EUVC

Welcome to a new episode of the EUVC Podcast, where we bring you the people and perspectives shaping European venture. This week, Andreas Munk Holm [https://dk.linkedin.com/in/andreas-euvc/en] is joined by Sarah Drinkwater [https://uk.linkedin.com/in/sarahdrinkwater], Founding Partner at Common Magic [https://www.commonmagic.xyz/], and Anthony Danon [https://uk.linkedin.com/in/anthony-danon-3409099b], Founder at Rerail [https://www.rerail.vc/], for a deep dive into the rise of solo GPs and micro funds in Europe. Together, they unpack the forces driving this new wave of intentional, nimble VC—why it’s working, how it's evolving, and what it takes to win. It’s a conversation that builds on their stage debate at the EUVC Summit—this time going deeper into headless rounds, syndication dynamics, the next generation of angel investors, and the very real personal decisions behind going solo. 🎯 This Episode’s Themes: * Why the solo GP model fits today’s best founders * The rise of “headless rounds” and what makes them work * The art (and risk) of conviction without consensus * The future of angels, from weekend warriors to fund managers * What’s next for micro funds in Europe—and why some won’t make it Here’s what’s covered: * 00:22 | Solo Love: The magic of being founder-picked and founder-aligned * 01:30 | Angel Roots: Why Sarah and Anthony bet small before going big * 04:00 | Market Dynamics: The squeeze between seed giants and multistage platforms * 06:30 | Why Small Wins: Flexibility, focus, and belief in outlier founders * 09:00 | Micro Syndication: Why solo GPs are finally co-leading in Europe * 13:00 | The Reserve Question: What happens when founders need more capital? * 16:00 | Conviction Building: The difference between borrowing belief and earning it * 20:00 | Headless Rounds: The founder-led raise and its pros and cons * 24:30 | Next Round Realities: Why leads don’t always do the heavy lifting * 27:00 | Angel Competition: How to win without bidding wars * 31:00 | Angel Education: Power law, concentration risk & the need for fresh blood * 38:00 | Going Solo: The case for building your own lemonade stand * 44:00 | The Big Firm Tradeoff: Coordination, politics, and the limits of scale * 47:00 | Looking Ahead: What’s next for Europe’s micro fund wave

In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreas-euvc/en?originalSubdomain=dk] is joined by Colin Knight, a leading coach in the startup ecosystem, and Mike Reiner [https://nl.linkedin.com/in/mikereiner], co-founder of 432 Legacy [https://www.linkedin.com/company/432legacy/], to dive deep into the emotional and relational dynamics that power — and often derail — the venture journey. This conversation is part of the Venture Beyond initiative: a space to reflect on the human side of venture, supporting founders and investors in building intentional teams, resilient cultures, and sustainable energy for the long game. Here’s what’s covered: * 02:15 – What is Venture Beyond? (feat. 432 Legacy & Stride VC) * 05:00 – “Peeling the Onion”: Relationships → Team → Role → Self * 10:30 – Power dynamics and pitching: resetting the foundation * 22:00 – The myth of pleasing and the power of check-ins * 29:00 – Why VC firms struggle as teams * 38:00 – Role transitions: letting go of identity and control * 44:00 – The “Colin Column”: Why am I doing this? * 47:00 – The Self: Paying the price of transformation * 49:00 – Outcome addiction vs. joy in the journey * 55:00 – Energy is everything: what drains you, what fuels you * 57:30 – Finding your inner peace in a mad world

Welcome back to another episode of the EUVC Podcast, your trusted inside track on the people, deals, and dynamics shaping European venture. This week, Dan Bowyer [https://uk.linkedin.com/in/danbowyer] and Mads Jensen [https://uk.linkedin.com/in/madsjensen] of SuperSeed [https://www.superseed.com/] and Lomax [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lomax-ward/?originalSubdomain=pt] from Outsized Ventures [https://www.outsizedventures.com/], gather to unpack the macro forces and micro signals shaping European tech and venture. They unpack the defense boom powering Europe’s deep tech surge — and ask whether startups should rush in or sit this wave out. They break down OpenAI’s next big product moves, the battle for browser dominance, and whether we’re already at peak LLM. They ask if working from home quietly kills startup culture (and what actually keeps it alive). And they check in on Trump’s tariffs, Europe’s big tech fines, and the resilience playbook that’s pulling startups deeper into geopolitics. If you’re investing, building, or just trying to make sense of where Europe’s venture scene goes next — this one’s for you. Here’s what’s covered * 02:00 | The defense boom: Europe’s rearmament moment How Germany has overtaken the UK in startup funding for the first time — and why defense, dual-use, and resilience are fueling the deep tech wave. * 04:50 | Moral lines: should you build in defense? Mads, Lomax and Andrew debate whether there’s an ethical red line — and if Europe’s founders should follow the money or sit this one out. * 08:40 | Peak LLM? OpenAI launches a browser Is OpenAI eating Google’s lunch? Mads explains why a new browser isn’t just a gimmick — it’s a data moat and a massive ad market play. * 12:00 | The new search wars & what founders should do Lomax breaks down how SEO is dead — GEO (generative engine optimization) is in. Why this shift is reshaping startup distribution playbooks. * 15:30 | Grok 4, Elon & the next frontier Mads explains how Musk’s Grok leapfrogged benchmarks — and why the next LLM battle is all about compute, data quality, and Nvidia’s $4T edge. * 18:50 | Does working from home kill culture? Are great companies built on Slack or in person? The crew unpacks why strong culture is more than values on a wall — and why the best teams come together. * 25:00 | Trump’s tariffs: a real threat or priced in? Why markets barely shrug at Trump’s latest trade threats — and what selective escalation could mean for European startups this autumn. * 29:00 | UK startup stats: steady but small Eight billion raised, a handful of unicorns minted — but the US is still 20x bigger. Why the same structural issues keep the UK from scaling like Silicon Valley. * 33:15 | Big Tech vs Europe: do the fines matter? From DMA penalties to encrypted chat backdoors, the team debates whether Brussels’ big fines work — and who really pays the price. * 38:10 | Deal of the Week: Eutelsat’s €1.35B resilience play Why Europe’s sovereign satellite champion matters — and why Lomax wants them to rebrand fast.

