EUVC

In today’s episode of the EUVC Podcast, Andreas talks with Juliet Bailin, Partner at General Catalyst, to explore the firm’s expansion in Europe, investment philosophy, and unique approach to venture capital. General Catalyst, known for backing companies like Stripe, Samsara, Livongo, and Mistral, operates with a global mindset while maintaining a deep commitment to early-stage investing.Juliet, who focuses on infrastructure and applied AI, shares how her history background shapes her perspective on venture, why truth-seeking is fundamental to being a great investor, and how General Catalyst’s collaborative culture enables them to operate as one unified firm across geographies. She also dives into the firm’s recent rebrand and refreshed core values, including playing the long game, serving others, and shaping ambiguity.In the second part of the conversation, we tackle an honest discussion on why venture needs a self-awareness reset. Juliet calls out common bad investor behaviors, from ghosting founders to exploding term sheets, and explains why overvaluing companies for ego reasons ultimately hurts founders the most. She also shares how General Catalyst ensures transparency in decision-making and why long-term relationships—not just transactional networks—are key to success.Go to eu.vc for our core learnings and the full video interview 👀

Welcome to a new episode of the EUVC podcast, where our good friends Dan Bowyer and Mads Jensen from SuperSeed have a discussion with Lomax Ward, General Partner at Outsized Ventures, to cover recent news and movements in the European tech landscape. 💬Go to eu.vc for our core learnings and the full video interview 👀

Join industry veterans Alvaro Alvarez del Rio, Andre Retterath, John Frankel, and Steven Greenberg as they delve into the game-changing role of AI in venture capital. They discuss how AI enhances portfolio management by uncovering trends and ensuring data-driven decision-making. The conversation highlights the balance of AI and human insight, addressing ethical considerations in AI-driven investment models. Listen as they explore the future of VCs adapting to technological advancements while maintaining personal creativity and relationships.

Welcome to a new episode of the EUVC podcast, where our good friends Dan Bowyer and Mads Jensen from SuperSeed in a 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 💬Go to eu.vc for our core learnings and the full video interview 👀

Today, we are joined by Savitri Tan in a conversation with Maria Rotilu, Founding Partner at OpenseedVC.Maria Rotilu is the founder and general partner of OpenSeed VC, a £10M venture fund that invests in experienced operators transitioning into founders. With a unique thesis focused on zero-to-one founders, OpenSeed aims to be the first check for those building in commerce, health, and work across Europe and Africa. Maria’s journey has included scaling Uber in emerging markets, managing the Oxford Seed Fund during her MBA, and working at Octopus First Cheque before launching her fund.With a focus on early-stage investing, Maria leverages her operating background to provide empathy and actionable insights to founders navigating the challenging zero-to-one stage. OpenSeed’s strategy also involves a disciplined focus on the UK and four key African markets—Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Egypt—ensuring deep expertise in these geographies.Together, they explore Maria’s approach to venture investing, her belief in the power of operator-led insights, and the challenges of building a solo GP fund in a volatile market. Maria also shares her thoughts on the importance of saying no with kindness and clarity, staying disciplined, and her vision for creating a long-lasting institution that partners with founders for decades to come.Go to eu.vc for our core learnings and the full video interview 👀

In today’s episode of our CVC series, Andreas and our CVC in-house expert, Jeppe Høier, talk with Alokik Advani, Managing Partner at Fidelity’s Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) arm, a strategic investment group focused on early-stage FinTech. Operating globally from London, Fidelity’s CVC targets opportunities in asset and wealth management, investing between $3–$10 million per deal and maintaining a disciplined approach to achieving both financial returns and strategic alignment.With over six years of experience leading Fidelity’s CVC strategy, Alokik has spearheaded investments in companies like Moneybox, Moonfare, and 73 Strings. He shares insights into the unique challenges and opportunities of combining venture capital expertise with the strategic goals of a global asset manager. The conversation explores Fidelity’s thematic investment framework, the evolving CVC landscape, and the pivotal role of AI and sustainability in shaping the future of financial services.

Welcome to a new special episode of the EUVC podcast! In this episode, we’re joined by Apostolos Apostolakis, Founding Partner at VentureFriends and one of the early backers of Blueground, a European unicorn in the prop-tech space. Blueground, founded in 2015, operates as a full-stack provider of fully furnished apartments for medium-and long-term stays, available in over 30 cities worldwide, including New York, London, Paris, Dubai, and Tokyo. Apostolos shares the journey from VentureFriends' initial investment to Blueground’s growth as a global leader, raising multiple rounds and overcoming challenges.Apostolos co-founded VentureFriends, a €170M fund currently deploying from its third fund and planning a fourth. Focused on pre-seed and seed investments, VentureFriends operates across Europe, the UK, and the Middle East, backing startups in B2B and B2C software, fintech, and marketplaces. Notable investments include Blueground, Huspy, Instashop, Carmoola, Plum, Flexcar, Embat and Harborlab.Together, we explore how Apostolos and VentureFriends supported Blueground's expansion from Greece to international markets like Dubai and the U.S., the lessons learned from navigating crises like COVID, and the importance of founder conviction and operational efficiency in scaling a business. Expect insights into prop-tech innovation, venture dynamics, and the art of balancing growth and profitability, along with candid reflections on the human side of venture investing.

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

In this episode of the EUVC podcast, we’re talking to Ben Saunders, a pioneer in one of the most demanding fields on Earth and an accomplished climate investor.Ben is arguably one of the most acclaimed explorers in the world today. He's pushed the boundaries of human endurance and traveled more than 4,500 miles (7,000km) on foot in the polar regions. Ben is only the third person in history to ski solo to the North and South Poles, and he holds the record for the longest-ever polar journey on foot.But Ben’s pursuits extend beyond the physical. He is now an active climate investor but recently decided to halt the fundraising process for his fund, Kintanna Ventures.Today's episode promises to be among our most candid and thought-provoking conversations. Ben will share his unique journey from extreme exploration to entrepreneurship and back again. We'll dive deep into the reasons behind his decision to stop the rise of Kintanna Ventures, offering an unparalleled look into the challenges of fund creation, today’s market dynamics, and the importance of grit—how to develop it and how expedition grit compares and differs to entrepreneurial grit.Get ready for an honest, transparent discussion about resilience, decision-making, and the true meaning of grit - all from someone who has faced nature's harshest challenges and the complexities of the business world.Go to eu.vc for our core learnings and the full video interview 👀

In today’s episode, Andreas welcomes Marius Istrate, Chairman of the Board at Tech Angels Romania, the country’s largest and most successful angel investment network. Over the past 11 years, Tech Angels has invested €45M in more than 300 startups, driving the growth of Romania’s tech scene and influencing the broader CEE region.With a focus on pre-seed and seed-stage ventures, Tech Angels operate across Romania (80%) and the wider CEE region (20%), supporting startups in Enterprise B2B, SaaS, DeepTech, and HealthTech.Notable investments include FlowX.ai, FintechOS, Druid.AI, Creatopy, Colossyan, and Pythagora.ai. Marius and Andreas dive into how Romania’s entrepreneurial ecosystem evolved, Tech Angels’ ambitious goal of creating 10 unicorns in 10 years, and the role of healthy boldness in unlocking founder potential.Go to eu.vc for our core learnings and the full video interview 👀