbonisation of manufacturing and the built world.KOMPAS VC is an early- and growth-stage venture capital firm backed by leading corporates, focused on transforming how the world builds, moves, and powers itself. With offices in London, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen, KOMPAS partners with startups and industrial leaders driving efficiency, automation, and decarbonisation across sectors like manufacturing, construction, energy, and mobility.With the firm gearing up for major announcements, Sebastian unpacks why industrial tech is finally having its moment in European VC — and why resilience, regulation, and risk appetite will determine whether Europe leads or lags.Here's what's covered:00:20 Defining Industrial Tech - Decarbonisation, productivity, and resilience: the three pillars driving transformation in Europe's industrial base.03:30 The Energy Debate: Transition vs pragmatism, nuclear's comeback, and Europe vs US vs China09:14 Fragmented Corporate Commitments: Nordics doubling down, US ambivalence, China scaling renewables fast11:21 AI in Industrial Tech: From power-hungry models to agentic AI: where real productivity gains are emerging and what's still hype.16:02 Robotics: Hype vs. reality: Why humanoid robots won't take over factories (yet) — and where automation truly moves the needle.21:57 Adoption Hurdles: Why industrial tech moves slower than SaaS, and how smart VCs help bridge the gap between pilots and production.24:37 AI & Jobs: Creative destruction or just destruction? How Europe, the US, and China are charting radically different paths.33:18 Regulation: Europe's protective instinct: how the EU's AI Act balances innovation with oversight - for better and for worse.40:27 Startups × Corporates: Why pilots fail, and how KOMPAS VC brokers real commercial traction44:48 KOMPAS VC Fund II: New bets, Makersite's standout Series B, and how the firm is deepening its industrial tech thesis.45:54 Specialist vs Generalist VCs: Why Europe needs deep domain VCs working alongside generalist syndicates to build lasting industry platforms.48:52 Magic Wand Policy: Pension capital reform and risk appetite as Europe's bottlenecks51:09 It's Not Founders, it's the Ecosystem: Employees, customers, regulators, and LPs — everyone needs to lean in if Europe is to lead.

Welcome back to the EUVC Podcast, where we bring you the people and perspectives shaping European venture.Today we're joined by Lucanus Polagnoli (Founding Partner & CEO) and Stephanie Urbanski (Managing Director) of Calm/Storm — a specialist early-stage fund backing software-only digital health across Europe. Fresh off the close of Fund II, we dive into how they've evolved from a solo-GP experiment into a community-powered platform, why they keep the scope digital-only, and how they navigate regulation, AI and the post-COVID reality without losing the plot.

Welcome to a new episode of the EUVC Podcast, where our good friends Dan Bowyer, Mads Jensen, Lomax Ward, and Andrew Beebe (Managing Director at Obvious Ventures) dig into the headlines shaping Europe's venture, policy, and tech future.This week, the crew dives deep into automation and AI's real-world impact:Amazon's plans to replace half a million jobs with robots, the question of whether AI can truly spark a new industrial revolution in Europe, the UK's new AI sandbox experiment, and an update on the long-awaited 28th Regime—the EU's bid for a unified startup entity.They also unpack China's automation surge, Europe's productivity crisis, and whether policy and politics are keeping pace with the technology curve.

Welcome back to another EUVC Podcast, where we explore the lessons, frameworks, and insights shaping Europe's venture ecosystem.Today's episode marks a major milestone for Notion Capital - the launch of its new Growth Fund, designed to back Europe's most ambitious B2B software founders beyond Series B.Today, Andreas Munk Holm sits down with Stephen Chandler, Jessica Bartos, formerly of Salesforce Ventures, and Stephanie Opdam, both key leaders at Notion's growth fund. They discuss how Notion approaches growth-stage investments, the importance of founder quality, AI trends, enterprise go-to-market excellence, and the global ambitions of European startups.

