EUVC

Chris Wade, Co-Founder of Isomer Capital, dives into the evolution of the European venture capital scene, spotlighting the surge from 20 unicorns in 2014 to nearly 400 today. He discusses the critical balance of transparency in reporting and the dynamics of Limited Partner Advisory Committees. Wade also addresses the new metrics for startup success, influenced by AI, and the importance of fostering unique value propositions to attract funding. His insights reveal both the rapid growth and future challenges facing European VCs.

Welcome to the first episode of our brand new podcast series focused on impact, where August Soliv, author of Impact Supporters, and Douglas Sloan, Managing Director at Better Society Capital, talk with Niklas Adalberth, co-founder of Klarna and the visionary behind the Norrsken Foundation.Here’s what’s covered:02:14 Niklas' Personal Journey and Realizations06:45 The Birth of Norsken Foundation11:30 Norsken's Global Expansion and Impact13:35 Balancing Commercial Success and Impact25:07 The Role of AI in Impact Investing39:50 Building a Mission-Driven Team43:04 Future of Impact VC and Norsken's Vision

In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm talks with , co-founder of S16CV, a venture capital fund built on the foundation of a tight-knit founder community. Oleg shares the story of how S16 began in a Moscow apartment he shared with fellow founders, where casual poker nights evolved into startup discussions, business clubs, and an informal incubator.Here’s what’s covered:01:18 Alex's Entrepreneurial Journey05:17 Oleg's Background and Investment Experience06:50 The Birth of S16: From Poker Nights to a Tech Incubator10:37 Building a Global Community and Fund11:48 The Fund's Unique Approach and Strategy19:37 Productizing the Fund: Technology and Community29:36 Investment Success and Future Goals

Welcome to a new episode of the EUVC podcast, where our good friends Dan Bowyer from SuperSeed, in discussion with Andrew J. Scott, Founding Partner at 7percent Ventures, and Lomax Ward, General Partner at Outsized Ventures, cover recent news and movements in the European tech landscape 💬Here’s what’s covered:01:22 Klarna's IPO and European Market Insights04:19 AI, Tariffs, and Future Predictions24:35 European Venture Capital Trends25:52 Generative AI and Market Speculations29:56 Challenges in the European Tech Ecosystem35:30 UK AI Sector Report Insights46:22 Exciting Deals and Future Prospects

In this insightful episode of “Path to Market”, Director Natasha Lytton and co-host Micah Smurthwaite, Partner at Pipeline Ventures, are joined by Alicia Carney, a seasoned product marketing expert with extensive experience at high-growth startups like Deliveroo. Together, they dive deep into identifying and validating Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) in pre and post product-market fit stages. Alicia shares her insights on navigating early market fit through to scaling operations post-product market fit.Here what's covered:01:01 - 01:36 | Pre-Product Market Fit Strategies01:36 - 02:30 | Validating Customer Assumptions02:30 - 03:50 | Effective Customer Interviews03:50 - 05:04 | Identifying ICP and Pain Points06:23 - 07:39 | The Importance of Customer Feedback07:39 - 08:54 | Retention vs. Acquisition Strategies08:54 - 10:15 | Post-Product Market Fit Tactics

In this episode of our CVC series, Andreas Munk Holm and our CVC in-house expert, Jeppe Høier, talk with Gitte Aabo to explore the world of corporate venture. With a remarkable background that spans 27 years at Leo Pharma, including 12 years as CEO and further experience at GN Hearing, Gitte shares her journey in building innovation initiatives like Leo iLab.She explains how she helped develop digital tools to improve treatment outcomes and diagnostics, drawing on her extensive experience in both board leadership and hands-on management to drive change.During the conversation, Gitte dives into aligning corporate culture with innovative practices. She emphasizes that success in corporate venturing doesn’t come from following a one-size-fits-all formula but from ongoing, one-on-one discussions with board members and key executives. By integrating strategic insights with practical initiatives, she shares how innovation teams must work closely with the core business to ensure long-term impact, even if the financial returns take time to materialize.Chapters:03:55 Establishing Leo Innovation Lab04:15 Digital Tools for Skin Disease Treatment05:01 Improving Diagnosis with Mobile Tools05:16 Philosophy of Patient Focus06:20 Structure and Funding of Leo iLab08:10 Challenges and Learnings from Leo iLab08:28 Collaboration with US and External Investments09:31 Balancing Innovation and Core Business11:24 Reflections on Corporate Innovation14:43 Transition to GN Hearing15:50 Integrating Innovation in GN Hearing17:00 Strategic Partnerships and External Innovation19:52 Challenges in Corporate and Startup Collaboration

