EUVC

E349 | EUVC | Robert Lacher, Visionaries Club on on bridging the gap between old family businesses and the European startup ecosystem

Sep 5, 2024

Robert Lacher, Founding Partner of Visionaries Club and a venture capital expert, discusses bridging the gap between traditional family businesses and the innovative European startup ecosystem. He highlights the importance of family firms in driving innovation and their collaboration with modern startups. Lacher also contrasts the European and US VC landscapes, advocating for a more risk-taking investment culture. The conversation emphasizes the significance of strategic networking and building strong foundations for emerging companies in Europe.

01:10:15

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Robert Lacher

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Quick takeaways

Robert Lacher emphasizes the critical need to bridge the gap between traditional family businesses and the modern startup ecosystem to drive innovation.

Visionaries Club stands out by leveraging its unique network of successful entrepreneurs as investors, offering both financial support and mentorship to startups.

The philosophy of 'manufacturing serendipity' highlights the importance of intentional networking and proactive relationship-building in identifying business opportunities.

Deep dives

Visionaries Club Overview

The Visionaries Club, co-founded by Robert Lacker, has established itself as a significant player in the venture capital landscape with $600 million in total assets under management. The fund is split between a $185 million seed fund and a $165 million early growth fund, targeting seed and early growth stages across Europe, particularly in B2B and software sectors. Lacker's background includes an engineering education and extensive experience in the startup ecosystem, leading to the realization of a major disconnect between family-owned businesses and new startups. By connecting these two worlds, Visionaries aims to leverage the strengths of successful entrepreneurs and family businesses to foster innovation and growth within the European market.

Intro

3min

Bridging Tradition and Innovation in Venture Capital

32min

Empowering European SaaS: Revenue Insights and Inspiring Journeys

3min

Pursuing Passion: The Path to Purpose and Professional Fulfillment

3min

Building a Strong Entrepreneurial Foundation

21min

Cultivating Serendipity in Venture Capital

7min

Bridging Tradition and Innovation in European Business

2min

In this episode of the EUVC podcast, Andreas discusses with Robert Lacher, a Founding Partner of Visionaries Club. Robert's journey in VC is impressive. He was also one of the Founding Partners of La Famiglia when they launched their first fund, and he's since gone on to make waves with Visionaries Club. Let's talk numbers for a moment:

Visionaries Club currently manages a total of $350 million USD
$185 million seed fund
$165 million early growth fund

Headquartered in both Germany and the UK, with offices in London and Berlin, Visionaries Club has strategically positioned itself at the heart of Europe's tech ecosystem. Their focus? Seed and early growth stages, particularly in the B2B and software sectors. Robert’s investments include Personio, Choco, Miro, Pigment, Tacto, and Babbel, just to name a few.

Today, we'll dive deep into Robert's strategy, exploring why they've structured their funds the way they have, and getting his insights on the European VC landscape. Get ready for an enlightening conversation that will leave you with a new appreciation for the intricacies of venture capital in Europe. So, without further ado, let's welcome Robert Lacher to the show!

Go to eu.vc for our core learnings and the full video interview 👀

Chapters:

00:03 Meet Robert Lacker: Founding Partner of Visionaries Club
00:14 Visionaries Club: Fund Size and Focus
03:13 Robert's Journey into Venture Capital
04:14 Connecting Old and New Economies
08:48 The Role of Family Entrepreneurs in Innovation
18:17 Visionaries Club's Unique Approach
28:53 Challenges and Opportunities in European VC
36:51 Introduction to S16 VC and Its Impact
37:28 Upcoming Content Collaboration with S16 VC
38:03 Key Learnings from the Last Decade
39:04 The Ikigai Framework for Passion and Profession
41:02 Overcoming Setbacks and Failures
42:54 Networking and Learning in Venture Capital
45:14 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
47:52 The Importance of Risk-Taking
57:21 Local vs. Pan-European VC Strategies
01:01:38 Manufacturing Serendipity in Venture Capital

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EUVC

E349 | EUVC | Robert Lacher, Visionaries Club on on bridging the gap between old family businesses and the European startup ecosystem

Episode guests