Welcome back to another episode of the EUVC Podcast, where we bring you the people and perspectives shaping European venture.Today, we're joined by Alexandre Mars, the French entrepreneur and philanthropist behind Blisce, one of Europe's pioneering B Corp-certified venture funds. From bootstrapping his first business at 17 to building and selling multiple startups across Europe and the US, Alexander has seen both sides of the entrepreneurial journey — the grind and the freedom.In this conversation, we explore his evolution from founder to impact investor, the trade-offs between wealth and purpose, the challenge of defining “impact” in venture capital, and why Europe's next tech era will depend on bridging public policy, capital, and purpose.

This week, Andreas Munk Holm and Jeppe Høier sit down with Matti Rönkkö, Managing Director of Kiilto Ventures, the venture arm of Finnish family-owned Kiilto.From Rocket Internet to running a corporate-backed, family-owned venture arm, Matti shares how Kiilto Ventures blends family capital, industry know-how, and VC pace to back startups in the sustainable built environment. They dive into portfolio examples, CVC vs VC dynamics, co-investing with generalists, and why superior product performance at price parity is the only path forward in climate and construction tech.

In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm speaks with Anders Kjær, General Partner at PSV Hafnium, Denmark's first dedicated deep tech fund. Together, they explore the evolving role of technical founders, the Nordic research-industrial complex, and how early-stage deep tech capital needs to work differently to unlock tomorrow's transformative companies.Here's what's covered:01:30 Why PSV Hafnium Was Built—and the Deep Tech Opportunity in the Nordics04:13 PSV Hafnium as a Symbol of Deep Tech: The Element & the Brand08:24 Turning Research into Portfolio Power: DTU's Role in Diligence & Support10:19 Can a Copenhagen-Based Fund Compete Across the New Nordics?14:26 Nordic Tech Clusters: Are There Regional Strengths or Pure Serendipity?19:43 Bio Solutions, Green Energy & Industrial Legacy: Why Deep Tech Thrives Here21:15 Sciencepreneurs Rising: Shifting Founder Mindsets in Deep Tech24:52 How PSV Hafnium Gauges Entrepreneurial Readiness in Deep Tech Teams27:44 What Generalist VCs Get Right—and Wrong—About Deep Tech30:18 What “European Resilience” Actually Means at the Early Stage36:18 The Common Thread in All Deep Tech Bets (Hint: It's Not Sector)42:09 Bridge Rounds in Deep Tech: A True Test of Conviction45:53 Rapid Fire: Nordic Bets, Myths to Kill, & Advice to Scientist Founders

Welcome to a new episode of the EUVC Podcast, where our good friends Dan Bowyer and Mads Jensen from SuperSeed are joined by Lomax Ward from Outsized Ventures and Ben Prade, investor & operator at Bullhound Capital (the investment arm of GP Bullhound), for an unfiltered look at Europe's venture reality: fundraising pain, secondaries-as-a-service, AI's power hunger, China's “dark factories,” and how Europe unlocks the capital to compete.Ben focuses on deep tech, AI, quantum, and space, and he brings a clear-eyed view on how liquidity, secondaries, and structural headwinds are reshaping the market.

Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we spotlight Europe's corporate venture leaders, founders, and academics shaping the future of venture collaboration.In this episode, Francesco Di Lorenzo, Associate Professor at Copenhagen Business School, takes the stage to share fresh research on the state of corporate venture capital (CVC) in the Nordics. From Sweden to Denmark, Francesco explores how corporates are experimenting with different venturing models, what makes CVC effective, and why Nordic corporates are some of Europe's most important venture partners.Rather than polished slides, Francesco offers candid reflections from the Summit itself: the open questions corporates face, the trade-offs in structuring CVC units, and why cultural change in the boardroom is key if corporate venturing is to succeed long-term.

Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you candid conversations with Europe's leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping the future of venture collaboration.In this session, Christian Tang, Partner at San Francisco–based Acme, and Claus Gregersen, CEO of the 275-year-old evergreen investor Augustinus Fabrikker, explore what global ambition really means in today's venture landscape.From recalibrating US expansion strategies to navigating sovereignty, trade tensions, and structural resets, they unpack how investors and founders must adapt to thrive in a more complex—but still interconnected—world.

Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you candid conversations with Europe's leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping the future of venture collaboration.In this episode, Anne C. Fleischer, Global VP of Consumer Engagement and New Business Models at Novo Nordisk, joins Henrijette Richter, Managing Partner at Sofinnova Partners, for a conversation on the future of health innovation.Together they explore how corporates and VCs are driving the next wave of digital health, the role of AI in transforming patient care, and what it takes to turn breakthrough science into scalable business models.

Corporate venture capital has become a $100B+ force in tech. Charlie Hayward from Global Corporate Venturing unpacks what's really driving the trend: which sectors are heating up, where CVCs make a difference, and how Europe stacks up under capital constraints and geopolitical pressure.Here's what's covered:00:00 – Setting the stage: CVC as a $100B+ global force01:00 – Why corporate venture matters: from Microsoft's outlier story to the role of corporate backers03:00 – Active CVC units: stock performance and why entrepreneurs should care04:00 – Lower bankruptcy risk & higher exit multiples for CVC-backed startups05:00 – State of play: fundraising headwinds, but CVCs take the long-term view05:30 – Early-stage shift: corporates getting active in seed & pre-seed rounds06:00 – Global hotspots: Latin America and APAC showing strong momentum07:00 – What CVCs bring: board seats, portfolio support, but still lighter on financial-return expectations08:00 – Who plays the game: large corporates with $1B+ revenues dominate, but LP stakes open doors for smaller players09:00 – New frontiers: universities, accelerators, and venture clienting as the next CVC battlegrounds

Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you candid conversations with Europe's leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping the future of venture collaboration.In this session, Marcus Behrendt, Managing Director at BMW i Ventures, and Nicole LeBlanc, Partner at Woven Capital (Toyota's global growth fund), join Andreas Munk Holm to explore the shifting landscape of mobility and corporate venture.From navigating capital-intensive hardware bets to finding the balance between strategic alignment and financial discipline, Marcus and Nicole share what they've learned running two of the world's most active mobility CVCs. They open up on exits, collaboration with startups, and how CVCs must evolve to remain relevant in an era of autonomous, connected, and electrified vehicles.

Welcome back to another episode of the EUVC Podcast, where we bring you the people and perspectives shaping European venture.Today, we're joined by Alexey Plesakov and Alexander Lis from Social Discovery Ventures (SDV) — a quietly influential, globally active investment firm deploying capital across the US and Europe. Born out of the bootstrapped success of Social Discovery Group (the company behind Dating.com), SDV invests in both funds and directs, with a venture allocation far above the family office norm.We dive into their origin story, why they're leaning into Europe now, their approach to fund vs. direct investments, and how they think about the future of VC in a more uncertain macro climate.

