EUVC

The European VC
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4 snips
Apr 16, 2024 • 1h 17min

Ertan Can, Founding GP of Multiple Capital on Multiple III & How emerging managers can demonstrate performance from Fund I - III| E298

Today, we are meeting with Ertan Can, the Founding General Partner of Multiple Capital, a venture capital fund based in Luxembourg.Ertan has just closed his third fund with a target of $50M after investing already in companies like NP-Hard, Angular, Airstreet (1), Lunar, Fly, Inflection, Foreword by Declan, and Remote First Capital by Andi Klinger, Nomad by Marc McCabe.Go to eu.vc for our core learnings and the full video interview 👀Chapters:00:54 Deep Dive into Ertan Can's Third Fund and Investment Strategy04:07 Ertan's Journey from Family Office to Micro VC06:04 Challenges and Learnings from Raising Fund III08:13 Navigating the European Fundraising Landscape13:47 Strategic Shifts in LP Engagement and Fundraising Realities21:29 Understanding the Micro VC Ecosystem and Fund Size Dynamics35:42 Evaluating Emerging Managers and Fund Performance37:50 The Role of Randomness in Fund Success and Investment Strategy39:55 Evaluating Investment Consistency and Strategy40:34 The Importance of Building a Strong Network41:07 Performance Metrics: Beyond Early Success43:14 Assessing Portfolio Company Progress and Entry Valuations53:23 The Rise of Fund of Funds in Europe54:03 The Role of LPs in the Venture Ecosystem01:03:02 Advice for Emerging Managers and Fundraising Challenges01:13:42 Personal Reflections and Future DirectionsKey Learnings from the episode Acceptance of Power LawOne must acknowledge that not all VC funds, especially first-time funds, will be outperformers. Ertan works from an expectation that a minority, perhaps 10 to 20 percent, will become outlier funds, with the remainder performing average or below average.Role of RandomnessErtan Can notes the randomness in fund success, citing that outliers in his experience have come from unexpected places, suggesting a belief in the potential rather than the certainty of each fund being a standout.AssessmentBeyond Immediate PerformanceThe transition from a first to a second fund often does not provide sufficient time to demonstrate real performance in terms of markups or DPI. Early successes or markups are seen as unsustainable for predicting future performance.Consistency and FocusErtan values the consistency of the emerging manager with their initial strategy and approach. He looks favorably upon GPs who remain focused on their initial thesis and do not chase current market hypes or trends without a well-thought-out reason for any strategic shifts.Networking and Co-investor QualityThe ability of a GP to build a network, attract follow-on investments from reputable names, and be invited to competitive rounds is viewed as more important than early performance metrics.Entry Valuations as KPIsAn important KPI for Ertan is the range of entry valuations a fund manager secures. Investing at lower entry valuations, indicative of conviction and an earlier investment stage, is preferred over higher entry valuations that might follow market signals or competitiveness.Brand Building and RecognitionBuilding a recognizable brand and becoming the go-to GP in a specific region, vertical, or niche is deemed more crucial than first-fund numbers. Recognition in the ecosystem can be a more significant indicator of future success than immediate performance data.Advice for Emerging ManagersErtan advises maintaining consistency, having a well-defined market thesis, and resisting the urge to significantly upscale the fund size or pivot strategies to follow current hypes. Managers should focus on being recognized as experts in their specific focus areas, which is seen as vital in a competitive market.Q: Advice for your 10 year younger self.Take advice more seriously.Dont underestimate the fundraising part.10y ago was my inflection point, so did right, but than after…Q: Advice for fundraising managersTry to identify the most realistic LPs for you. And that might be the closest, people in your network, like other angel investors, founders who invest in funds, smaller family offices, and also corporates as they might be strategic and strategic partners. So try to think before you're reaching out to everyone in a broad sweeping approach. I think most of that will be noise and will not be helpful.Try to use intros. If people who are well-considered in the market makes an introduction to a fund that increases the probability that someone looks at your fund from a different view.Try not to change your strategy every six months. Don’t adapt to a new strategy just because it is easier to raise capital. Just try to be very focused on what you do. And if that focus does not lead to raising a fund. So be it, I think that's better than raising a fund with a different focus just because of raising a fund.Q: The most counterintuitive thing learned in venture.Invest in people you don’t like.
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Apr 11, 2024 • 1h 33min

