€75 MRR and 3 Customers, and then Figma Pivoted Him to €1.2M.

From €15M market operator to a €30M VC – Secrets of a Venture Capitalist

How a €30M Fund Backed by Europe's Biggest Investor Became the Ultimate VC Gatekeeper In this episode of Deal Makers, Niclas Schlopsna sits down with Vlad Sarca, General Partner at Sparking Capital, to unlock the raw, behind-the-scenes mechanics of early-stage venture capital. What actually goes through a venture capitalist's mind when they review your pitch deck? Vlad breaks down the exact framework he uses to evaluate founders, moving past the superficial "AI" buzzwords that often ruin otherwise strong pitches. For founders navigating capital advisory and venture capital, understanding these dynamics is crucial for improving your startup's quality of life and survival rate in a competitive market. We also dive deep into the Eastern European tech ecosystem, deconstructing the secret price arbitrage giving regional startups a massive edge and how the "EU-Inc" initiative could stop founders from fleeing to Delaware. This perspective is essential for driving regional economic development and building a sustainable legacy in global tech. What You'll Learn in This Video Podcast * The 10% Pass Rate: Why the vast majority of pitch decks are immediately rejected during the initial screening process. * The "AI" Trap: Why forcing tech buzzwords into your deck is killing your credibility with experienced investors. * Cap Table Death Traps: The specific equity splits, unengaged academic mentors, and broken ownership structures that make your startup completely uninvestable. * VC Syndicates & Partnerships: How venture capitalists simultaneously compete and collaborate behind the scenes to close high-quality deals. * The Price Arbitrage Advantage: How Eastern European startups leverage lower operational costs to achieve massive scalability with less capital. * Term Sheet Realities: The exact founder behaviours, unrealistic projections, and lack of responsibility that cause VCs to pull out of a deal. About Spectup At spectup, we provide high-stakes capital advisory for founders looking to scale their impact. Capital advisory for companies raising from institutional investors (family office, VC, private equity) and for GPs raising a new fund and need intros to Limited partners.

Inside secrets of €30M VC ecosystem

In this insightful discussion, Vlad Sarca from GP Sparking Capital and Niclas Schlopsna, Partner at spectup, discuss key investment strategies. They addressed the prevalent "artificial intelligence" buzzword and compare the active investor pool in smaller ecosystems to larger ones, emphasising the nuances of capital allocation. This episode offers valuable perspectives on business strategy from experienced executive leadership. We explored a lot of topics. From the uncoachable founder behaviours that get your term sheet pulled to why slapping fake "AI" metrics on your business strategy kills your credibility, Vlad shares the strict frameworks he uses to scan 50+ decks monthly. We also explored the massive growth of the Eastern European tech ecosystem, the secret price arbitrage giving regional startups an edge, and why structural moves like the "EU-Inc" initiative matter for regional economic development. Stay tuned for the full video. About spectup:At spectup, we provide premium, high-stakes capital advisory for founders looking to scale their impact. We believe in building a future where innovation and responsibility go hand-in-hand. Learn more at: www.spectup.com

From Academic Research at UCL to Raising €4.5M Capital

The wellness industry is growing rapidly, with unique sensory innovations now leading the way in sleep health. In this episode, Niclas Schlöpsna, Managing Partner at spectup, sits down with Dr. Emanuela Maggioni, CEO of Hynt Labs, to discuss how a sophisticated lab project secured €4.5M in total capital. Emanuela, an expert with 20 years of experience in olfactory science and neuroscience, shares her journey from researching at Sussex and University College London (UCL) to leading a high-growth deep tech company. We explore how Hynt Labs utilises real-time scent interventions to optimise sleep stages by integrating via APIs with established wearables like Oura, Samsung Watch, and WHOOP. What You Will Learn: * The €4.5M Funding Strategy: Hynt Labs' €3.4M equity and €1.1M grant strategy for global scaling. * The Pivot to Sleep Tech: Why moving from general sensory widgets to targeted sleep intervention was the key to commercial success. * Davos & Global Marketing: How demonstrating technology at the World Economic Forum acted as a massive growth multiplier. * Lab to Boardroom: Overcoming the academic mindset to embrace B2B licensing and business clarity. * Deep Tech Landscape: Navigating the differences between European and US investment risks About spectup: High-stakes capital advisory for founders scaling their impact. We drive fundraising strategy, ensure investor readiness, and manage outreach to VCs, family offices, and angels. Learn more: spectup.com [https://spectup.com]

She raised €4.5M in AI-powered Sleep Tech

In this episode, Niclas Schlopsna sits down with Dr. Emanuela Maggioni, founder of Hynt Labs, to explore how wearable data is being transformed into real-time sensory interventions tech for better sleep. Dr. Maggioni reveals how Hynt Labs integrates data from Oura, Samsung Watch, and WHOOP to optimize human rest through neuroscience and AI sleep technology with API integrations. This conversation bridges complex deep tech innovation with practical consumer wellness solutions. KEY TOPICS: * Hynt Labs' €3.4M equity and €1.1M grant strategy for global scaling.  * Wearable API integration for personalized interventions * Strategic partnerships with major global corporations About spectup: Neo-investment bank for comapnies raising from institutional investors (family office, VC, private equity) and for GPs raising a new fund and need intros to Limited partners Learn more: www.spectup.com [https://www.spectup.com]

From a $45M Exit to Raising $5M on a Weekend

Raising millions at record speed is often portrayed as luck, but for serial founders, it's a calculated play of leverage, unit economics, and deep-tech infrastructure. In this episode of Deal Makers (& Fakers), Niclas Schlopsna sits down with Kirk to break down the transition from corporate leadership at Mastercard to navigating the Death Valley of fintech startups. Kirk shares his journey of leveraging a $45M exit to bypass the standard fundraising cycle, closing a $5M round in a single weekend. He also shared why he believes your unit economics matter infinitely more than a flashy UI. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE: * The $5M Weekend: How to leverage a previous exit to bypass the standard 6-month fundraising grind. * Fintech Economics: Why today's investors are pivoting away from "shiny" apps toward deep-tech infrastructure. * Stealth Mode vs. Hype: When (and why) to keep your billion-dollar ideas quiet to protect your competitive advantage. * Corporate to Founder: The raw reality of moving from a C-suite office to the startup trenches. If you're a founder building in fintech, navigating regulatory compliance, or trying to master the art of the fast raise, this episode reveals the strategic blueprint behind the capital. WHO IS KIRK DONOHOE? Kirk is a serial entrepreneur and former Mastercard executive with a track record of high-stakes exits. He is currently focused on Grand, solving the deep-seated inefficiencies in global financial infrastructure. He previously founded WhenThen (acquired by Mangopay) and held leadership roles at Mastercard. He is a veteran of the fintech space, specializing in global payment infrastructure. WHO SHOULD LISTEN? * Fintech founders looking to scale beyond the "app" layer. * Serial entrepreneurs planning their next big exit. * Investors tracking the shift from B2C to B2B infrastructure. Visit spectup.com for more insights on fundraising strategy and startup growth.