With: Nicholas Nelson (Archangel) • Dan • Lomax • MadsTL;DW• Defence-first wins on capability and returns; primes are partners and channels.• Helsing: buys platforms/revenue for access; layers AI—different from Anduril's buy-TRL-tech + scale model.• Beyond drones: biggest gap/opportunity is tactical EW.• Procurement: more fast lanes (SOF, pilots); primes getting easier to work with.• AI: real profits exist (esp. NVIDIA), but value chain is fragile; expect a correction, not a collapse. Picking winners more important than timing.Content with Time Codes02:40 — Why defence-firstBeats dual-use on outcomes and returns; lifelong focus.04:32 — DefinitionsCustomer = MoDs + primes; aim: lethality/readiness and societal resilience. Beware “defence-washing”.06:37 — What's hotAvoid herd to drones only; counter-UAS, EW, human performance, deception, survivability.08:23 — Helsing buys GrobNeo-prime play: new co buys legacy manufacturing for platform access.10:42 — The two Defence M&A playbooksAnduril: buys mid-TRL tech (Area-I, Dive LD/Ghost Shark, Adranos) → scales via brand/distribution.Helsing: buys finished products/revenue (Mittelstand) → immediate customers; then add AI.14:25 — Prime status & capitalDistribution + capital to AI-enable platforms.17:47 — Roll-up vs buildNarrative “build”; execution “roll-up + build”.19:47 — Drones & ‘drone wall'Layered answer: blunt with drones, hold with conventional forces.21:49 — The big one: Electronic Warfare (EW)NATO underinvested; tactical EW is the unmet need; legacy kit is '80s/'90s.24:54 — Startup wedgePut EW at the edge (drones/aircraft/fixed) → near-term wins.26:33 — Baltic realismHistory, 2007–09 Estonia cyber, current incursions; likely Kaliningrad corridor.28:19 — Founder mistakesTech ≠ win by itself; experience + gov engagement matters; US analogue: top funds have IC/SOF DNA.30:43 —  Are there really only a “Few buyers?”Many real buyers inside a MoD/DoD (services, sub-units, innovation orgs).36:23 — Sovereignty & US primesUS strategics will buy abroad; Europe balancing autonomy with jobs/exits.41:07 — Starlink vs IRIS²Starlink's lead + cadence; IRIS² slower—watch timelines vs evolving threats.47:18 — AI bubble?Warnings vs fundamentals; self-funded capex; real profits.49:37 — NVIDIA ramp$4.4B (2023) → $73B this year; growth tempers multiples.51:48 — AI Circular money & marginsCursor → Anthropic → hyperscalers → NVIDIA; only NVIDIA mints big margins; margin pressure coming (new semis, China, SLMs).53:12 — Picking beats timingDot-com lesson: Cisco losses vs Amazon wins.54:19 — Capacity vs efficiencyCapex likely useful long-run, but open source squeezes costs.55:52 — Platform riskFrontier labs moving up-stack; vertical AI + trust + data = moat.58:58 — Base caseLikely correction (30–50%) at some point; timing is unknowable (not investment advice).

Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you the voices shaping Europe's venture and corporate collaboration landscape.In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm speaks with Tanja Lind Melskens, Head of Corporate Strategy and M&A at Terma, Denmark's tier-one defense technology group. As Europe re-arms and defense spending surges, Tanja shares how startups, corporates, and investors must rethink dual-use technology, navigate inflated wartime valuations, and prepare for the post-conflict market.From frontline innovation in Ukraine to the challenges of ESG in defense tech, this conversation sheds light on one of the most important—and controversial—frontiers for venture collaboration.00:00 Europe's re-armament: rising budgets, real opportunities—and inflated valuations.01:30 Ukraine as the “Silicon Valley of defense tech”: 4 million drones a year and frontline R&D.03:00 Why startups must prepare for the post-conflict market, not just donation-driven sales.04:30 Terma's Kyiv subsidiary and partnerships with Ukrainian startups.06:00 Drone wars and critical infrastructure: protecting energy, transport, and hospitals.07:00 ESG in defense: compliance vs. survival in frontline innovation.08:00 Risks no VC faces: working with founders whose survival is uncertain.

Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you candid conversations with Europe's leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping the future of venture collaboration.In this session, Andreas Munk Holm is joined by Crispin Leick, Managing Director of EnBW New Ventures, Georg Reifferscheid, Head of Sustainability Ventures at REWE Group, and Jeppe Høier. Together, they explore how corporates are deploying capital, rethinking supply chains, and integrating AI to tackle Europe's most urgent challenge: the energy transition.From evergreen venture models to decarbonizing retail operations, the discussion dives deep into how industrial and consumer giants are investing, where capital is moving fastest, and why success still depends on aligning financial and strategic incentives.

Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you ground-level conversations with the founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping Europe's innovation future.In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm sits down with Nadia Carlsten, VP at DCAI, and Bjarke Ruse Sejrsen, CEO of Go Autonomous, to explore how Europe is putting AI hype into practice. From Denmark's launch of the Gefion supercomputer to startups training proprietary models, this conversation dives into the reality of building AI factories that deliver business value — and what it will take for Europe to compete globally.Nadia shares why compute sovereignty matters and how Denmark is positioning itself as a hub for large-scale AI innovation, while Bjarke explains how Go Autonomous trained the world's first B2B foundation model — and why European startups need braver investors to seize the AI-native future.

Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you candid conversations with Europe's leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping the future of venture collaboration.In this session, Sead Bajrovic of Water Impact Partners and Gijs de Bruin of PureTerra Ventures take the stage to unpack one of the most overlooked challenges in climate investing: water. From scarcity and pollution to corporate resilience and trillion-dollar opportunities, they explain why water technology must become a central pillar of Europe's impact and climate strategy.

Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you candid conversations with Europe's leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping the future of venture collaboration.In this session, Andreas Munk Holm speaks with Bodil Sidén, Founding Partner at Kost Capital, and Marika King, Head of PINC, the venture arm of Paulig. Together, they explore how Europe can reinvent food systems to feed 10 billion people by 2050—without destroying the planet.From test kitchens and Michelin chefs in VC funds, to evergreen corporate models and the hunt for plastic-free packaging, Bodil and Marika share their unique approaches to food and agri-tech investing, the biggest opportunities ahead, and what they look for in founders building the future of food.

Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you candid conversations with Europe's leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping the future of venture collaboration.In this episode, Samuli Sirén, Managing Partner at Redstone, joins Andreas Munk Holm to explore how data-driven deal sourcing is reshaping venture capital. Redstone has spent nearly a decade building Sophia, its proprietary analytics platform, to track trends, identify group dynamics, and map startup opportunities long before they show up on mainstream radars.From the promise and limits of AI in scouting to the common mistakes corporates make in startup sourcing, Samuli pulls back the curtain on what works, what doesn't, and how data can give investors an edge without replacing human judgment.

Welcome back to EUVC Live in Malmö, where we bring you unfiltered conversations and reflections from the people shaping Europe's venture ecosystem.As the day closed, Andreas Munk Holm, co-founder of EUVC, took the stage for the final word — a candid reflection on where real power comes from and what Europe's venture community must do next.Throughout the day, speakers discussed sovereignty, collaboration, and Europe's industrial future. Andreas' message cut through with urgency: if we want Europe to lead, we can't stop at innovation — we must step into politics.He pointed to the example of the United States, where the tech ecosystem has rallied around political power, influenced policy, and put its candidates into office. The takeaway? Values matter, but influence requires engagement — and Europe's founders and investors need to find their voice in the political arena.

Welcome back to EUVC Live in Malmö, where we bring you unfiltered conversations with the voices shaping Europe's venture ecosystem.In this session, Nick de la Forge, Partner at Planet A Ventures, takes the stage to share insights from an eye-opening field trip through China's climate and hardware startup ecosystem.Nick's story begins with a simple question: what if we're wrong about China's advantage? — and ends with a humbling realization of just how fast and how efficiently the world's largest manufacturing ecosystem now moves.Joined by fellow investors from 2150, Energy Impact Partners, and Compass, Nick toured factories, startups, and hyperscalers like CATL and BYD, witnessing firsthand what “scale” really looks like. The takeaway? Europe's biggest competitor isn't just cheaper — it's faster, leaner, and far more integrated.

Welcome back to EUVC Live in Malmö, where we bring you unfiltered conversations with the voices shaping Europe's venture ecosystem.In this session, Danijel Visevic, Founding Partner at World Fund, takes the stage with a powerful message: Europe's strength has always been its ability to turn crisis into collaboration — and it must do so again.Dantraces Europe's journey from the coal and steel community of 1951 to today's climate and geopolitical challenges. From the fall of the Berlin Wall to COVID and the war in Ukraine, he reminds us that Europe's greatest leaps have always come from unity, resilience, and investment in shared progress.Now, as Europe faces an era of “polycrisis” — encompassing war, climate change, supply chain fragility, and tech disruption — Danijel calls for a new act of radical innovation: rebuilding Europe's industrial leadership through collaboration, deep technology, and climate investment.

Welcome back to another EUVC Podcast, where we gather Europe's venture family to share the stories, insights, and lessons that drive our ecosystem forward.Today we dive into the corporate venturing journey of Georg Reifferscheid, Head of Climate Tech at REWE Group, one of Europe's largest retailers with €94B in revenue and 350,000 employees. With supermarkets, discount brands, travel agencies, hotels, DIY markets, and more under its umbrella, REWE is a powerhouse — but also a company with massive sustainability challenges.Georg walks us through how REWE Ventures is structured across four focus areas (Retail Tech, E-Grocery/Mobility, Food Tech, and Climate Tech), why his team is prioritizing cooling, HVAC, and green construction materials, and what it really takes to get startups and corporates to collaborate effectively. From investment strategy and deal stages to the psychology of expectation management, this is a candid look at how a €100B cooperative builds innovation for the next century.