GP/LP Roundtable on The State of European VC Fundraising | E297

In this roundtable, we pull the curtain back on some of the core insights from our upcoming State of European VC Fundraising-report and dive deep on the impact of the tech reset for fundraising managers, discuss GP/LP dynamics and uncover how VCs best navigate the current fundraising environment. For the conversation, we brought together some of the most respected investors in our ecosystem:Daniel Keiper-Knorr, Founding GP at SpeedinvestJoe Schorge, Founding GP at Isomer CapitalEkaterina Almasque, General Partner at OpenOceanChristian Hjort Pedersen, VC Fund Investor at IIP Denmark..And to moderate the whole thing; Tom Hughes Ellis & eu.vc’s Andreas Munk Holm.Watch it on eu.vc 👀 Get the full report before anyone else on floww.io/raise ! 👀Together with our good friends at Isomer Capital and Floww, we’ve spent the winter digging into 300+ interviews as well as the latest market data and Isomer Capital’s vaulted data treasures to uncover how the tech reset has impacted the fundraising market in Europe and how leading VCs across the continent have changed their strategies, tactics and operational handbook.Filled with graphs, beautiful narratives and video interviews providing an entirely new and engaging experience, we’ve created an unparalleled learning experience you won’t just sift through, but actually spend real time with.
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Apr 9, 2024 • 34min

Angel investing insights with Eva Spannagl, co-founder & Managing Director of Climatos | E296

Join us as Tom Wilson from Seedcamp and Anthony Danon from Cocoa talk to Eva Spannagl, co-founder & Managing Director of Climatos.Eva is a builder. She loves to build things and see their outcomes come to life, and she loves to work with people who are building something. Previously, she worked at McKinsey and at Moss, an early-stage FinTech startup from Berlin.Now, Eva is leading Climatos, a company that builds mini solar panels for urban spaces while nurturing her passion for angel investing.Go to eu.vc for our core learnings and the full video interview 👀Chapters:00:48 Eva's Journey from Consulting to Angel Investing03:04 Eva's First Investment Story03:55 The Motivation Behind Becoming an Angel Investor05:25 Eva's Approach to Angel Investing05:32 Memorable Deals and the Impact of Angel Investing08:52 Eva's Investment Thesis and Strategy11:03 Portfolio Diversification and Founder Support18:46 The Value of Collaboration with VCs and the Angel Community22:05 Core Learnings from Angel Investing26:42 Testing for Founder Drive and Attitude
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Apr 4, 2024 • 1h 8min

Investing and scaling in Romania and beyond - CO-INVESTIN webinar | E295

In the Investing and Scaling in Romania and Beyond webinar, we talk about the vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem of Central and Eastern Europe, with a specific focus on Romania. From celebrating the local technical skills and historical engineering heritage, countries in CEE examine the nuances of building a startup with a global mindset from day one.Our guests discuss the 'UiPath effect', highlighting how success stories like of this one company have inspired new entrepreneurs and attracted increased attention and resources from the venture capital world.In essence, the webinar provides a comprehensive, nuanced, and up-to-date exploration of the Eastern European startup and venture capital landscape, making it a must-watch for investors, founders, and anyone interested in the local tech scene of Romania and its surrounding regions.Listen to it here or watch it on eu.vc for a discussion on:How to crack the code: Understand the challenges and opportunities shaping the Romanian ecosystem.Empowering the future: Delve into the status and growth prospects for women-led startups in the region.Scaling beyond borders: Learn how to overcome challenges and adapt global best practices to the Romanian context from the people who have done it.Pioneering Deep Tech: Explore the intricacies of launching, backing, and scaling a deep tech company in Romania and the region.Success stories: Get inspired by real-life case studies of thriving Romanian scale-ups.This event is a part of the CO-INVESTIN project, focusing on understanding and improving European investment ecosystems.Chapters:00:26 The Venture Ecosystem in CEE04:56 Romania's Flourishing Ecosystem: Insights and Success Stories07:34 The Technical Talent and Entrepreneurial Mindset in Romania09:37 Challenges and Opportunities for Romanian Startups12:51 Investor Perspectives: The Appeal of Romanian Startups17:27 The UiPath Effect: A Catalyst for Romanian Innovation23:05 The Global Impact of Romanian Startups and the UiPath Legacy29:40 Investment Strategies and Considerations in CEE34:06 Investment Trends and Pricing in the Startup Ecosystem37:42 Local vs. Global: Startup Challenges in the CEE Region40:07 Unique Challenges of Building Startups in CEE41:23 The Role of Engineering Culture in Startup Success43:24 The Critical Need for More Capital in the Ecosystem55:16 Addressing Diversity and Gender Gaps in Tech
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20 snips
Apr 2, 2024 • 46min