In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm talks with Enis Hulli, General Partner at e2vc, and Gorken Yurtseven, founder and CTO of Fal.ai, to unpack the story behind one of Europe’s fastest-growing AI startups.Gorkem shares how Fal.ai carved a unique niche in the generative media space, focusing not on text but AI-generated images, video, and audio. Enis reflects on the challenges (and perks) of backing a long-time friend turned founder rocketship. Together, they walk through the journey from scrappy pre-seed rounds to a $49M Series B led by Andreessen Horowitz, offering an unfiltered look at what it takes to scale in a hyper-competitive, fast-moving AI landscape.Gorkem also discusses building a sales motion from scratch as a technical founder, the importance of developer-first products, and how being in San Francisco created viral moments that fueled Fal’s breakout growth. Meanwhile, Enis shares how Fal’s rise shapes his investment strategy, doubling down on diaspora founders and “blue ocean” markets where Europe’s engineering talent can quietly build global winners.Chapters:04:50 Deep Dive into Faleye and Generative Media23:48 Revenue Growth and Market Dynamics25:30 Strategic Market Positioning29:10 Sales and Team Management35:18 Building in San Francisco vs. Europe47:33 Lessons and Insights for Founders and VCs

In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm talks with Alex Konoplyasty, Managing Partner at Flashpoint Venture Growth. Currently raising its fourth venture growth fund with a target of $200 million, Flashpoint manages $500 million across multiple funds. The firm is headquartered in the UK and focuses on Series A investments in global high-growth B2B software companies from Europe and Israel. With 80 portfolio companies—including Guesty, Chili Piper, and OfficeRnD—Alex and his team bring deep expertise in guiding startups toward sustainable success.In this conversation, we discuss the nuts and bolts of exits, co-investments, and the role of venture debt in today’s market. Alex shares how Flashpoint Venture Growth builds operator-led portfolios, taking a hands-on approach to deal sourcing and capital efficiency and helping founders make tough decisions.Chapters: 06:54 Fundraising Challenges and Strategies11:05 Portfolio Management and Exits28:51 Understanding Liquidation Preferences30:02 Valuation Discrepancies in Different Markets32:04 Strategies for Founders to Manage Valuations36:49 Investment Criteria and Founder Fit47:39 Co-Investment Opportunities and Challenges

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

In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm talks with Jim Pulcrano, an entrepreneur turned venture capital educator and professor at IMD Business School. Jim shares how his early startup experience in Switzerland pulled him into the orbit of venture capital back when the ecosystem was still in its infancy. He talks about creating IMD’s VC Asset Management Program, which aims to give LPs a crash course in venture, teaching them both the appeal and the real difficulty of being a GP. It’s a fresh look at how education can bridge the knowledge gap between conservative allocators and the fast-moving world of startups.Jim also shares what he’s learned running IMD’s startup competition and Swiss scale-up programs. He shares insights from his research into VC behavior, like why less experienced investors are often eager to lead rounds while mid-career ones take a backseat. He explains why experienced GPs tend to source proactively and why most avoid relying too much on HR assessments when evaluating founders.Chapters:01:38 Jim's Journey into Venture Capital02:42 Creating the VC Asset Management Program03:37 Challenges and Strategies in Educating LPs07:24 Understanding Pension Fund Managers16:40 The IMD Starter Competition18:29 Swiss Startups and Silicon Valley20:04 European vs. US Entrepreneurial Ambitions22:50 Can You Teach Venture Capital?25:38 Recognizing Entrepreneurial Potential26:04 Swiss Scale-Up Program Overview26:32 Challenges in Scaling Up27:16 Leadership in Scaling Companies28:05 Venture-Backed vs. Bootstrapped Startups28:57 Founder-Led Companies and VC Opinions31:41 VCs and Lead Investors36:33 VC Experience and Investment Strategies41:17 Evaluating Founders and Teams46:18 Outbound Sourcing by Experienced VCs