EUVC

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 👀

Today, Andreas talks with Cem Sertoglu, Managing Partner at Bek Ventures, a global venture capital firm that recently closed a $250M fund that was three times oversubscribed. Formerly known as Earlybird Digital East, Bek Ventures focuses on founders with their roots in Central and Eastern Europe, a region Cem calls "Dynamic Europe."With over a decade of experience, the Bek Ventures team has supported global successes like UiPath, Payhawk, and Peak, the first unicorns in Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey, respectively, and has been recognized by HEC as the best-performing venture firm globally since 2010. Cem shares insights into the firm’s disciplined investment strategy, its belief that early-stage venture doesn't scale, and how its focus on technical talent gives it an edge in building global companies.Together, they explore Bek Ventures’ approach to VC fundraising, the challenges of funding beyond seed stages, and the lessons Cem has learned from two decades in venture capital.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 Andrew J. Scott, Founding Partner at 7percent 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 👀

In this conversation, Paula Wehmeyer, a Partner at General Catalyst and an expert in European tech and AI, shares invaluable insights on the venture landscape. She discusses the firm’s $8 billion fund and its strategy to bolster both startups and underperforming companies. Topics include the rich potential for AI innovation in Europe, the importance of navigating regulatory challenges, and the necessity for deep tech expertise in evolving investment strategies. Paula also highlights Europe's resilience amidst current geopolitical and economic challenges.

Petr Mikovec, Managing Director of InvenCapital and expert in corporate venture capital, joins to share insights on blending corporate strategy with financial goals. He delves into how their unique structure collaborates with the European Investment Bank to drive investments in climate technologies. Topics include the significance of empathy in nurturing relationships with startups, strategies for effective board participation, and the complexities of navigating competitive dynamics in corporate investing. A masterclass in leveraging partnerships for growth!

Oliver Holle, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Speedinvest, and Ekaterina Almasque, General Partner at OpenOcean, delve into the dynamic landscape of AI investing. They discuss how VCs are adapting to the rapid advancements in AI, particularly the rise of AI agents. The guests highlight emerging opportunities in sectors like healthcare and content creation, while addressing challenges in adopting AI technologies. They advocate for a reevaluation of traditional investment models to embrace risk and focus on specialized solutions for sustainable growth.