Davor Hebel, Managing Partner at Eight Roads on the European entrepreneurial renaissance | E294

Davor Hebel, Managing Partner at Eight Roads, shares his journey from a student in California to a venture capital leader. He delves into the evolving landscape of European entrepreneurship, highlighting how it transformed from unfriendly to nurturing. Davor discusses the role of AI in venture capital, emphasizing its potential yet cautious application in decision-making. He also contrasts noteworthy media investments with less publicized yet successful ventures, providing insights into the risks and rewards of angel investing in today's market.
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Mar 26, 2024 • 1h 20min

Christine Tsai, CEO & Founding Partner of 500 Global on Building 500 Global | E293

Today, we have Christine Tsai with us.Christine is the CEO and Founding Partner at 500 Global, a multi-stage venture firm in Silicon Valley with $2.4B in AUM, which has backed 2,900 companies operating in 80+ countries. 500 has invested in 35+ companies valued at over $1 billion and 160+ companies valued at over $100 million (including private, public, and exited companies)³.This includes companies like Canva, Talkdesk, Grab, Lucidchart, eFishery, Credit Karma, Intercom, Twilio, Sendgrid, and more.Go to eu.vc for our core learnings and the full video interview 👀Chapters:00:09 Diving Deep into 500 Global's Evolution03:02 Christine Tsai's Personal Journey into Venture Capital10:22 500 Global's Unique Approach to Venture Capital14:07 Diverse Backgrounds in Venture Capital27:41 VC Unlocked in Educating Emerging Managers40:42 The Early Bird Gets the Worm: Investing in Startups41:15 The Challenges and Opportunities of Accelerators41:51 Navigating the Accelerator Landscape: Tips for Founders42:48 Spotlight on Global Accelerator Success Stories43:30 The Evolution of Venture Capital: From Skepticism to Success44:02 Venture Capital's Herd Mentality vs. Disruptive Investing48:39 Leading the Charge: Transitioning from Co-Investor to Lead Investor01:08:23 Balancing Act: Navigating Work and Family Life in Venture Capital
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Mar 23, 2024 • 52min

E292 | NEUVC | Marie Brayer, Partner at Fly Ventures on technical founders and solving hard problems

Join us for a new episode of the NEUVC series dedicated to those embarking on their journey in the VC. In this episode, Freddie Macpherson, Associate at Isomer Capital, and Linda Võeras, Investment Manager at Karma Ventures, are joined by Marie Brayer, Partner at Fly Ventures.Fly Ventures is an early-stage deep tech and tech-heavy B2B software specialist fund. They are the first-check VC for technical founders and invest from day zero to seed, backing founders from all over Europe.Marie has a background in finance and a keen interest in engineering. Before joining Fly Ventures in 2022, she worked with Serena Capital, where she invested and worked with more than 10 French B2B startups, including Descartes Underwriting, Lifen, Malt, and Kili Technology.Marie is always looking to help founders who really want to take on a huge technical challenge. Make sure to listen to Marie’s inspiring story on today’s podcast episode below.Go to eu.vc for our core learnings and the full video interview 👀Chapters:00:58 Marie's Journey into Venture Capital03:54 From Software Engineering to Venture Capital06:23 The Evolution of the French Tech Ecosystem08:35 Expanding Horizons: From France to Europe10:20 Joining Fly Ventures: A New Chapter11:47 The Changing Landscape for Technical Founders in Europe12:26 Education and Ecosystems in Tech Success16:53 The Diverse Paths to Success in European Tech20:22 The Strategy Behind Winning Deals Across Europe22:46 Supporting Deep Tech Founders: Risks and Rewards29:27 Navigating the European VC Landscape42:02 The Future of Board Dynamics in Early-Stage Startups47:08 The Power of Side Projects in Venture Capital49:40 Advice for New VCs: Embrace the Intensity
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Mar 21, 2024 • 49min