Welcome back to EUVC Live in Malmö, where we bring you unfiltered conversations with the voices shaping Europe's venture ecosystem.In this session, Jamie Rowles, Partner at Regeneration VC, takes the stage to explore Europe's role in the global climate transition — and why consumer climate tech might just be the continent's hidden superpower.Regeneration VC is a transatlantic early-stage fund investing in what they call consumer climate tech — the intersection of sustainability, circular systems, and the products we touch every day. From fashion and food to electronics and personal care, these industries account for over half of Europe's GDP and are ripe for climate-driven reinvention.Jamie makes the case that Europe is the world's “conscious consumer lab” — home to 450 million affluent consumers, global brands with long-term outlooks, and cultural leadership in taste and sustainability. In a world divided by politics and partisanship, Europe's climate leadership might emerge not from regulation or tech — but from what people choose to buy.

Welcome back to EUVC Live at Malmö, where we bring you unfiltered conversations with the voices shaping Europe's venture ecosystem.In this episode, Rokas Pečiulaitis, Founder & Managing Partner at Contrarian Ventures, joins Andreas on stage to unpack one of the most fundamental questions in climate and deep tech: why the technology of today becomes the infrastructure of tomorrow.Rokas takes us from Rockefeller's Standard Oil to today's climate transition, explaining how every technological revolution ends in infrastructure and why venture capital must evolve to bridge the gap between innovation and deployment.From energy transitions and the rise of China's solar dominance to why investors must learn to fund the “missing middle” between venture and project finance, Rokas lays out a vision for Europe's climate future — and a roadmap for how to fund it.

Welcome to a new episode of the EUVC podcast, where our good friends Dan Bowyer and Mads Jensen from SuperSeed in a discussion with Andrew J. Scott, Founding Partner at 7percent Ventures, cover recent news and movements in the European tech landscape

Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you candid conversations with Europe's leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping the future of venture collaboration.In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm sits down with Simon Boas Hoffmeyer, Global Head of Sustainability & ESG at Carlsberg, and Kasper Hulthin, serial entrepreneur and investor at Future Five (co-founder of Peakon, Podio, and more).With ESG facing political backlash, accusations of greenwashing, and shifting investor sentiment, the question looms: is ESG still a lever for real change—or does it need a reset? Simon and Kasper explore what's broken, what still works, and how corporates and startups can embed sustainability into real business value.

Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you candid conversations with Europe's leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping the future of venture collaboration.In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm sits down with Hampus Jakobsson, General Partner at Pale Blue Dot, one of Europe's leading climate-focused funds. With shifting U.S. politics, renewed uncertainty around climate policy, and growing skepticism of “green hype,” Hampus shares why he defines climate investing as simply “not dumb investing.”From Donald Trump's return to the White House to Europe's resilience, China's role, and the gritty reality of scaling “boring but effective” solutions, this conversation is a masterclass in how investors, corporates, and founders can navigate climate risks — and seize opportunities.

Welcome back to EUVC Live powered by Woven Capital at The Drop, where we bring you unfiltered conversations with the voices shaping Europe's venture ecosystem.In this episode, Alex Bakir, founding partner at Norrsken Evolve, takes the stage fresh off his latest fund close — but instead of talking about fundraising, Alex dives into the bigger picture: how competition, climate, and chaos are reshaping the world we invest in.From the cycles of history and the rise of populism to the structural shocks of climate change, Alex challenges us to rethink Europe's role, its vulnerabilities, and why rebuilding around cleantech and climate tech isn't just optional — it's inevitable.

Welcome back to EUVC Live powered by Woven Capital at The Drop, where we bring you the candid conversations with the investors shaping Europe's venture ecosystem.In this episode, Nicole LeBlanc, Partner at Woven Capital, joins us on stage in Malmö to share why Toyota's $800M global fund is doubling down on Europe. From talent pools and global mindsets to climate tech leadership, Nicole explains why Europe is the testbed for scaling climate, mobility, and automation solutions worldwide.

Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you candid conversations with Europe's leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping the future of venture collaboration.In this session, Mette Hoberg Tønnesen, CEO of The Link, joins Jeppe Høier, EUVC Corporates, for a candid conversation moderated by Andreas Munk Holm. Together they explore how corporate venture networks can outlive the 3.7-year average lifespan of CVCs, bridge the gap between startups and corporates, and unlock Europe's full potential as an alternative to US and Chinese capital.From translating corporate complexity for startups to tackling “startup theater” and making CVCs real value creators, this is a roadmap for corporates who want to build networks that actually last.

Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you candid conversations with Europe's leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping the future of venture collaboration.In this session, Jeppe Høier sits down with Mike Smeed, Managing Director of InMotion Ventures (the venture arm of Jaguar Land Rover), and Ida Christine Brun, Partner at Maersk Growth. Together, they dive into how two global giants—one in mobility and one in logistics—approach corporate venturing, what they've learned about balancing financial returns with strategic purpose, and how they decide where to play in a fast-changing landscape.From decarbonization and electrification to supply chain innovation and customer-centric business models, Mike and Ida share firsthand lessons on what works, what doesn't, and how corporates can create real value in venture.

Welcome back to EUVC Live powered by Woven Capital at The Drop, where we bring you raw and unfiltered insights from Europe's venture ecosystem.In this episode, Hampus Jakobsson - serial founder, angel investor, and one of the driving forces behind The Drop - takes the stage to share two big themes: his hard-earned lessons on corporate venturing, and how AI is set to reshape both energy demand and climate solutions.From scars of failed CVC deals to the epiphany that corporates must be at the table, and from the risks of AI's off-grid energy needs to its potential as “a thousand free interns” in old industries, Hampus delivers a candid, fast-paced perspective you won't want to miss.

Welcome back to another EUVC Podcast, where we gather Europe's venture family to share the stories, insights, and lessons that drive our ecosystem forward.Today, we dive into the announcement of Ventech's Fund VI, which has closed at €175M — the firm's largest fund yet, with an impressive 95% LP re-up rate. To unpack it all, Andreas Munk Holm sits down with Stephan Wirries, General Partner at Ventech. From AI and industrial software to European sovereignty and late-stage capital markets, Stephan shares how Ventech is positioning itself for the next decade — and why Europe still has structural gaps to fix if it wants to scale globally.

Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you candid conversations with Europe's leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping the future of venture collaboration.In this session, Linn Clabburn, Head of CVC at Inter IKEA Group, and Destana Herring, Partner at Regeneration.VC, explore how corporates and VCs can partner with founders without overshadowing them.From aligning on objectives to translating “corporate scale” into startup reality, Linn and Destana share how trust, sparring, and clarity in the boardroom can make or break collaboration.

Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you candid conversations with Europe's leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping the future of venture collaboration.In this episode, Thijs Povel, CEO of dealflow.eu, and Ekke Van Vliet, Investment Coordinator at the European Innovation Council (EIC), sit down to discuss one of the biggest challenges in Europe's venture ecosystem: bridging the gap between corporates and startups.From EIC's €10B budget for deep tech to the lessons learned from more than 70 “corporate days,” this session explores what works — and what doesn't — when building collaboration between Europe's most innovative startups and its largest corporates.

Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you behind-the-scenes conversations with the founders, corporates, and investors shaping Europe's venture collaboration landscape.In this episode, Jeppe Høier sits down with Jesper Bang Olsen, Partner at BEAM, and Kerk Wichmann, VP of Corporate Strategy at Jungheinrich and Managing Partner at Uplift Ventures. Together, they unpack the realities of corporate venture building: why corporates need to separate venture initiatives from the mothership, how to anchor strategically, and what it takes to balance startup agility with industrial scale.From governance and champions to customer infiltration and fast decision-making, this is a candid look at how leading corporates are building real ventures—not just innovation playgrounds.