EUVC

Ryan Lieber, a veteran Go-to-Market Leader and Snowflake’s first SDR, shares insights from his journey with the company since its startup days. He discusses the impressive growth of Snowflake and stresses the importance of the MEDDPICC sales methodology. Lieber highlights the key role of hiring the right SDRs and the significance of cultural nuances in international sales expansion. He also emphasizes collaboration within sales teams and unveils how his current work empowers data-driven startups across Europe to thrive using Snowflake's data cloud.

Mike Martin and Joe Seager-Dupuy, General Partners at True, tackle the importance of sector specialization in venture capital. They share their journeys from corporate venturing to focusing on consumer and retail technology. The duo elaborates on True's investment strategy, emphasizing the balance between operational experience and network engagement. They discuss emerging opportunities in the consumer market and the significant role technology plays in reshaping consumer behavior. Their insights offer a deep dive into building a successful VC ecosystem.

Christian Hernandez, co-founder and partner at 2150, dives into the urgent need for climate adaptation as a major investment frontier. He critiques the common misconception that adaptation is secondary, emphasizing its critical role alongside mitigation. The conversation explores innovative technologies tackling real emissions, like concrete and air conditioning, and discusses how funders can bridge the gap between nascent tech and large-scale solutions. Hernandez also provides insights into the balancing act of consumption and sustainability necessary for meaningful climate action.

Sebastian Pollok, founding partner of Visionaries Club, dives into the world of industrial deep tech and its potential for transformation. He explains why Europe’s innovation landscape needs specialized capital and advocates for new dynamics among investors. The conversation highlights the critical role of lab-based founders versus traditional MBAs and showcases case studies like Proxima Fusion. Pollok also discusses strategic portfolio construction and the importance of family offices in driving Europe's technological sovereignty. This insightful dialogue paints a vivid picture of the future of deep tech in Europe.

Dave Haynes, co-founder of FOV Ventures, dives into the future of human-computer interaction. He discusses how AR glasses are transforming workflows and the role of multimodal AI in daily life. The conversation highlights the significance of audio models like AI Acoustics and the innovative use of teleoperation in robotics. Dave also explores Europe's potential as a leader in this tech revolution and the challenges in convincing investors to back frontier technologies. Prepare for a fascinating look at how these advancements could redefine work as we know it!

Lomax Ward from Outsized Ventures discusses the latest on public markets and the emerging venture capital landscape. Mads Jensen of SuperSeed dives into the wind sector crisis and the implications of AI advancements. Andrew J. Scott, founding partner at 7percent Ventures, critiques the UK’s deep tech challenges and public sector failures. The dynamic conversation also explores the evolving nature of secondary markets and the competitive race between Google, OpenAI, and others, revealing insights that could shape the future of European tech.

Jon Coker, co-founder and GP at Eka Ventures, dives deep into the world of conviction-led venture capital. He explains their strategic focus on consumer health and sustainable consumption as key drivers of impact. Coker argues against the traditional index-style approach, promoting thorough diligence and a founder-first mindset. He highlights the importance of decisiveness in investment decisions and the unique traits of successful founders. The conversation also explores the challenges and potentials of early diagnostics in healthcare, balancing innovation with social value.

Fergal Mullen, Founding Partner at Highland Europe, discusses the intricacies of growth-stage investing in European tech. He emphasizes the importance of sensible growth over blitzscaling and highlights Highland's equal partnership model as vital for trust and collaboration with founders. The conversation dives into the nuances of U.S. expansion and managing capital efficiency amidst evolving market dynamics. Mullen also touches on the significance of founder dynamics, coachability, and the concept of 'tourist investing' in venture capital cycles.

Andreas Klinger, GP at Prototype Capital and former CTO at On Deck, spearheads the EU Inc. initiative to unify Europe’s fragmented startup ecosystem. He discusses his journey from Product Hunt to VC and how to standardize business practices across borders. Klinger emphasizes the need for a grassroots approach to regulatory reform, the role of media in ambition, and the importance of balancing macro-level change with micro-level support for founders. Their conversation highlights collaborative action as key to positioning Europe as an innovation leader.

In this short but insightful episode of the EUVC Podcast, we’re joined by George Robson of Sequoia and Benjamin, our trusted ambassador from Tech Barbecue, for a candid conversation on the transformative impact of AI—especially through the lens of content creation.The group touches on the disconnect between innovators and the mainstream when it comes to AI adoption. George and Benjamin reflect on the massive potential of AI, the surprisingly slow uptake among everyday users, and how those on the cutting edge are already rethinking workflows, communication, and strategy.Here’s what’s covered:05:46 Reconciling European Optimism with U.S. Skepticism17:22 U.S. Views on Europe: Misconceptions & Missed Nuance21:00 The Return of Real Venture: Deep Tech vs. SaaS24:00 Evaluating Deep Tech Founders: What Sequoia Looks For26:59 Adapting Sequoia’s Platform to Serve Technical Founders29:57 Scale-Up Capital in Europe: Reality vs. Perception32:11 AI Company Metrics: Changing Signals & Due Diligence34:56 Explosion of Founders in the AI Era: A Double-Edged Sword36:59 Why Some European Companies Don’t Scale Big Enough42:54 Foundational Principles for Building in the AI Era