Roundtable: Where will Crypto go next? with Jan from very early Ventures, Felix from Greenfield and Ani from Dragonfly

If one of your guilty pleasures is watching four wealthy, over-the-top opinionated talking heads every weekend, you may recall that Chamath Palihapitiya predicted that 2024 will be the year that bitcoin becomes a mainstream asset. We brought together three true crypto native VCs to discuss crypto’s comeback, recent trends and where we’re headed.Listen to it here or watch it on eu.vc for a discussion on:The State of the crypto market overallWhat has been built in the last few years?Challenges for crypto to overcome in the coming yearsThe impact of global regulations on crypto.Key growth drivers, innovations and hot sectorsWhat makes our panelists excited?Predictions for the future of crypto investments.Sustainability and ethics in crypto investingThe PanelistsJan Baeriswyl, GP at very early Ventures has deep expertise in token design and a dedication to working closely with founders. Veryearly is one of Europe’s leading first time funds in supporting the builders of critical Web3 infrastructure. They focus on helping founders design products, protocols, and tokens with a technical hands-on approach. We recently announced our investment in Very Early - check it out here for a spotlight on what we believe a rising star in crypto looks like.Felix Machart, Partner at Greenfield Capital is an expert in crypto-economics, governance, and crypto capital markets at large. Greenfield is a European crypto investment firm and long-term backers of early developer teams building toward an open, decentralized, and more robust architecture of tomorrow’s web.Anirudh P., Partner at Dragonfly has a track record of identifying new trends early and making bold bets on contrarian theses. Dragonfly are crypto-natives who have been investing and building for 10+ years. Founded in 2018, dragonfly brings access and influence to help crypto teams with global aspirations find innovation and adoption anywhere.Chapters:00:00 Opening Remarks and Roundtable Context01:58 Introducing the Crypto Investment Experts02:49 Diverse Investment Strategies in Crypto06:59 Current State and Future Prospects of the Crypto Market18:38 Stablecoins and Geopolitical Implications22:39 Navigating Regulatory Compliance and Crypto's Ethos23:56 Demographic Challenges and Crypto's Role in Global Policy25:50 Addressing Crypto's Main Challenges: Privacy, Security, and Usability30:55 Distributed systems and Governance in Crypto35:24 Predicting the Market's Future
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Mar 19, 2024 • 59min

E290 | EUVC | The Evolution of European Venture with Yaron from Target Global, Kerry from IQ Capital and Chris from Isomer

Exploring the evolution of European VC with industry veterans, discussing challenges, government impact, AI, data in policies, founder needs, governance, and LP expectations. Insights into tech bubbles, cash management lessons, global growth, VC role in shaping policies, and deep tech challenges in the ecosystem.
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Mar 14, 2024 • 1h 16min

EUVC #289: Vincent Touati-Tomas, Head of Marketing at Northzone on marketing for venture capital funds

Today, we have Vincent Touati-Tomas with us. Vincent is the Head of Marketing at Northzone, a global VC firm Northzone that has raised more than ten funds to date, with its most recent fundraising in excess of €1 billion, investing in startups from Seed to Growth.Northzone is investing out of Fund X and more than 80 active portfolio companies and notable investments, including Personio, Klarna, Kahoot, Spotify, and Spring Health. At Northzone, Vincent focuses on all things marketing.Now, Vincent is one of the great thinkers and practitioners of marketing in European VC, and we're so lucky that he has taken the time to structure his thoughts on the topic for us in this episode. So, you're in for a real master class.Some might be a bit hard to follow if you're not doing marketing in your day-to-day, but I urge you to stay tuned because there's so much to learn for any VC thinking about how to build and grow their firm and its impact. So strap in, and let's hear from Vincent.Go to eu.vc for our core learnings and the full video interview 👀Chapters:00:02:18 Vincent's Journey into Venture Capital00:04:15 The Power of Podcasting in Vincent's Career00:05:51 Marketing Strategies for VC Firms: Insights from North Zone00:18:36 Building Relationships and the Importance of Content in VC00:39:54 The Transparency Challenge in European Venture Capital00:40:48 The Importance of Public Performance Metrics00:43:18 Liquidity and Performance: A European Perspective00:46:46 Marketing and Operations: Dream Structures for VC Firms00:56:03 Building a VC Brand: Narrative and Franchise Development

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