Welcome to a new episode of the EUVC Podcast, where we bring you the people and perspectives shaping European venture. This week, Andreas Munk Holm [https://dk.linkedin.com/in/andreas-euvc/en] sits down with Nicholas Nelson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-n-504ba423/], founding GP of Archangel [https://archangel.eu/], the new defense-first fund going all in on the blunt reality of European strategic autonomy. Nicholas is no newcomer to this. From advising governments to serving in Afghanistan, launching syndicates, or building dual-use bridges when few wanted to touch defense, he’s stayed on the same mission while the market shifted all around him. In this episode, Nicholas breaks down why Europe needs unapologetic defense-first investing, why dual-use alone won’t cut it, and what founders, LPs, and co-investors must face up to if they’re serious about Europe’s sovereignty. Here’s what’s covered: * 00:00 | Nicholas Nelson’s journey: from service to syndicates to Archangel * 02:00 | Two decades of doing defense before it was cool * 04:00 | Why now? Why real defense? Why not just dual-use? * 07:00 | The war tech shift: tanks out, rapid iteration in * 10:00 | Ukraine’s ‘hourly sprints’—why on-the-ground matters * 13:00 | Deterrence, lethality & Europe’s strategic gap * 16:00 | When dual-use brands muddy the water (and why that’s risky) * 19:00 | The bullets & bombs dilemma: investing when LPs say no * 22:00 | Primes, vendor lock & the truth about the military industrial complex * 26:00 | ESG tensions: Europe’s extra layer of complexity * 30:00 | The pan-European Anduril myth—why it doesn’t map * 34:00 | Local vs. pan-European scaling: what’s realistic * 37:00 | Exit routes & why the big growth rounds go abroad * 40:00 | The flywheel we didn’t get to—coming in part two

Welcome to a new episode of the EUVC Podcast, where we bring you the people and perspectives shaping European venture. This time, we flip the mic: Jeppe Høier [https://dk.linkedin.com/in/jeppehoier], normally the host, steps into the hot seat in a conversation with Francesco Di Lorenzo [https://dk.linkedin.com/in/fdilorenzo80], Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at CBS [https://www.esade.edu/en] and an expert on entrepreneurial and innovation strategy. In this episode, you’ll get the full backstory on Jeppe—from PwC to CFO at a pan-European fund, Heartcore Capital [https://www.heartcore.com/], to building Maersk’ [https://www.maersk.com/]s CVC arm, and now shaping Europe’s corporate VC landscape through the EU CVC podcast, newsletter, and summit. They dive deep into how corporate venture works (and fails), why the immune system metaphor holds true, and what’s needed to build an ecosystem across Europe that actually delivers. 🎯 This Podcast’s Themes: * From finance to strategy: Jeppe’s journey into venture * Why CVC is more organ transplant than M&A * How to survive 3 CEOs—and why you must * Fund of funds vs. direct investing: what’s trending in corporate venture * Building Europe’s corporate VC community: podcast, masterclasses, summits Here’s what’s covered: * 00:00 | From Interviews to the Interviewee: Jeppe in the spotlight * 02:00 | Auditor Turned VC: From PwC to CFO of a pan-European fund * 04:30 | The Maersk Years: Strategy, innovation, and the “immune system” * 07:00 | Organ Transplant Theory: Why CVCs often get rejected * 10:00 | Newsletter to Podcast: Building the EU CVC platform * 12:00 | The European Vision: A fragmented but collaborative ecosystem * 14:00 | Strategic vs Financial Tension: Why most corporates are confused * 16:00 | Global Case Studies: TDK Ventures, Woven Capital, Maersk Growth * 21:00 | The Pivot Playbook: Survive, evolve, stay relevant * 23:30 | How to Do CVC Right: From metrics to mindset * 25:00 | Fund of Funds 101: What corporates need to know * 27:00 | Advice to MBAs: Learn the craft, love the long game Watch it here or add it to your episodes on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/euvc/id1544598239] or Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0WO5adjTSnzxCC3l2sRq1f] 🎧. Chapters for easy navigation are available on the Spotify/Apple episode.