In this special episode, we welcome back
Patric Hellermann to dive deep into the concept of edge in venture capital. This isn't your average discussion on differentiation—it's a methodical breakdown of what creates enduring alpha for fund managers, grounded in Patric’s experience building
Foundamental, a B2B-focused early-stage VC.
This episode is for anyone asking: How do I build an edge that scales? You’ll leave with answers rooted in practice, not theory.
Here’s what’s covered:
- 02:30 What Makes an Edge? Why Most VCs and LPs Struggle to Answer
- 06:15 The 4 Steps of VC Value Creation: Sourcing, Picking, Winning, Managing
- 12:45 What Founders Want: How to Make Yourself the First Call
- 17:10 DPI Over Hype: Why Patrick Optimizes for Liquidity, Not Likes
- 21:20 Empathy, Proximity & Pattern Recognition: What Most European Funds Get Wrong
- 28:35 Pan-European Funds & the Pitfalls of “Routine-Free” Investing
- 34:40 Why Distribution Beats Product: Lessons from Category Leaders
- 41:25 Fund Design That Scales: GPs with Domain Depth Over Generalism
- 53:30 Prioritization as a Superpower: How to Build With Focus
- 1:00:45 National vs Global Champions: How LPs Think About Risk and Follow-On Capital
